Chins doesnt like Hay
- Thread starter leowjp
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alli713
..has a fleece addiction
Can you get any other types of hay other than the Oxbow type? Some chins are picky and don't like certain brands, or perhaps the hay sat in the store for a while and is stale.
If you can find other brands of timothy try those, or you could also try orchard grass hay or bermuda grass hay which are similar to timothy hay.
If you can find other brands of timothy try those, or you could also try orchard grass hay or bermuda grass hay which are similar to timothy hay.
ticklechin
Well-known member
www.americanpetdiner.com hay is a favorite of chinchillas.
Which one would you recommend from the site? Thanks
channeltool
Well-known member
I buy the timothy gold. But right now it isn't the best quality. It is short and brittle. But try it. Some people buy kleenmama's hayloft. I got the 3rd cut and it was good.
Isabella Whateva
Well-known member
It really does vary. I bought some oxbow at the beginning of the summer and it was stick-dry and prickly. My chins barely touched it. I just bought a new back at the beginning of September and it was really soft, but choppy and tiny pieces. I remember the first time I bought Oxbow though... it was 100% perfect. It really depends. The best thing to do is go into the petstore and open the bags of hay and feel them. You can usually tell ones that feel good. For my chins, they like the hay soft, and for me I like it when the pieces are longer so it makes less of a mess.
javachin
Well-known member
I didn't realize there were different "cuts" of hay. For those of you who've ordered from these sites, which timothy cut is best? Also, I've always fed timothy hay to my chins, but how acceptable is orchard grass as a replacement?
VolunteerChin22
I <3 dustbunnies
Orchard is fine - it isn't as "tough" as timothy so it doesn't wear down the teeth as well. Softer hay is chewed differently than the tougher stuff. I am not sure if there is a difference as far as fiber content...
VolunteerChin22
I <3 dustbunnies
I forgot to add you could try giving them cubed hay if you feed loose and loose hay if you feed cubes to encourage them to eat it. Some chins are picky about one type over the other.
Christina Noraas
Christina
See if you can find local farmers in your area, ask if they have some second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth crop hay, it has great quality, it's locally grown and won't be treated because it'll make the cattle, horses or what ever they're feeding sick and it'll kill the crops eventually.
Generally, we only do second crop but my step dad specifically made third crop for them and they absolutely love it!
Although make sure it's from this growing season, if it's from last year it'll be sitting in their hay maul and will have millions of dust spores and some might even have mold.
If you don't want to buy a whole square bale, you could if you want they keep really well if stored in a dry place, I'm sure they'll lend you a few grocery bags full or what ever you need.
Generally, we only do second crop but my step dad specifically made third crop for them and they absolutely love it!
Although make sure it's from this growing season, if it's from last year it'll be sitting in their hay maul and will have millions of dust spores and some might even have mold.
If you don't want to buy a whole square bale, you could if you want they keep really well if stored in a dry place, I'm sure they'll lend you a few grocery bags full or what ever you need.
chinnychinchinchilla
Emily
whats the difference between crops?
nessa
Proud Chin Mommy!!!
I do not mean to advertise this online store, but it has some interesting articles. One of them is about the types of hay, maybe you'd like to shoot a glance: http://www.forotherlivingthings.com/types_of_hay.php
Christina Noraas
Christina
The term crops means how many times it's been cut in the field, the more times you cut it the better quality of the hay. First crops are generally more chunky with just bit hard pieces, but as you get into second, third, fourth.. etc. they hay is fluffier so to speak and it has more softer pieces such as the actual leaves of the grass. At my house we generally only get second crop, third if lucky because it's so wet here, all of our hay eating animals absolutely love it, not to mention the visiting deer. D; Holes have been eaten into our hay bales. But up where my dad lives they get any where from third to sixth crops, just simply because there isn't as many swamps and the rainy days are less.
Maybe you got stuck with first crop of the hay that you bought, I can't be sure unless I actually see it. My chins refuse to eat first crop hay, but go crazy with the second and third crop. They also won't eat any hay that's been stored for more than 6 months, maybe mine are just picky.
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chinnychinchinchilla
Emily
ok so the higher the crop the better quality. ok i get it thanks
