Hay - loose and/or cubed

[EveningChin]

OK, I've always fed both cubed and loose hay. But recently the loose hay has started wreaking havok with my asthma. Which is sad because it was really cute when I'd put a new handfull in and Nyx would first hand Pia a piece before getting one for herself.

Does any one feed strictly hay cubes?

 

[AZChins]

If I am unable to get the hay out or too tired, I will just let the chins eat their hay cubes for the night. It isn't a horrible thing for them to have just hay cubes. I would definitely suggest giving them maybe a couple different types - maybe alfalfa AND timothy hay cubes.

 

[Easterpiggy]

ahhhhhhh the age old question I think it should be fine to feed just cubed.

 

[EveningChin]

That was the part I was most worried about. I have mixed hay cubes as is because the pellet I feed is Alfafa based and the loose hay was/is Timothy so i fed mix cubes. But as long as there is no nutritional problems...
Thank you!

 

[AZChins]

That should work out just fine. It will make things easier on you to feed the cubed stuff until you can find hay that doesn't bother you as much. During the winter and spring it seems to be easier to find timothy that doesn't have as many flower heads in it and is less dusty. All the hay that I buy for my guys is second cutting, but it seems like the hay can be different from season to season.

 

[tunes]

Lots of people choose to feed just cubed because of allergies or the mess and the chins do fine on it.

I wish I could find the mixed timothy/alfalfa hay cubes that I see so many people use. Out here, it's all alfalfa, all the time.

 

[Essentia]

Same here. I have been looking for a Timmy/Alfy mix forever.

 

[EveningChin]

I order all my stuff online... its just easier. When I am up in Wyoming I can find hay very easily, but when I'm at school every one relies on Petsmart or other huge chain stores that are over priced and stock crap. So it just turns out best to order online.. and I like supporting people on here. People who actually care!

I don't know why the hay started bugging me. I've had Petra almost 4 years and never had an issue. But over the past month or so... wheezy death! Lol

 

[Cuddlebug]

I feed mixed alfalfa hay cubes to my chinnies. They seem to do just fine on it.

 

[jenjenn2005]

I also have severe asthma and I only give loose hay about once a month as a treat because they absolutely love it, but it just causes me to sneeze so bad and have breathing problems. All the other time they get timothy hay cubes and they seem to do just as well!

 

[Parkerspetchins]

I thought they got more wear for their molars with the loose since they really use their front teeth to sort of gnaw on the cube rather than having to grind it with their back teeth like they do the loose...I think I would be more concerned with teeth issues if I didn't give loose. My girls don't really like the cubes anyway so there is no question for me, they love their loose hay too much. Maybe I am over thinking it though...I'm thinking long term here...

 

[jwm]

Your chins share food?? That's awesome. Mine tend to steal from one another.

 

[Spoof]

I thought they got more wear for their molars with the loose since they really use their front teeth to sort of gnaw on the cube rather than having to grind it with their back teeth like they do the loose...

Chins are like all other animals, they chew things off (including long pieces of loose hay) with the front teeth, then it moves to the back for grinding.

Hay - both loose and cubed as well as feed in theory provide the same amount of grindage.

It's kind of like saying a person will only chew licorice with their back teeth if they are provided with a long rope vs. one of the short little nubs.

 

[AZChins]

Tara - that seems to make sense to me! Getting the back teeth to grind seems to be a combination of chewing all sorts of different things. If they like hay cubes enough to chew them often, that will work. I do know of some chins that are spoiled and seem to like the loose hay the best. You just have to keep them grinding those molars!

 

[EveningChin]

That was the debate. From what I'd read hay (loose or cubed) cause chins to chew in a circular motion, thus putting more wear on their teeth. While Pellets were chewed in an up down manner grinding less.

My girls did like their loose hay but they also enjoyed carrying their cubes around. Since stopping the loose hay I can breathe and they go through more cubes. And they're cages are easier to clean. Sigh, such is life.

 

[Rickman]

One of my brothers, [of 5] and my oldest son developed hayfever after 25!?! No one in the family ever had it, as far as we could trace back, and, although rare, not unheard of, according to their doctors!

 

[Dustbunnies]

Anyone can develop an allergy to almost anything at anytime. It is not common though, but can happen. Some people think that long term exposure creates an "immunity" but it actually increases the chance of developing an allergy/sensitivity. I have hay fever, but I endure it for my girls. I tried hay cubes this week and they left tiny green dust that is harder to get out of fleece than big pieces. Also made their poop look greenish. I might use them for travel or fun, but loose is nicer and more natural.

 

[Azure Chinchillas]

In theory, cubed provides the same nutrition and fibre as loose. However (IMO) loose gives more environmental stimulation for the chins.

I feed both - but I do give them a handful of loose in the evenings before their night-time activities!

 

[EveningChin]

In theory, cubed provides the same nutrition and fibre as loose. However (IMO) loose gives more environmental stimulation for the chins.

I feed both - but I do give them a handful of loose in the evenings before their night-time activities!

As I said in the OP thats how I used to be. I used to give both but I am severely asthmatic and for some reason over the last month or so the loose hay has been trying to kill me. They liked the loose hay but now that they have unlimited hay cubes they've taken to playing with them. Climbing up to the top of the cage and tossing them down. And in the case of Nyx and Pia they play with one and steal it from one another (while theres three others in there) and see who can nibble it the longest before the other steals it. Its a toy and a snack!

I feel bad but eventually my allergy will go away and I will start to feed both again.

 

[EveningChin]

Anyone can develop an allergy to almost anything at anytime. It is not common though, but can happen. Some people think that long term exposure creates an "immunity" but it actually increases the chance of developing an allergy/sensitivity. I have hay fever, but I endure it for my girls. I tried hay cubes this week and they left tiny green dust that is harder to get out of fleece than big pieces. Also made their poop look greenish. I might use them for travel or fun, but loose is nicer and more natural.

In my experience its the other way around and allergies change often in many people. I've been allergy tested alot in my life and about every five years my allergies change. This was also the case for my sisters and a number of friends. Some years I'm fantastically affected by the pollen in the spring other years not even a wheeze about it. My Mother was 53 before she started having issues with hay fever.

In the case of creating an immunity because of long term exposure I'd have to disagree again. When i go home to my parents house after no exposure to their cats and dog I literally lay on the floor turning blue because of my allergies causing asthma attacks. Then after two weeks I'm fine. And I'm less effected by other peoples cats and dogs It sounds like a form of immunity to me.

As for the green dust being hard to remove, no idea. I've not had an issue with it. I washmy liners twice a week and I've had no stickage of green dust. And the greenish poop because of hay cubes confuses me.. What would cause this?