dried grass v hay

[sbaxter]

I have loads of hay for bedding and eating but bought some dried grass too from the pet club,didn`t think till id got home what is the difference is i thought hay was dried grass? the hay looks like hay but the grass is thicker in width not dense as in thickness if you get what i mean it`s dry as hay but much greener .
Nutristionally (sp DOH) is it better for them than hay?

 

[Brandy456]

Hay is dried grass...
Although, there are different types of hay you can guy (timothy, alfalfa etc) but there are also different types of grass.
Either way, it's generally the same thing

 

[missyscove]

Alfalfa hay is made from a legume. Grass hays like Timothy and Orchard are made from grasses.
There are many different types of grass hays and each one looks different. There are also variations within one type and even a single plant can produce hay that looks different depending on when it's cut.

I'm not sure exactly what you bought; I've never heard of anything being marketed as just "dried grass."

Most grass hays are nutritionally very similar. Legumes (alfalfa) have more protein and less fiber than grass hays, mostly due to their higher leaf:stem ratio.

 

[sbaxter]

ok thanks so can free feed it although he`s not as keen on it as your usual hay,thanks again

 

[xKuchiki]

sbaxter wrote:

ok thanks so can free feed it although he`s not as keen on it as your usual hay,thanks again

Hay is something that should constantly be around the rabbit as the pellets should be limited and once those run out the rabbit needs something else to munch on besides pellets, as a rabbit should never run out of food/roughage to eat.

 

[sbaxter]

he has access to hay rack and loads of it on litter tray but doesnt touch the hay rack hay very odd?

 

[xKuchiki]

Don't be weirded out, some rabbits just don't prefer hay racks to eating right off the ground. Too bad, because I'd love if one day my buns cages could be neat and tidy besides LOADS of hay in each corner :wink

 

[sbaxter]

yeh same here i thought thats a great idea "a hay rack" he has one in his indoor and outdoor cages he has`nt touched either seems to prefere the hay in his litter box also would like to note to everyone it`s changed everyday!! LOL(ooo imagine eating in your toilet/bathroom) ,deep with hay and he poops and wee`s one end and eats at the other end. Getting new bun soon so will see, she may like them. LOL

 

[missyscove]

sbaxter wrote:

yeh same here i thought thats a great idea "a hay rack" he has one in his indoor and outdoor cages he has`nt touched either seems to prefere the hay in his litter box also would like to note to everyone it`s changed everyday!! LOL(ooo imagine eating in your toilet/bathroom) ,deep with hay and he poops and wee`s one end and eats at the other end. Getting new bun soon so will see, she may like them. LOL

Lots of bunnies like to eat and poop simultaneously. It's because as prey animals, they have to leave the safety of their warren to do both, so they have to spend less time out in the open if they can do both at the same time.

 

[sbaxter]

oo christina thats fascinating how their behviour is so strongly linked to natural behaviour in the wild

 

[JeffS]

For a while I fed my rabbits oxbow orchard grass. Some time after adopting Riley I took him in to the vet to have his molars trimmed. I asked about food and the vet said that timothy hay is what he recommends because it "has more silica." Timothy hay is better for their teeth. He said that nutritionally, orchard grass and timothy hay are both fine.

Later I found out what a rip off bagged hay marketed for rabbits is...

 

[missyscove]

Yes, ideally it's best to provide a variety of grass hays as they each wear down their teeth differently.

I buy my hay in trash bags with about 2 flakes a piece from my local feed store for about $5/bag.

I keep trying to get my mom to buy a bale, but she doesn't want to buy that much at a time. The huge trash bags are still an incredible deal compared to the little bags though.