How much hay in Small Pet Select boxes?

[button+banjo]

Hi everyone,

I was comparing prices of hay, and was having a hard time estimating exactly how much hay you got for the price from Small Pet Select, and about how long each size box would last for two 4lb Holland Lops? If anyone has any pictures of the different sized boxes where it is easy to see how much hay you are getting that would be great. Currently the bunnies are wasting a good amount of their hay.

Here is the hay we are using now (it is dusty and has a lot of "dead grass" mixed with the hay). According to Tractor Supply it is a 8 ft long 4 ft wide 4 ft high bale that was chopped and compressed (it weighs about 50 lbs): https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-timothy-grab-go-compressed-bale?cm_vc=-10005

And here is the link to the Small Pet Select hay:
https://shop.smallpetselect.com/collections/hay/products/2nd-cutting-timothy-hay

If anyone has any advice/experience with Small Pet Select hay I would appreciate it!

 

[lavendertealatte]

Small Pet Select website has the lbs on there so you should be able to compare easily? I just got one that is 20lbs .. the box is about the size of a cooler but the hay is packed quite densely O_O. I was afraid to open the box cause I knew it was going to spill over onto my carpet. *sigh* My previous bags of hay were about 2lbs and maybe would last me about a month or so...

 

[samoth]

A 5-pound box would last my two rabbits (10-12lbs total weight) around 1.5 months. There's always a lot of wasted hay, as they'll pick out the good stuff and scatter the rest all over the house for humans to clean up. If you have space, buy the 50 lb stuff, as it's cheaper per-unit cost.

I presently have 5, 20, and 50 pound SPS hay boxes. Are you looking for pictures of them, physical dimensions, or something relative for comparison?

50 lbs from supplier A is the same quantity as 50 lbs from supplier B, but not necessarily the same quality. Personally, I'd suggest giving your rabbits what they prefer and eat the most of.

TSC is more of a farm animal-oriented place, while SPS is pet-oriented. My SPS hay never has weird stuff mixed in, and is pretty low on dust. It's more expensive, but the best quality for my house rabbits.

Keep in mind the hay's storage conditions, too. TSC's shrink-wrapped hay won't breathe well and go bad faster than SPS's boxed hay.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Yeah I have to correct my previous number I think I go through more like 5lb in a month as well. That’s refilling it twice a day and a lot of it ends up in the trash lol.

 

[button+banjo]

A 5-pound box would last my two rabbits (10-12lbs total weight) around 1.5 months. There's always a lot of wasted hay, as they'll pick out the good stuff and scatter the rest all over the house for humans to clean up. If you have space, buy the 50 lb stuff, as it's cheaper per-unit cost.

I presently have 5, 20, and 50 pound SPS hay boxes. Are you looking for pictures of them, physical dimensions, or something relative for comparison?

50 lbs from supplier A is the same quantity as 50 lbs from supplier B, but not necessarily the same quality. Personally, I'd suggest giving your rabbits what they prefer and eat the most of.

TSC is more of a farm animal-oriented place, while SPS is pet-oriented. My SPS hay never has weird stuff mixed in, and is pretty low on dust. It's more expensive, but the best quality for my house rabbits.

Keep in mind the hay's storage conditions, too. TSC's shrink-wrapped hay won't breathe well and go bad faster than SPS's boxed hay.

Yes, I was looking for pictures/size comparison so I could see just how much hay you were getting per box. I couldn't tell very well from the SPS website. I have two (4lb) Holland Lops. If I did switch to SPS hay it would be a big price increase so I would want to make sure that it wasn't bad hay (my current hay is VERY dusty and half dead grass/half hay). The bunnies live on the front porch but I might be able to store the hay inside if it was low/no dust (right now it is outside) since I am allergic to it and have to wear gloves/mask whenever I touch it. I would buy local timothy hay, but I live in an area where none of the farmers grow it, it is shipped to stores (like the kind I'm currently using).

 

[lavendertealatte]

I don't know if SPS will solve that problem if you're that sensitive. I also am allergic to Timothy hay (makes me sneeze and makes my nose run) and decided to try the 2nd cut which SPS carries to see if that would be better, but for me it hasn't made a difference. I'm probably going to give most of it away to my friend who is not allergic lol. Have you tried orchard grass?

 

[samoth]

Yes, I was looking for pictures/size comparison so I could see just how much hay you were getting per box. I couldn't tell very well from the SPS website. I have two (4lb) Holland Lops. If I did switch to SPS hay it would be a big price increase so I would want to make sure that it wasn't bad hay (my current hay is VERY dusty and half dead grass/half hay). The bunnies live on the front porch but I might be able to store the hay inside if it was low/no dust (right now it is outside) since I am allergic to it and have to wear gloves/mask whenever I touch it. I would buy local timothy hay, but I live in an area where none of the farmers grow it, it is shipped to stores (like the kind I'm currently using).

Here are a few pics I just took. I'm not sure how images work within the new forum host, so in order of upload:

1) 5 lb box (foreground with stuffed rabbit) & 20 lb box (background)
2) 5 lb box next to real 5 lb rabbit for scale
3) 5 lb box atop a 50 lb box

Measurements are (W x L x H):

5 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 6"
20 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 12"
50 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 28.5"

You mention allergies, which I've had my whole life (including fur/dander, pollen, hay, etc.). I use the SPS orchard medley (has clover!); orchard hay is much better on allergies than timothy, and I have very few issues with it.

I bought a 50 lb box of timothy from SPS years ago, and it wasn't very dusty at all. I just switched because my doe (not pictured) wasn't a big hay eater when I rescued her, and the clover hay got her to actually eat it -- and grind down her molar spurs without the need for expensive dental work.

If you want to try the SPS stuff out, PM me and I can send you a 15% off coupon code. (You'll want to spend over $40 to get free shipping.)

 

[lavendertealatte]

That is a super cute stuffed lop you have there Samoth! Btw do you mind saying where your rugs are from?

 

[samoth]

That is a super cute stuffed lop you have there Samoth! Btw do you mind saying where your rugs are from?

I get all my rugs on clearance from Meijers (a large super Wal-Mart type store in the Midwest USA).

Rugs on top of carpet may not look the best, but they're a necessity of you have a carpet-chewer.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Yep I have a carpet chewer, so that's exactly why I was asking. Right now, I have a bedsheet on top of a carpet. Which looks worse than a rug I have been too cheap to buy a rug and have it destroyed if it doesn't work out.

 

[button+banjo]

Here are a few pics I just took. I'm not sure how images work within the new forum host, so in order of upload:

1) 5 lb box (foreground with stuffed rabbit) & 20 lb box (background)
2) 5 lb box next to real 5 lb rabbit for scale
3) 5 lb box atop a 50 lb box

Measurements are (W x L x H):

5 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 6"
20 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 12"
50 lb box: 24" x 16.5" x 28.5"

You mention allergies, which I've had my whole life (including fur/dander, pollen, hay, etc.). I use the SPS orchard medley (has clover!); orchard hay is much better on allergies than timothy, and I have very few issues with it.

I bought a 50 lb box of timothy from SPS years ago, and it wasn't very dusty at all. I just switched because my doe (not pictured) wasn't a big hay eater when I rescued her, and the clover hay got her to actually eat it -- and grind down her molar spurs without the need for expensive dental work.

If you want to try the SPS stuff out, PM me and I can send you a 15% off coupon code. (You'll want to spend over $40 to get free shipping.)

View attachment 37541 View attachment 37542 View attachment 37543

Thanks for the pictures, that really helps. I checked the SPS website and they sell a 60 lb box of timothy, so it would be even bigger than the box you have Is the hay compressed at all in the boxes or is it packed loosely?

 

[samoth]

Thanks for the pictures, that really helps. I checked the SPS website and they sell a 60 lb box of timothy, so it would be even bigger than the box you have Is the hay compressed at all in the boxes or is it packed loosely?

The hay is compressed, but not, like, super-compressed. It can breathe well enough to last for a while (I'm still going through a year-old box of SPS oat hay).

If you have space, the bigger boxes are definitely cheaper... which is good for the more expensive premium hay.

Yep I have a carpet chewer, so that's exactly why I was asking. Right now, I have a bedsheet on top of a carpet. Which looks worse than a rug I have been too cheap to buy a rug and have it destroyed if it doesn't work out.

They're definitely worth it for preventing carpet damage (even though buns find a way to destroy some carpet no matter what). I just wait until I see a sale and pick something up.

The big thing is to get the carpet that doesn't have loopy strands. Just basic, short, soft fibers that can't be easily grasped by their incisors. Oh, and rubber backing helps if you have a bun that isnt't the best with her litter box.

I think I got the big rugs (4' x 5'?) for $50 each on sale. They were well worth the money while my rabbits were acclimating to their new home. I leave them in place, vacuum them, spot clean them with vinegar solution, and treat them like they were the carpet.

 

[mark]

I love, love love SmallPetSelect, and we bought hay from them for about a year or so. We had very good results with their stuff and it was a great way to find out what kind they preferred. They have great customer service and are pretty much one of my favorite companions!

We buy their pellet food for our buns and treats as well. They love the Vitalicious Herbal Blend so much!

That said, our local rescue also sells huge trash bags of hay at their adoption events. I asked where they bought it and found it was from a certain farm supply place nearby.

When we moved to a place where we finally have a 2 car garage, we went to the farm supply place and bought an 80-100 lb bale of oat hay ... for $20. We had to buy a new big trash can to store it in (and even that was not big enough to fit the whole thing). Just putting it out there, if you are on a tight budget and have some room. We no longer care how much hay ends up being wasted.

Speaking of that, our bale is all very fresh, and nevertheless the buns still don’t eat a good percentage of it. Don’t ask me how they discern the “good hay” from the “sub-standard hay”, but I have read that this is natural. Just FYI



(Yeah we had the bale in my wife’s Toyota Matrix Using the large blue tarp, we kept the mess to a minimum.)

To give a better sense of scale, here I am “riding” the bale, a-la-Major Kong from “Dr. Strangelove”

 

[button+banjo]

@samoth did you still have that coupon code? I think I will end up trying SPS hay.

 

[samoth]

@samoth did you still have that coupon code? I think I will end up trying SPS hay.

Sent

 

[button+banjo]

Sent

Thanks so much!!

 

[button+banjo]

Update:

We got the 60lb box of 2nd cut timothy....but while we were waiting for it to come we got some oxbow timothy meadow hay. They love the seeds on the SPS hay but I have yet to see them eat it as greedily as they are eating the oxbow hay....of course. But it just came yesterday so hopefully they will try it some more...they're going to be eating it for a while!

 

[Jacaroe]

I started using the Forti-Diet from Walmart which my bun loves, but then I found the TSC bales for $17/50#! I was so excited I bought a bale, but a month later, after giving him over a pound and then reading this, checked the TSC website to find out that hay is not meant for small animals, but mostly horses. The TSC rep that I asked said it would be fine for bun, so I'm a little aggravated.

I have no doubt that SPS hay is great quality, but it's expensive! I'm curious if anybody has been able to find any quality hay that can be purchased a little cheaper than $2/#?

 

[lavendertealatte]

If you have a feed store near you you might be able to buy hay by the bale for cheaper.. but yeah.. our feed store nearby doesn't sell Timothy though ... only Alfalfa.. which might have been the problem you ran into Jacaroe? Not sure.

 

[Jacaroe]

If you have a feed store near you you might be able to buy hay by the bale for cheaper.. but yeah.. our feed store nearby doesn't sell Timothy though ... only Alfalfa.. which might have been the problem you ran into Jacaroe? Not sure.

The closest we have to a feed store is Tractor Supply and I do believe them when they say Standlee bales of Timothy are actually Timothy (and the store clerk said it's fine for house rabbits), but the website says, "Standlee Premium Western Forage does not recommend that you purchase the Compressed or Grab and Go bales for your small animals, as they are graded for livestock."

So...I'm kinda back to square one looking for a reasonably priced Timothy hay for less than $2.00 per pound.