Best Dust-Free Hay?

[xcheyennetaylor]

My bun Luna is pretty sensitive to dusty hays, and by “pretty sensitive” I mean really sensitive. I’ve talked to my vet and he doesn’t have snuffles, the vet thinks that the dust from the hays just really set off his respiratory system into super cough/sneeze mode. And because of it he gets tiny eye crusties and a little bit of a watery nose (both the eye crusties and watery nose are barely even noticeable though it’s the sneezing and coughing that acts up frequently). So, so far I’ve tried two different types of hay; the generic brand of alfalfa from Walmart when I first got him that was horrible, and the Oxbow Western Timothy. The Oxbow timothy is really not all that bad, but bad enough to send him into little fits every now and then. I recently ordered off the binkybunny store and received a bag of Oat hay as a free gift that he seemed to love, it didn’t seem very dusty at all either, but I’ve read some reviews and they’ve said otherwise. So I’m just asking your guys’ opinion. What hay would you recommend for a bun with sensitive allergies? 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Alfalfa is really dusty-I’d steer clear.

Could you try soaking her hay? That’s what people do with horses who have dust sensitivity. The key is soak what you are feeding that day, and then toss it out (hay gets moldy)

In terms of types-it just depends, any producer of commercial hay likely gets it from all different places, different farmers-and weather is different each year. They hay from Binkybunny is fantastic. If you are buying in the store, just look at it-should be soft and green.

[xcheyennetaylor]

How do you soak hay??

[LittlePuffyTail]

Oxbow Orchard Grass is very low dust. It’s what is recommended for people with hay allergies to use for their buns.

[xcheyennetaylor]

Okay thanks!! I ordered some of what you recommended, also ordered the Oxbow oat and Oxbow timothy. Just going to try out each one and see how it goes. Do you think a humidifier might help with his allergies? I’ve been looking around and I’m not sure whether to try a warm mist humidifier or a cool mist humidifier. Ever since we’ve turned the heating on he’s been sneezing a bit more. His favorite place to lay is under my dresser which is also where the vent is. Could a humidifier help with the dry air and his allergies? He’s so sensitive lol.

[jerseygirl]

Possibly. Buns that have respiratory issues often need increased humidity and cooler air.
Perhaps look into an air purifier with humidity function?

I’ve heard it suggested before for dust sensitive rabbits about misting hay with water or dipping a handful in bucket of water, then shaking off excess. Worth a try. Generally, avoid bagged hay and try order hay packed in cardboard boxes. Bagged hay can get dusty fast. Also, the older it is, the more dusty it becomes, so it can be a bit hit and miss with hay sometimes.

You might want to check out Kleenmama’s hay too. kmshayloft DOT com
In the UK, there’s actually a company called Dust-Free Hay. Could be worth seeing if there is something similar in US also.

What type of litter do you use?

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