Are These Hay Brands Good Enough?

[Nara mk]

So these are the brands of hay that I can get locally, I was wondering if they are good enough? My bunnies love them. I used to buy four different types of hay from Oxbow and Kaytee by ordering them online but I can’t afford to do so currently 

I’ve tried looking for info on the packaging like how much crude fibre and what kind of hay the bag actually contains, but I found nothing. The packaging for the one on the left states it’s Alpine meadow hay, the one in the center is just “hay” and on the right is timothy (this I believe since the hay is the same as what Oxbow offers)

[Luna]

It’s hard to say without the nutritional information. Maybe you could call the company or their product website might have it? If I had to choose 1 out of the 3 bags without knowing the nutritional information, I would instinctively choose the Timothy Hay because Timothy hay has higher fiber content than some other hays.

Also, I noticed in your pics that the bags are 1kg. Do you usually buy that size, or do you buy larger bags? I’ve found that the purchase price of 1 large bale (ie. 10-20 lbs.) is much lower than the cost of several smaller bags that add up to 10-20 lbs., which helps on cutting down expenses a lot .

[Nara mk]

Posted By Luna on 6/14/2017 7:12 PM

It’s hard to say without the nutritional information. Maybe you could call the company or their product website might have it? If I had to choose 1 out of the 3 bags without knowing the nutritional information, I would instinctively choose the Timothy Hay because Timothy hay has higher fiber content than some other hays.

Also, I noticed in your pics that the bags are 1kg. Do you usually buy that size, or do you buy larger bags? I’ve found that the purchase price of 1 large bale (ie. 10-20 lbs.) is much lower than the cost of several smaller bags that add up to 10-20 lbs., which helps on cutting down expenses a lot .

I did look up each product’s website but still, not enough info for a bunny mum. Haven’t tried calling them though. I definitely will. Can you believe that the Timothy hay wasn’t available until recently? And it’s a total rip off because it’s only 500 grams. I know of only one store in my whole city that supplies hay for rabbits, and they don’t sell bags bigger than 1kg Sometimes hay sells out and months go by before they restock! It’s a nightmare.

I wish they sold carefresh as well because I don’t want to use wood shavings anymore, but they don’t….

[Azerane]

Assuming you are in the US, do you have a horse feed store, or a Tractor Supply or similar near you? You can get big bags of quality hay from them, or if you have the space for storage, even a bale.

If you can afford the initial cost as well, you can get hay in bulk boxes from companies like Small Pet Select and KM’s hayloft which works out to be cheaper than buying the smaller bags.

[Theodorusrex]

As far as your litter situation as well – do you have access to wood pellets, often used for wood pellets stoves so can be available in some hardware type stores. They are also available marketed for cat litter (this kind of cat litter can be used for rabbits unlike the clumping/clay kind) which might be more readily available for you? They offer great odour control and are healthier for rabbits than wood shavings, and less messy.

[jerseygirl]

Yes, pelleted or non-pelleted paper litters for cats would be worth looking at. It can be a better price also, then the ones marketed for small animals.
The centre and hay on the right look like the better options. The hay stands look good. The one on the left looks a bit too fine and will probably turn to dust quickly. Bagged hay gets a lot of hay dust. You do have the advantage of looking at the bags in the store and choosing one that has been most recently packed. The hay quality of more recent packed hay should have more nutrition and be less dusty.

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