Anyone grow their own Timothy hay?
- Thread starter Kbar
- Start date
Pantalaimon
Junior Guinea Pig
Due to the quantity of hay they require, it would take a decently sized paddock to grow enough to feed them year round!
They don’t have to have Timothy hay, meadow hay is often cheaper and is just as suitable.
They don’t have to have Timothy hay, meadow hay is often cheaper and is just as suitable.
Growing your own Timothy hay could save money, but it requires a lot of space. Meadow hay might be a more practical option. Consider your area's climate and soil, and seek advice from local farmers or experts on hay cultivation techniques.
Hi
Make sure that you have a good sized patch of lawn so your can cut and feed fresh grass whenever it is growing and green as part of the diet. Please introduce grass carefully in small but growing quantities over the course of severaldays to a week to give the gut microbiome time to adjust to it and avoid diarrhoea or potentially fatal bloat.
Guinea pigs have evolved on a grass based diet, a mix of fresh and dry. You can save on hay by additionally offering fresh grass but you always should offer some hay. Meadow hay is perfectly fine; it has the advantage that it contains not just one grass type but several and that it stimulates a wider range of digestive bacteria. Mine have always been on meadow hay and there has been no difference in general health or longevity.
Having a grass patch that you do not all mow down short all the time and just strim if grows too long and starts rotting underneath (which can cause tummy problems) but that you can use as a living larder is the best supplementation and hay saving. Fresh growing spring and autumn grass is high in vitamin C and quite rich so it counts as half hay/half veg. You do not have to feed as much cucumber or lettuce when you feed grass.
The other diet cost saving you can make in your garden is to grow some forage plants for piggies, including not weeding out your dandelions. You can home dry that yourself for the winter.
Please read the relevant chapters in our diet for further information and links. Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
PS: Pets are never cheap and you will have to save up for vet cost because sooner or later they will need vet care with an average life span of 5-7 years.