Hay as bedding

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newpiggies

This might seem a silly question but if using hay and newspaper as bedding, do you use a particular type or length of hay and is it different from the hay that is used for feeding? At the moment we are getting a long hay that they love eating and I've tried using a Supreme Meadow hay for the flooring. It is shorter and feels coarser to me, and seems to aggravate my asthma more than the long hay. However the shorter hay rests flat a bit better than the long hay that tends to curl/fluff up if you know what I mean. I had also wondered whether to try carefresh in the tolet areas under the hay...is that worth doing, do you think?

Do you know of a table of weights for guinea pigs at different ages? Scamper and Pip are now exactly 13 weeks old and weight 704g and 700g respectively.
 
newpiggies said:
This might seem a silly question but if using hay and newspaper as bedding, do you use a particular type or length of hay and is it different from the hay that is used for feeding? At the moment we are getting a long hay that they love eating and I've tried using a Supreme Meadow hay for the flooring. It is shorter and feels coarser to me, and seems to aggravate my asthma more than the long hay. However the shorter hay rests flat a bit better than the long hay that tends to curl/fluff up if you know what I mean. I had also wondered whether to try carefresh in the tolet areas under the hay...is that worth doing, do you think?

Do you know of a table of weights for guinea pigs at different ages? Scamper and Pip are now exactly 13 weeks old and weight 704g and 700g respectively.
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Welcome to the forum :)

Their weights are fine for their age :)

I use the same hay for their feeding and bedding. The shorter hay - I find, is also more dusty making me a bit wheezy too
 
We've just restocked on hay today, trying a large bale from a farm shop. What makes good or bad hay - should it be green or brown, dry or damp, etc? If hay is mouldy is it easy to see?
 
newpiggies said:
We've just restocked on hay today, trying a large bale from a farm shop. What makes good or bad hay - should it be green or brown, dry or damp, etc? If hay is mouldy is it easy to see?
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The best hay is green and dry. It should also have that yummy smell to it.. or, wait, am I just weird thinking that hay smells yummy? ;) Sorry I can't help, my pigs are bedded on fleece not hay. ;)
 
Hi, thanks for your replies. I guess I'm still working out what the fresh hay smell is like! I read that mouldy hay is very bad for them so am keen not to make a mistake.
Do you get find the guineas get through as much hay when they feed on grass in the better weather?
 
Fresh hay is a pleasant, warm, grassy smell. Mouldy hay often feels damp to the touch (especially in the middle of the bale), will often have dusty fungal spores coming off it and it smells damp and horrible.
 
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