Hay change & soft poo

[Toots33]

I wasn’t sure whether to post this in the health/food section. Please move it if it’s in the wrong place.

I’ve been buying meadow hay from hay and straw for a while now and the guineas love it. I’ve just received a new bag that is greener than the last one and I’ve noticed one of my guineas in particular has had some quite soft poo’s (not diarrhoea & still have form to them) since I started giving them the new hay. I’ve been mixing it in with what’s left of the old bag to try and get them used to it gradually.

Is this a usual thing and should I just keep slowly introducing it until they get used to it? I can’t change back completely to the previous hay as this is the new batch of meadow hay that hay and straw have in stock at the moment. There’s nothing wrong with the hay, it smells lovely and is a mix of green and golden strands so I’m reluctant to try something else if it’s just a case of trying to get their gut used to the change of hay.

 

[Claire W]

I doubt it’s the hay causing the soft poos to be honest.

I suggest that you take your piggy off of fresh veg for 24-48 hours and the poos should normalise. You could always give a probiotic to help settle the tummy

 

[Piggies&buns]

Its possible I guess but I would think it unusual for it to be the hay. I mean, I used to switch different brands, types etc all the time before finding Haybox.
I agree in that you should take your piggies off veg until poops normalise and then reintroduce veg slowly.

 

[VickiA]

I would try removing all fresh veg and grass for 24 - 48 hours until the poop firms up.

 

[Wiebke]

Some piggies have a more sensitive digestion than other and can react more sensitively to new foods that their gut microbiome is not happy with and not yet prepared for. Take your piggy off any fresh veg until 24 hours after the poos have normalised to give the gut time to rebalance. As yours is just a mild case, this will hopefully do the trick.

 

[Toots33]

Thanks for all your advice. I’ll stop the veg and give them some fibreplex to see if this helps.