Hay feeder, too many wasted hay, dummy pigs

nipz58

nipz58

New Born Pup
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Hello, first of all, I'm new to the forum and I wasn't really sure in which topic to post my question, so I apologize if I'm in the wrong topic.
The thing is that I have a hay feeder that my guinea pigs eat from, what happens is that they look for specific stems of the hay, and in the process they throw out hay that they are not interested in or that falls while they take out others, and it ends up being a disaster and a waste because they don't eat the hay that falls, and if I put it back in the hay feeder they don't eat it, or they throw it away again.

I need to know if anyone has been able to fix the problem before giving up. Maybe you know of a specific hay feeder that you have or some botch job to prevent them from throwing all the hay away.

Thanks !
 
There will always be waste of hay when you have guinea pigs. Like us humans, animals will also have preference of what they like and more likely, other pieces of food will end up as waste.

Hay have multiple purpose for them, as bedding to lie on or burrow under and as food. Half of what I give to my piggies end up in waste because they do sleep, pee, poo on the hay and they pick whatever hay they like on the piles I put up for them. I got rid of the hay racks I used for them coz they enjoy it in piles more. You cannot really avoid having hay wastes coz that would mean limiting their food source.

A 2.5kg of hay that I buy will last around 10-12 days for my 2 piggies. Sometimes it would stretch to 14 days. But that's just meadow hay. I also mix orchard and timothy hay, and have bowls of oat hay and redi grass for them. I always make sure that they have a variety to choose from but I do expect that half would end up in the bin. That's why it is adviseable to look for a shop/supplier that you can get value for money. Buying the most expensive brand of hay is not really very economical, unless your piggies really love them all the time. My piggies has always loved the Oxbow brand though so we buy them that but that's considered extra treats for them and I don't always give them plenty coz it's expensive. I will mix it with the piles of meadow hay which they get a lot. 😁
 
Welcome to the forum

What is happening is totally normal, you won’t be able to stop it and neither should you try to. They will not eat every strand of hay, they are always going to search for the nicest pieces and leave the rest for you to throw in the bin.

Hay is never wasted, even the stuff you throw away is not wasted. Hay is so much more than food - it is fun, enrichment something to lay, forage through, play and sleep in.
It’s that reason I do not use hay racks at all. i simply throw big loose piles of hay in their cage floor and let them have fun with it. Any wet hay hay thrown away at the end of the day and replaced with fresh.

I use a bale of meadow hay from a farm and then buy more expensive timothy hay and mix some handfuls in.
 
Our girls used to popcorn at huge piles of hay… Yes, there is waste but that is part and parcel of it, they enjoy the foraging and the act of burrowing into it.
We used to buy a good meadow hay for the main hay and pop loads in, then some Timothy and orchard grass as smaller hay amounts to eat as an extra
 
One big positive of piles of hay is you can put it in a litter box and they’re so much more likely to do their pees and poops. I used the wood pellets that turn dusty when wet in my litter box. If you put a fleece over the litter box it’s like a hide they can do their business in and eat hay.
 
Welcome to the forum.
I agree with the others that it’s much easier just to throw piles of hay in the cage.
Mine love to play in it.
It’s fun watching a pile of hay wander around or popcorn because there’s a piggy under it.
 
Welcome to the forum

Please give them the choice to choose what hay strands they want to eat. My four are bedded on a 2” deep layer of hay which they eat, poop and pee on. I just add more and more handfuls of hay. Then clean them out and start all over again 😆

They can never have too much hay! It keeps their teeth and tummies in good health and is cheap compared to vet bills 😊

Anymore hay Mum?
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