Hay Wasting

[JulieAndJames]

Hey all,

I noticed my piggies tend to waste about half of the hay I give them. They will pull hay out from their rack onto the floor, and pull hay out of their hay ball as well. I also put a small pile of hay under their veggies in the morning, and they will eat about half of this pile and spread the rest around. I'm just wondering if I should try to encourage them to eat this wasted hay by stuffing it back into the rack, or is there a reason that they will not eat certain bits, and should I just throw it away?

 

[Veggies Galore]

In the wild, guineas find food by foraging so, by pulling hay out of their rack and hay ball, they are showing natural behaviour. Your guineas are enjoying their hay - so it's not wasting it .
I advise you dispose of any soiled hay at least once a day .
I throw away a lot of soiled hay - but have just accepted this is part of owning guinea pigs .

 

[gizzy]

I agree with PiggyOwner!

 

[Kylie80]

Also agree with @PiggyOwner. It's nice to know there are others out there who's piggies waste half their hay by scattering it all over their cage.

 

[Louise's Zoo]

I was just think that this morning as I removed a load of hay off each litter tray and added new hay! They have fresh hay in their hay racks as well but I do chuck away a lot of soiled hay.

 

[flowerfairy]

I let their hay build up for about a week. They make tunnels in it and like to camp out in them. I give handfulls of fresh hay and grass a few times a day.

They do get through a fair amount ...

 

[rome_italy]

I throw away only a little part of hay. I put the fresh hay into hayracks (two little plastic boxes) from which they eat without making a mess; then I put some hay on the floor and they eat it, play and make a mess; that wasted hay is then put into a large basket I have in the kitchen when during floor time they have fun; I add some fresh hay into it every day, but in so many months I have never thrown away that hay, I only added some new...
Of course they don't eat old hay and you have to accept it, but you can reuse the old hay for giving them something to make tunnels with. Then when you find it too ruined or smelly or wet, you can throw it away. If you change all the hay every day, they will always eat a little part of it and will play with the rest.
If you notice they don't eat hay at all, try another brand and use the hay they don't like for making a big mountain, so that they can have fun.

 

[JulieAndJames]

Thanks for your insight, everyone! My piggies do seem to immensely enjoy pulling hay out and prancing around in it, so I'm glad that they are enjoying themselves.