Hay

[mls18]

I left my guinea pigs for a few weeks and they stayed with my family. They stored the hay outside and it was very humid, I just got back and the hay feels a bit wet. What do I do? I can't throw out 80 dollars worth of hay.

 

[mls18]

Where should I store it? Is the basement good?

 

[Siikibam]

Could you spread it to dry somewhere? The issue is the damp getting in and they hay having become a little mouldy. In which case you’d have to bin it. Have a smell of it and check all of it.

 

[mls18]

Could you spread it to dry somewhere? The issue is the damp getting in and they hay having become a little mouldy. In which case you’d have to bin it. Have a smell of it and check all of it.

Should I transfer it all to small containers? Could I still leave it outside even though it's a bit humid?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I agree with Siikibam. You have to try to dry it all out and see if it is still ok - not musty smelling etc.
Hay which is damp will go mouldy and will need to be thrown away.

If it is at risk of getting damp in its container due to humidity, then no you can’t put it outside.
It depends what kind of small containers you mean. You won’t want it in anything plastic as it will sweat

Whether you can store it in a basement depends on the basement - is it dry and cool down there?

 

[Princess Dustmop]

It has been over 90% humidity some days recently ... like walking through a cloud some days (a rather hot cloud). If the hay isn't molded, you should be able to rescue it, though. You'll want to make sure it's not in anything that's going to trap the moisture (so no plastic bags, etc.), and you'll want to get it spread out to help drying and avoid moisture trapped in pockets formed by clumping of the hay. Spread it out as best you can in the sun somewhere it can dry out. It's supposed to be sunny (and hot) and much less humid tomorrow and Saturday, so that'll be a good opportunity for drying hay (though terrible for my garden ...). After it's dry, you should be store it normally, though it may have a reduced shelf life. Storing it in multiple containers isn't a bad idea, so if some goes moldy, it doesn't take out all of it (better to toss $20 than $50, if you have to).

Basement may or may not be good for storage; it depends on your basement. If your basement is dry, it could be very appropriate (think root cellar); if your basement tends to be damp or musty, it's not a good idea (and you might consider investing in a dehumidifier). We've stored bags of litter (before switching to fleece) and hay in our basement before, and it's been just fine. Our basement is dry, though, and we run a dehumidifier in the summer and a fan year-round to keep air circulating. Basements are at least usually a bit cooler, as being partially underground helps keep them more thermally stable and moderated (warmer in cold, cooler in heat). Ours usually sits around 60° F.

 

[mls18]

Thanks so much for all the help everyone! How would i know its moldy? Will it smell moldy or just loose its sweet smell?

 

[Siikibam]

It will smell musty and not fresh. I would also inspect it by eye as well, rather than relying solely on your nose

 

[mls18]

It will smell musty and not fresh. I would also inspect it by eye as well, rather than relying solely on your nose

Ok thanks so much! What does moldy hay look like?

 

[mls18]

I'm moving it to the basement right now, is it better to tape it closed so no bugs get inside, or just keep it open so that it doesent get more humid? Theirs lots of spiders in the basement and centipedes so I don't want them to get in.

 

[Siikibam]

is there nowhere else you could keep it?

 

[mls18]

is there nowhere else you could keep it?

I could keep it by their cage, but my basement is alot colder then it is in my house.

 

[Princess Dustmop]

It doesn't really need to be kept cool ... it needs to be kept dry. You do want to make sure that it isn't going to have condensation, either from moisture being trapped while trying to evaporate or by condensing out of the air.