No hay or grass

[!Nick2009]

So my dad is allergic to Timothy hay and pretty much all other hay. We started to give the Guinea pigs orchard grass but he’s also allergic to grass. So now I have no alternatives and was wondering if anyone else had this problem and found another substitute that’s not hay or grass.
Thank you!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m so sorry to say that there is no substitute as guinea pigs simply must have a grass hay constantly available to them (meadow, Timothy, orchard etc) as it is their main food source - they simply cannot be without it.

Is there perhaps a way they can live in a different part of the house so your dad doesn’t come into contact with the hay?
Does your dad take antihistamines? We do have owners on the forum who have allergies who may be able to advise on things which help alleviate symptoms.

 

[Cheekypigs]

I have allergies to hay dust (weirdly, as I'm not allergic to anything else!) and we are planning to put the guinea pigs into an alcove with an extractor fitted to get the dust down. Whether something like this would also help your dad depends if it is mainly the dust that is his problem - I get hay fever symptoms, so sneezing, wheezing, runny nose, especially when cleaning out or changing the hay.

Also maybe look at different sources for the hay? Hay varies a lot in terms of how dusty it is.

 

[Spaniel]

There’s no alternative unfortunately.

Can really recommend an air purifier though. It comes on as needed all the time but we put it on full when topping up hay and when cleaning.

Also when we get new hay, we open it outside and transfer into another box to let dust escape. This helps quite a lot.

 

[Cheekypigs]

There’s no alternative unfortunately.

Can really recommend an air purifier though. It comes on as needed all the time but we put it on full when topping up hay and when cleaning.

Also when we get new hay, we open it outside and transfer into another box to let dust escape. This helps quite a lot.

That's a good idea. I have also wondered about storing it in the garage with no box, or a box with the bottom cut out, to let the dust disperse. Hay dust is nasty. I generally wear a face mask during cleaning out now!

 

[Spaniel]

That's a good idea. I have also wondered about storing it in the garage with no box, or a box with the bottom cut out, to let the dust disperse. Hay dust is nasty. I generally wear a face mask during cleaning out now!

It’s surprising how much fine dust goes into the air outside.

You could poke holes in the box to let dust out. We do in the sides but more for air flow.