another hay question

[mainer51423]

When we got Dexter, the girl we got him from gave us a big bag of hay, we ended up using the last of it a week or so ago and not thinking I tossed the bag out.

Went down to the local pet store and picked up a bag of Kaytee brand natural timothy hay..needless to say it is different from the stuff we had and Dexter hates it. He won't touch it. Went down to the pet store today to find something different for him. The store was packed and in my haste to get out I grabbed a bag of hay that I don't think I like the looks of. It is the Sweet Meadow brand (I read some threads on here about it), the hay itself looks more like the stuff that Dexter was eating before...but I noticed that this bag is full of all types of stuff besides the timothy hay. Tons of rose hips, dried up dandelion heads and other stuff I'm sure...seems like it'd be better as a treat then as a full time hay supplement to his food.

Thoughts?

 

[smhluvsmh]

It should be fine. Many of us use herbs either in supplement form or mixed in with hay. I would use it without a problem, maybe mix it with the Kaytee so it doesn't go to waste and there is more hay mixed with the herbs. Kaytee is known to be not very good but some chins like it. My girls don't, bought it by mistake, but just continued to mix a little in with their regular hay and used it up that way.

 

[Lillybabe]

I also think it should be fine. I searched it on the web to get some nutritional information and it appears that it just has Timothy hay, Clover, Chamomile and Rose Hips which are all safe for chinchillas. I think mixing it with the Kaytee is a good idea. If you mix it well perhaps they'll eat it. You could make the hay dust/herbs at the very bottom of the bag when you finish it into chinnie cookies! Hopefully your chin will eat this brand. They are so picky.

 

[SamiJami]

You can go to local feed stores and buy a bale (generally 25 or 50 pounds) for $10-$20. My guys will only eat Farmer Dave's hay, so I keep with that. It's more expensive though.

 

[mainer51423]

Interesting to know, thanks everyone.

 

[ChinnyMom]

if you are at all concerned with your chin getting too many of the herbs with the hay, just give a handful of hay a good shake before you put it in the cage - the herbs should shake right out of it.

Oxbow has a hay that is very much the same, sans the rosehips. it's called 'botanical hay'. i've used it before without issue.

as mentioned, save the herbs for cookie making or for giving as is for supplement.