hay

[nikkimariec]

I ordered a big bag of oxbow hay. just got it today and the hay is really dry. it also has more light brown then green. is this hay bad?

 

[Sandi]

No, the hay is not bad. Unless its moldy, which it doesn't sound like the way you described it.

 

[nikkimariec]

what does moldy hay look like? going to
attach a pic of what it looks like ...

 

[Lirana]

What does it smell like? I don't know what moldy hay looks like, but I imagine you'd probably smell it. Fresh hay smells so good that my bf and I want to eat it.

Mochi actually prefers the browner pieces of hay and will often pick them out before the green ones. My theory is that the brown hay is sweeter in the way that dried fruits tend to be sweeter than their fresh counterparts. The naturally occurring sugars get concentrated as the hay dries out. I don't know if it's true or not. Just my theory. :cute:

 

[nikkimariec]

it does smell really good , it's kinda dusty toward the end if the bag.

 

[Amethyst]

I just looks like hay to me. If it was moldy you would smell it, kind of a musty mold smell, and possibly white and/or black specks of fuzziness on it. Also it could be you may not be use to looking at hay, like for a farm, several brands of hay you see in pet stores is actually dyed green to make it look more appealing to humans. So long as it smells good it's probably just brown from being dried in the sun, which is a good thing.

 

[Kriko24]

The Oxbow hay that I order often looks like that too. Like others have mentioned, as long as you see no strange discoloration and it smells good, I think you're free to feed! (Feed your chinchilla that is...not yourself. I think it smells so good!)

 

[nikkimariec]

thanks so much

 

[chechinchillas]

My load of Stanlee hay I got last time was a mixture of green and brown like that and the chins love it.

 

[nikkimariec]

in the pic it looks like it has more green then it really has for some reason. it really is mostly brown where does everyone buy their hay from?

 

[Lirana]

My petsmart actually carries Oxbow hay. Actually, in the past 2-3 months, they've started carrying a LOT of oxbow products. Chin food, rat food, supplements, etc.

 

[Pikaia]

Also it could be you may not be use to looking at hay, like for a farm, several brands of hay you see in pet stores is actually dyed green to make it look more appealing to humans. So long as it smells good it's probably just brown from being dried in the sun, which is a good thing.

I did not know this! I remember reading somewhere to stay away from hay that is brown and make sure the hay is a green color. I was even at my Pets Supplies Plus the other night buying hay and I usually buy Oxbow, but it looked almost exactly like the hay in the pic. I didn't buy it. I ended up buying some Kaytee to hold me over until I got some better looking Oxbow from Petsmart.