Hay v Straw

I've always been under the impression that hay is nutritionally better than straw. When I adopted Brin he had been bedded on shavings and straw.

I bed my bunnies and guinea pigs on an equine bedding. I used straw at the start as well as Brin had been used to it. I have tried mixing in some hay, putting hay in hay racks and just leaving big piles of hay. Brin just doesn't seem particularly interested in hay or grass. He has one slightly dodgy front tooth. Its not as bad as malocclusion and apparently has never required treatment but still I am anxious that he gets a good diet and I keep an eye on that tooth.

I feed meadow hay with some timothy mixed in.

Should I just give up on the hay and move back to the straw as something would be better than nothing or can you give me any hints to encourage him to hay and fresh grass?

Nutritionally hay is better than straw, but eating straw is better than eating no roughage at all.

As far as bedding is concerned, straw is better because it doesn't seem to hold moisture as much as hay does, and keeps buns feet out of the wet.

They will normally pick over staw, and find the nice tasty storks. I mix all different types of hay, the straw is used as bedding in the run - I deeplitter it, as there is a soil floor, and the run is so huge, so there is always new straw on the top for them to pick at.

:wave: all mine like both. but have a habit of eating the straw and laying on hay!:roll:

I use straw in the "bed" part of the hutch and give loads of hay to eat!

If your having trouble getting your bun to eat hay maybe try this sample pack to see which type they like

https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Hay,+Grass+%2526+Herbs.4/Sample+Pack.23/

Mine never liked bagged meadow hay from the pet shop, but then I tried a bale of fresh meadow hay and they love it so much :shock: :lol: Still wont eat the meadow hay you can get in bags though so I use that in their bedroom area. My bale of hay cost about £9 and has been feeding my four buns for about about two months now and I still have loads left

At first I was mixing Oat hay in which is their favourite but now they will just eat the meadow hay on its own

I also dont feed their pellets in a bowl, I scatter them in their hay which encourages them to eat that too. And I get dried leaves and stuff from pampered piggies and sprinkle a little on their hay

http://www.pamperedpiggies.co.uk/page.asp?module=shopProducts&categoryID=43&clientID=11

Mine were the same they wouldn't eat the hay from petshops but i got some hay from www.dustfreehay.co.uk and they gobble it all down now

I have always put dried food pellets on the floor, it encourages them to forage for it - I tend to put hay in racks or balls which make them work for it.

I only handfeed veg or herbs, which gets them to be friendly....