• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Random thought re buns with snuffles

Apache

Mama Doe
I was reading a few threads on here about buns with snuffles, and was thinking that for horses with breathing issues the regular advise from the vets is to wet their hay prior to them eating this, as this stops the spores being inhaled. (obviously you can't do this if it gets too cold as ingesting frozen hay would not be good for them!).

Do vets ever suggest a misting of water on the hay for rabbits with breathing problems?

One of my horses has had COPD for many years, which I generally manage by using dust free shavings, plenty of ventilation, and feeding either soaked hay / haylage (depending on the quality of what I can get - although haylage is too rich for buns!)

Anyway like I said, it was a random thought...
 
Personally I would be wary of feeding damp hay due to the risk of mould formation. Haylage cannot be fed to Rabbits.

The hay bales I buy are virtually dust free, but I tend to give the hay a good shake to remove any small amount of dust there may be.

I have heard of some Vets advising that hay is fed damp to Rabbits with respiratory problems, but personally I would not do so.
 
Hi Jane,
if the hay is dampened slightly, and replaced twice a day, there shouldn't be any mould formation, I've never seen any in the 20 years that I've had horses.
Anyway - like I said it was a random thought..
 
Hi Jane,
if the hay is dampened slightly, and replaced twice a day, there shouldn't be any mould formation, I've never seen any in the 20 years that I've had horses.
Anyway - like I said it was a random thought..

Yes, I understand that and used to wet the full haynet I gave my loan Horse. If the hay given to Rabbits were to be fed damp it would need replacing 2-3 times a day and many people may not do this :)
 
Sounds as if this could be very effective for individual rabbits with careful owners but not safe as general advice in case people don't do the follow-through removal of leftover hay adequately. :wave:

With my set up the buns must eat wet hay quite often - in the garden it blows about; even if I put it in the hutches the wind can catch it. I can't remove it all adequately as the garden's about 150 foot long and it gets everywhere - but the buns are given lots of new hay several times a day so that hopefully they're never tempted by any that isn't fresh.
 
Thanks :)

PS - what sort of horse did you used to loan?


It was many years ago. Probably before you were born !!

Marmaduke

004-17.jpg
 
It's a good thought.:thumb: Spraying commercial hay (Kiln dried) with an aerosol (unused plantspray) doesn't overdampen the hay, so it only needs to be changed x2 daily & can help considerably.

Sun dried farmer's hay is usually less dusty.
 
It's a good thought.:thumb: Spraying commercial hay (Kiln dried) with an aerosol (unused plantspray) doesn't overdampen the hay, so it only needs to be changed x2 daily & can help considerably.

Sun dried farmer's hay is usually less dusty.

Thanks :D
 

Not at all.:D It saves you from doing my experiment on what it is like to stick one's nose in hay for a while, & try to breath (NO I didn't try to eat it too :lol:) Result - concrete wogies from the dust, & it was supposed to be dust extracted :shock: - not nice!

I think you're on the right track here, especially for snuffles buns. I've tried winnowing it too, but it doesn't work very well. If anyone finds a cheap & easy way to get the dust out, I think they'll help snuffles buns a lot. :D

I think I may be a bit older & certainly crazier than both of you. :lol:

Oh Marmaduke & Apache are :love::love::love::love::love::love::love:
 
Back
Top