So hard to find decent hay bales. *Rant warning *

Ugh it is so hard to find decent hay bales this time of year. Since about the end of september time I have been getting Bales from the local farm in the village for just £2 I really like the bales just because the hay smells nice, long strands and generally very nutritious and looked appealing. Unfortunately Over winter I was finding that I would have to pick through the bale to get the best bits and nicest smelling hay. I first put it down to not storing it correctly so I got a pallet so I could get a bale and put it on and it could breathe.

I got a Bale I think it was last month, the bale was alright other than I had to pick through and get the best bits out. I ended up left with some not nice smelling hay so put that in the green been on Friday evening. Went to the garden centre on Sunday to try their hay bale , I've not got a bale from there and it was pretty expensive at £9.50 :shock: Anyway got a Bale and at first I thought it was fine but have since noticed it is quite straw like although it is clearly hay it is just horrible stuff! I put a torch up to it and I am sure I saw some furry strands and it does not smell very pleasant really, Bunnies are not keen at all!

We have texted the farmer earlier today asking if we could have another bale of his stuff so hopefully that shall come tomorrow (have my fingers crossed) The Bunnies really adore that hay especially Pixie and Pickle they're really good hay eaters so is Lily, Flopsy on the other hand just about has a few strands of hay he's a very fussy dental bunny. Pixie is an amazing hay eater we've only had her a week but she really does love her hay as does Pickle, Pixie produces some really nice golden poo when on the farm hay. Pickle and Pixie are on 1 table spoon of pellets morning and night as they eat lots of hay well they do if it is nice stuff.

If anyone in Wiltshire/Hampshire area can recommend of any places that do decent hay bales then please let me know, Its so stressful finding the right hay.

Anyway here are some pictures of the rubbish hay off the garden centre bale. :roll:

Really? Mine love it when it's golden and stalky. Still smells lovely though. They're eating so much hay at the moment!

It is so frustrating! I've now given up on buying bales as i was taking most of it to the tip! Just Hay for Pets stuff now, although it's costing me a fortune!! :shock:

Elena said:

Really? Mine love it when it's golden and stalky. Still smells lovely though. They're eating so much hay at the moment!

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I think it would be alright If it smelt nice , the only way I can describe the smell is that it is like gone off water :roll:

Ludo loves the stalky bits! He'd eat straw given the choice... think it depends on the buns... but sorry you can't find any hay your dental bun likes that's really important.

Perhaps you'll have to start ordering online, shame, as that's more expensive.

Hesperus said:

Ludo loves the stalky bits! He'd eat straw given the choice... think it depends on the buns... but sorry you can't find any hay your dental bun likes that's really important.

Perhaps you'll have to start ordering online, shame, as that's more expensive.

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Flopsy is so hard to get him to eat hay I can understand it must be quite painful and sore for dental bunnies to eat hay. He is on Metacam twice a day though, all he wants is pellets. His hunbun Lily is a really good hay eater but she is healthy as are my other two Pixie and Pickle. I've tried quite a few various hays to tempt him but he just is not bothered, he does eat a few strands when the litter tray hay is fresh but no where near as much as he should. He is 6 and half nearly. It would be so much better for him to eat lots of hay like the others but he just wont and I cant reduce pellets as he actually starves himself and he has been in stasis recently so don't want to do anything to extreme just yet! I personally think there's not much we can do if he wont eat it unfortunately. I think I may purchase some readigrass and try mixing that in with the hay but I would not be surprised if he does not like that either.

How about fresh grass, I know you can't just start giving a bun loads of it, but when Ludo was poorly it literally was a life-saver for him. Perhaps Flopsy might find it more appetising with his sore mouth and it will still be good for him? (And I expect if he likes fresh grass he'll like readigrass too). If you don't have any patches of it in your garden you could grow a small pot on a windowsill to try.

jackaroonie1997 said:

I think it would be alright If it smelt nice , the only way I can describe the smell is that it is like gone off water :roll:

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Ooof, no that doesn't sound good. Sounds like it's got wet then. What about ordering from somewhere until new bales are cut? Willow Warren, Hay For Pets?

Elena said:

Ooof, no that doesn't sound good. Sounds like it's got wet then. What about ordering from somewhere until new bales are cut? Willow Warren, Hay For Pets?

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When are new bales cut? I do hope this year will be better for hay. I will check the sites out, Its just I don't want to spend lots of money for hay to be wasted if it is not any good.

jackaroonie1997 said:

Flopsy is so hard to get him to eat hay I can understand it must be quite painful and sore for dental bunnies to eat hay. He is on Metacam twice a day though, all he wants is pellets. His hunbun Lily is a really good hay eater but she is healthy as are my other two Pixie and Pickle. I've tried quite a few various hays to tempt him but he just is not bothered, he does eat a few strands when the litter tray hay is fresh but no where near as much as he should. He is 6 and half nearly. It would be so much better for him to eat lots of hay like the others but he just wont and I cant reduce pellets as he actually starves himself and he has been in stasis recently so don't want to do anything to extreme just yet! I personally think there's not much we can do if he wont eat it unfortunately. I think I may purchase some readigrass and try mixing that in with the hay but I would not be surprised if he does not like that either.

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I have exactly the same problem with my bun Pebbles, he won't eat hay either and also starved himself when I cut back on pellets. Is Flopsy on metacam all the time? I've been given metacam to take home for Pebbles, but only to give it to him for 3 more days (he has had metcam injections since his dental on Saturday).

As Flopsy is bonded, do you remove Flopsy to feed him seperately? I do this with Pebbles..but it is so difficult when he is in stasis as I have to remove him completely to monitor his eating and pooing, and he really misses Poppy (he has learnt how to open my bedroom door to go find her :lol

jackaroonie1997 said:

When are new bales cut? I do hope this year will be better for hay. I will check the sites out, Its just I don't want to spend lots of money for hay to be wasted if it is not any good.

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I think it's normally around late summer so a while yet.

Am I the only person who doesn't pick the best bits? If it smells gross they don't get fed it, but otherwise they get what they're given :lol:

Jack - I know you're not massively close to me but I'm getting quite nice bales from the farm near me at the moment, they have some very green strands (that get eaten first :lol and some more stalky yellower strands, and it smells nice and fresh and very low dust (if any tbh!).

If you want, next time I go I can pick up an extra bale or 2 for you and you could pick it up from mine? I'd need a week or so notice as I probably go there every 2 weeks.

Let me know :wave:

Georgeypudding said:

Am I the only person who doesn't pick the best bits? If it smells gross they don't get fed it, but otherwise they get what they're given :lol:

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I shake out the hay in the garage to get rid of the dust before I bring it in because of Nutmeg's breathing but other than that I just give them it and let them pick out the nice bits.

I think I'm lucky that my two will eat any kind of hay :lol: its almost all eaten, just a few piddly bits left that I put fresh over

Mine get what they are given (as long as it smells fresh and isn't stupidly dusty then it gets fed) they will pick out the bits the prefer first but then eat the rest.

Georgeypudding said:

I think I'm lucky that my two will eat any kind of hay :lol: its almost all eaten, just a few piddly bits left that I put fresh over

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So do mine, they fight over fresh hay sometimes!

fruitandnutcake said:

I have exactly the same problem with my bun Pebbles, he won't eat hay either and also starved himself when I cut back on pellets. Is Flopsy on metacam all the time? I've been given metacam to take home for Pebbles, but only to give it to him for 3 more days (he has had metcam injections since his dental on Saturday).

As Flopsy is bonded, do you remove Flopsy to feed him seperately? I do this with Pebbles..but it is so difficult when he is in stasis as I have to remove him comhipletely to monitor his eating and pooing, and he really misses Poppy (he has learnt how to open my bedroom door to go find her :lol

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Yes flopsy is on metacam long term , he has 0.4ml twice a day. I think next time he needs a dental we're going to have to put him on a course of gut meds before and after as when he went into stasis in February it was incredibly difficult to get him better. I'm not sure why he does not do well with anaesthetics probably because he barely eats hay so his gut isn't as healthy. I think I may start feeding flopsy separately as lily does not need so many pellets she'll happily eat hay when it's decent stuff

I always think the green bits look the nicest but Louie seems to like the harder more brown looking strands.

Shame you don't live near me Jack, the bales I have been getting have been really good. My lot love them. It's horrible when you get rubbish hay