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newbie confused about straw

C

catslovelycats

Young Bun
I read different views about straw and really don't know whether it's something I should give my rabbits (when I get them) or not.
I'm sort of thinking it's OK for bedding to lie on if covered with hay, but to not encourage rabbits to eat it because it's not got much nutritional value.
Am I right?
Some people on websites seem to think straw is a no-no. (But I also see people advocating it for guineas - which is definitely not right).
I know some people use fleece etc, but I tried that with my guineas and the constant need to wash drove me nuts, so it's not something I want to introduce again, except maybe in the winter.
Thanks for your thoughts.
 
catslovelycats said:
I read different views about straw and really don't know whether it's something I should give my rabbits (when I get them) or not.
I'm sort of thinking it's OK for bedding to lie on if covered with hay, but to not encourage rabbits to eat it because it's not got much nutritional value.
Am I right?
Some people on websites seem to think straw is a no-no. (But I also see people advocating it for guineas - which is definitely not right).
I know some people use fleece etc, but I tried that with my guineas and the constant need to wash drove me nuts, so it's not something I want to introduce again, except maybe in the winter.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Click to expand...

Straw is a very good insulator, so perfect for bedding in the winter.

There is no danger to a rabbit if it eats it. Think about it, rabbits in the wild eat loads of stuff that's nutritionally very low, so it's beneficial fibre if nothing else.

Some people bang on about mycotoxins in straw, but to be honest, I've noticed a lot more problems with hay than with straw, in terms of allergic reactions, aspergillosis etc ....

Just my opinion :wave:
 
My rabbits all have newspaper, straw and hay in their 32litre underbed storage box litter trays with no problems. They do nibble on the straw when i first put it in but are waaay more interested in the hay.

I remember something about straw with large seed heads being bad for them to eat but our straw is just fat yellow stalks.
 
i use straw for my outdoor bunnies hutch to keep them warm as it's great instilating, but i dont give it to my indoor bunny as it's not needed for them
 
Mine have always had straw in the hutch (no hay) and then hay nets/racks/baskets in the run. And they never showed much interest in eating the straw but did scrap it all around to make a bed
 
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