Hay - Air blown or baled?

[Fidgets Mum]

My neighbour and I have always fed our rabbits on baled meadow hay from Jollyes Pet Stores, and I have just purchased - but not yet collected - four bales from a local farmer. My colleague's parents used to run a pet shop where they only sold air blown or air dried hay for their rabbit owning clients. As some of you may be aware, we have been hit with myxi badly and she feels there may be a link between it and the bales.
What do you guys buy ? Having 18 rabbits means buying pre packed bags from the pet shop works out very costly, but if there is a link, then it may be worth changing - after all, it has cost us a fortune at the vets.
THoughts please..... :?

 

[abbymarysmokey]

Do you mean the hay is collected straight after cutting and mechanically dried, rather than being left to dry naturally in the field before baling?

I guess leaving hay to dry in the field after cutting could increase the chances of wild rabbits sitting on it and dropping fleas/flea eggs. I have no idea how likely this is to happen though.

I use normal baled hay and haven't had a problem so far (touch wood).

 

[Fidgets Mum]

Do you mean the hay is collected straight after cutting and mechanically dried, rather than being left to dry naturally in the field before baling?

I guess leaving hay to dry in the field after cutting could increase the chances of wild rabbits sitting on it and dropping fleas/flea eggs. I have no idea how likely this is to happen though.

I use normal baled hay and haven't had a problem so far (touch wood).

Yes apparently it is gathered in barns, has hot air blown through it to sterilise it and is then baled. I had never heard of it until my colleague asked if the hay i am getting today was air blown. i think the "tumbleweed" look on my face answered that question!
I want to buy locally and bales are the most practical option, but i am now confused.....:?

 

[Alibunmum]

I am no expert but I don't think that field baled hay would pose any more risk of passing on myxi than other kinds. I think that it is more likely to have been a fly/flea that was passing through than one which hitched a lift on a bale of hay. Personally, I use farm baled hay as do many, many others because it is so much more affordable and to be honest my rabbits much prefer it.

 

[Fidgets Mum]

I am no expert but I don't think that field baled hay would pose any more risk of passing on myxi than other kinds. I think that it is more likely to have been a fly/flea that was passing through than one which hitched a lift on a bale of hay. Personally, I use farm baled hay as do many, many others because it is so much more affordable and to be honest my rabbits much prefer it.

This is why I started buying it. It costs half what bagged hay costs for a greater quantity and because the strands are longer, the rabbits benefit more from it. Once I have used the bagged hay I bought yesterday, I shall revert to baled hay I think. Myxi has so much conflicting information on how it is spread, I think I have become over paranoid!!:roll:

 

[Alibunmum]

It is so hard. You are desperate to make sure you have done everything possible to avoid myxi so that if the buns do get it you can say you did everything you could to avoid it. I hope they enjoy their farm hay as much as mine do. Some days they go for the fresh hay instead of pellets!:shock:

 

[Silly 'bunny mummy'!!!]

My four have baled hay for a couple of years now and love it! I had to give them a bag of hay from a pet shop a while ago (my usual farm had run out of bales )and they hated it - waste of money in the end as I got 5 different bags in the end and had to throw it all away as they just wouldn't touch it :roll:!

 

[Mackers]

Personally, I'd always go for a good old farm fresh bale than something squeezed into a plastic bag and stuck in a warehouse until put on the shelf in a pet shop. Hay in plastic sweats and is more likely to develop mould than a regular bale kept somewhere dry. IMO, mould is more likely to cause problems than the small risk of anything being found in a farm bale. I still buy 'treat' hays but tend to get good quality stuff from West Wales Willows or Dust Free Hay.

 

[*Spider*]

I really don't think it'd make a huge difference to be honest, I've always used farm hay - always have done and even though my bunnies have had an outbreak of myxi - I always will do.

 

[Joanne Jenkinson]

I used to buy hay from the pet shop, I was paying £5 a week for a bag, but it smelt so bad and is sweaty, then I discovered a horse feed place near me that sells bales for £6. That bale lasts me over 6 weeks for my two! Much better value. I would have thought the risks of contracting Myxi from a bale would be quite low.