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Update - More Cecos.

I was really gutted to find more cecotropes on Lily and Maple's window shelf today :cry: None for about two weeks, we were doing so well. The only thing that has changed is that in the past two days they have started a new hay. It is still Timothy Hay, but with chamomile and dandelion mixed in - from Herby Hays. The quality is lovely and it seems exactly the same to Hay Box Timothy.

All buns have been a bit picky with it though - they are ALWAYS like this when they have to start a new box of hay, even if it's from the same company but a different batch. They're just so fussy.

I wonder if Lily hasn't been eating enough hay the past couple of days, could that trigger cecos? They also have meadow hay too, although they have been even fussier about that since discover Timothy. Any thoughts?

On the plus side, took Ham & Jelly for their annual vaccinations a couple of days ago, and the vet said they're a perfect weight and both really healthy looking. They actually weigh the exact same amount, which she found amusing :lol:
 
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I was really gutted to find more cecotropes on Lily and Maple's window shelf today :cry: None for about two weeks, we were doing so well. The only thing that has changed is that in the past two days they have started a new hay. It is still Timothy Hay, but with chamomile and dandelion mixed in - from Herby Hays. The quality is lovely and it seems exactly the same to Hay Box Timothy.

All buns have been a bit picky with it though - they are ALWAYS like this when they have to start a new box of hay, even if it's from the same company but a different batch. They're just so fussy.

Any thoughts?

I'd give it another few days to see if it continues. If it does I would say it's the change of hay Not that there is anything wrong with the hay, it looks to be very good quality hay, but just that something in it or how it's produced is not being tolerated well by Lily and Maple.

I have been feeding Tui with the same hay and whilst she is not enthusiastic, she will eat it. A food like hay seems so simple, but when you consider the variables in how it's grown and harvested, it's not really surprising that bunnies detect a difference.
 
I'd give it another few days to see if it continues. If it does I would say it's the change of hay Not that there is anything wrong with the hay, it looks to be very good quality hay, but just that something in it or how it's produced is not being tolerated well by Lily and Maple.

I have been feeding Tui with the same hay and whilst she is not enthusiastic, she will eat it. A food like hay seems so simple, but when you consider the variables in how it's grown and harvested, it's not really surprising that bunnies detect a difference.

You've also been using Herby Hay? I was so pleased when I opened the box, because it smelled so good, and I thought that the dandelions and chamomile would make it more interesting for them. But so far, they've just been picking at it.

The problem is that I find even batches from the same company can vary enough for them to turn their nose up. E.g. Lily liked the first batch of Meadow Hay from Hay Box, but hated the second batch.

I feel really silly now that I bought 10kg of it...if they don't start eating it properly then that is a lot of money down the drain! Maybe I should order a small box from Hay Box now as a backup...
 
You've also been using Herby Hay? I was so pleased when I opened the box, because it smelled so good, and I thought that the dandelions and chamomile would make it more interesting for them. But so far, they've just been picking at it.

The problem is that I find even batches from the same company can vary enough for them to turn their nose up. E.g. Lily liked the first batch of Meadow Hay from Hay Box, but hated the second batch.

I feel really silly now that I bought 10kg of it...if they don't start eating it properly then that is a lot of money down the drain! Maybe I should order a small box from Hay Box now as a backup...

Yes, I ordered some of the Timothy with Dandelion and Chamomile, some plain Timothy and also a sample bag. I also was very pleased when it arrived because it looked good and smelled lovely. That's why I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. Different bunnies will like different hay I guess.
 
Yes, I ordered some of the Timothy with Dandelion and Chamomile, some plain Timothy and also a sample bag. I also was very pleased when it arrived because it looked good and smelled lovely. That's why I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it. Different bunnies will like different hay I guess.

I think I was really silly to order 10kg of it! Even though it seems great, just based off of how fussy bunnies can be. Mine are fickle as anything though - they will either begin to love it in a couple of days, or in a couple of months when I re-introduce it to them. I wish they would just give me a break from feeling anxious about their diet!
 
On the plus side, took Ham & Jelly for their annual vaccinations a couple of days ago, and the vet said they're a perfect weight and both really healthy looking. They actually weigh the exact same amount, which she found amusing :lol:
Lopsy and Aboleth were usually the same :D It's very pleasing :lol:

I agree with Omi, hay is a natural product so has all sorts of differences. Mine aren't that fussy really but then I don't give them any option (nor have I had to yet!), but they wouldnt touch the last P@H bedding hay whereas before they've really enjoyed it (it's my emergency hay in case I run out of baled). Smell seems to make absolutely no difference to mine, so what smells a bit 'tired' to me is their favourite or they're not fussed, ditto sweet, 'green-smelling' etc. There's definitely a lot more going on!

I hope it is just the change and not the hay itself :)
 
Of all the hays I have ever bought for my Bunnies the favourite, without exception, has been the cheap baled meadow hay I buy from a farm. This observation has been consistent over the last 24 years and has involved over 150 Rabbits. However much I pay for posh hay which, to me, may look and smell wonderful, given a choice everyBun goes for the cheap baled hay. I could have saved myself thousands of pounds over the last 24 years :roll:
 
Of all the hays I have ever bought for my Bunnies the favourite, without exception, has been the cheap baled meadow hay I buy from a farm. This observation has been consistent over the last 24 years and has involved over 150 Rabbits. However much I pay for posh hay which, to me, may look and smell wonderful, given a choice everyBun goes for the cheap baled hay. I could have saved myself thousands of pounds over the last 24 years :roll:

I find this and the other current thread on forage really interesting.

I think that 'posh hay' is more to do with what pleases owners than bunnies. Good quality hay is key, but that doesn't always equate to posh. Personally I think that the least tampering in the growing and least intervention in the harvesting/drying process is important. Hay looks to be a simple product, but it isn't. To produce one species of hay in a field means herbicide. To retain the wonderful green colour and lovely smell will require some sort of process I imagine. However, without these processes, sometimes the product isn't good quality. We have a traditional hayfield opposite and several years ago sourced our hay from the farmer. We can see it doesn't receive lots of spraying with fertiliser/pesticide/herbicide and this results in a product which contains a variety of hay species plus some weeds which are impossible largely to identify. We also found one year that the hay contained lumps of soil and mould, so stopped getting it, which suggests not the best process. We also harvest hay from our 'hay patch' in the garden. It spends much longer drying out in the air than I guess is the case commercially, with an end result which is brownish. It keeps superbly, but the bunnies scorn it. The chickens have it for their bedding. I've no idea whether a long drying process affects the nutritional quality. I suspect it does.

I think we come back to the old advice of finding a hay which your bunnies will eat lots of and feed it.
 
I also find this really interesting. The hay which I've had the most consistent success with is the 'Ings' Hay, from Hay and Straw. It is a meadow hay, very long strands, and organic. £18.00 for 9.5kg. It lasts them a long time, and usually they like it a lot. I am very low on it now, and since getting the Timothy Hay they waste it a lot more, as is they've gone off of it.

But I've just ordered another bale to see how it goes. I don't care about how 'posh' it is, as long as the bunnies like it. I love the idea of getting a big bale from a farm, wish I could do that. We are moving to the countryside next year, so maybe it will be easier then for me to find a supplier :)
 
I was talking to someone the other week & found out he has 2 bunnies - he highly recommended some amazing hay locally his bunnies adore. Problem is he couldn't remember the farm :lol: I do know the area though so plan to investigate further.

Omi so true about pleasing the owners rather than bunnies
 
I think I was really silly to order 10kg of it! Even though it seems great, just based off of how fussy bunnies can be. Mine are fickle as anything though - they will either begin to love it in a couple of days, or in a couple of months when I re-introduce it to them. I wish they would just give me a break from feeling anxious about their diet!
Well it's always good bedding, and you know for next time :)

Mine are going mad for the herby hay.. But haybox they won't touch [emoji38] I bought a big box ages back of it because my buns have never refused or not eaten any type of hay before, they're really unfussy when it comes to hay I've found, I just have to be careful with Atticus because of his gut issues.

Tbf I've not tried any of the mixed in forage hays from herby hay, only the premium Timothy so maybe the hay is different..? Idk

Sent from my Galaxy S21 Ultra using Tapatalk
 
I wonder if they are doing it to mark their territory - do you have any predators coming in at night?
 
I find this and the other current thread on forage really interesting.

I think that 'posh hay' is more to do with what pleases owners than bunnies. Good quality hay is key, but that doesn't always equate to posh. Personally I think that the least tampering in the growing and least intervention in the harvesting/drying process is important. Hay looks to be a simple product, but it isn't. To produce one species of hay in a field means herbicide. To retain the wonderful green colour and lovely smell will require some sort of process I imagine. However, without these processes, sometimes the product isn't good quality. We have a traditional hayfield opposite and several years ago sourced our hay from the farmer. We can see it doesn't receive lots of spraying with fertiliser/pesticide/herbicide and this results in a product which contains a variety of hay species plus some weeds which are impossible largely to identify. We also found one year that the hay contained lumps of soil and mould, so stopped getting it, which suggests not the best process. We also harvest hay from our 'hay patch' in the garden. It spends much longer drying out in the air than I guess is the case commercially, with an end result which is brownish. It keeps superbly, but the bunnies scorn it. The chickens have it for their bedding. I've no idea whether a long drying process affects the nutritional quality. I suspect it does.

I think we come back to the old advice of finding a hay which your bunnies will eat lots of and feed it.
Yes, farm hay tends to have more variety and there's nothing buns like more than variety! I would expect longer drying processes to change the molecules which make up the nutrients, especially if that's UV-based (e.g. using sunlight)as UV radiation is really good at altering things on an atomic level.
 
I just found someone who sells hay locally, only £6 per bale. They mainly cater to equestrians but apparently their small bales are popular with bun owners. And they're only £6 each! I'm planning on getting one to try if the area is accessible to get to, as I don't have a car.
 
I just found someone who sells hay locally, only £6 per bale. They mainly cater to equestrians but apparently their small bales are popular with bun owners. And they're only £6 each! I'm planning on getting one to try if the area is accessible to get to, as I don't have a car.

ooohhh good luck & report back. My bunnies were very happy for several years on baled £4.25 hay. Our hay bill was about £10 a year:love:
 
ooohhh good luck & report back. My bunnies were very happy for several years on baled £4.25 hay. Our hay bill was about £10 a year:love:

That sounds like the dream! I'm going to get some this afternoon hopefully. The bunnies are refusing to touch the Herby Hay now :( I've emailed them because someone else on the forum said something about there being a bad batch? I'm going to see what they say. If not I will probably try to sell it on FB marketplace for 1/2 the price.
 
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