Twig-like things in new Oxbow Timothy Hay bags

[Spikethebunny]

It looks like Oxbow has changed their Tim hay into a new fresher bag with a ziplock type seal, and Spike has been going crazy for it, so it's definitely working for the freshness things. The only thing is, ever since the switch, I've been finding these twig looking things in every bag. Lots of them. I've attached a pic. They don't look like wooden twigs. They are softer than wood and look kind of like foam inside. I've been sorting them out, but if I miss one, Spike runs away with it like its a treat. I usually take them away, and he's not happy when I do.

Anyone know what these are? Is it possible they are thicker stalks of hay? Are they dangerous?

Oxbow is Spike's favorite. He will nibble on it for hours (and he is suuuper picky). I'd hate to have to stop buying it's, but I don't want to accidently give him anything that might be harmful.

 

[Watermelons]

Likely wood and water plants.... think cats tails and papyrus. Their often spongey inside.
It is hay. Its grown in big fields outide. You can end up with everything from dead animals to garbage and leaves in it.

 

[Spikethebunny]

I know your can often find the odd twig, or leaf or dead bug in there. I usually check my hay when I get it for things like that. They show up once in a while. But this is my 3rd or 4th bag in the new packaging and there are tons of these in every bag. And it's only happened since the new packaging. Which is why I'm questioning it. My picture above is the number I found in only a 1/4 of the bag. Seems kind of odd, no?

 

[Azerane]

Your best bet would simply be to write to oxbow and ask about it. Perhaps where they're harvesting from at the moment has a lot of those stalky plants for whatever reason. I doubt if they are harmful and that obvious they would have let them remained in the hay or packaged the hay.

 

[Watermelons]

1 - 20 acre field likely yields thousands of bags of pet store hay. Oxbow likely buys from multiple sources..... So if this batch that got the new packaging is from the same field and that field has a lot of "junk" in it..... This field or source of this batch could very well be over 100 acres.... imagine how many bags that makes?
Write to oxbow if youre concerned but it is a totally normal thing to happen. There could have been a large wind store blowing excess twigs into the field just before harvest....
Its not like pellets that are created in a factory, mother nature decides what happens to hay. And combing through thousands of pounds of grass to pluck out twigs will never happen.
Hay gets baled on the fields. Then sliced and bagged in a facility before getting shipped to the pet store. They may or may not xray or scan it somehow to ensure there is no metal in it.... but it is hay and you really could find anything.

 

[Spikethebunny]

Thanks! I'll speak with Oxbow. I just figured I can't be the only one, since they've been in every bag.

 

[ladysown]

it won't hurt your rabbit. they mostly like to play with stuff like that. Sometimes they like to nibble on it/eat it. Won't hurt them.