wheat hay

[werecatrising]

My local feed store has been out of oat hay for awhile. Today I got a 100 pound bale of wheat instead. None of the buns will touch it. I am hoping they get used to it. Do any of you use it? Do the bunnies like it?

 

[Pipp]

I haven't tried wheat hay, but a few of my bunnies don't like anything new, no matter what it is. I always have to mix it in with other types of hay and get them used to it slowly. Ditto with changing pellets.

None of this works forPipp of course. I think she'd croak before she'd eat anyhay.I tried spraying it with apple juice (she'd just lick it off and I'd have a sticky bun), hiding bits of fruit in it, I soaked it inwater, I tried handfeeding... no go.

Maybe your guys will be different.

I'd try and find a little grass hay andwhateverelse you can and try a mix, slowly reducing the other types and leaving thewheat, and hope for the best!

Otherwise you'll have a 100-pound doorstop or paperweight on your hands.

The Library links will have some more suggestions:

Hay: All About It (and how to get them to eat it)



sas :bunnydance:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

OK, this is something I've never really learned about (pretty bad when I live in Indianawhere we grow a LOT of wheat! and when we have hay ourselves!)... but isn't wheat hay just straw? onder:

 

[Pipp]

Bo B Bunny wrote:

OK, this is something I've never really learned about (pretty bad when I live in Indianawhere we grow a LOT of wheat! and when we have hay ourselves!)... but isn't wheat hay just straw? onder:

Even worse, this coming from a west coast city girl ...wheat straw iw straw. Wheat hay is hay.



sas :bunnydance:

 

[Pipp]

Here's a general content breakdown (I don't think this isin the Library).Not going to format it though, sohopefully it's readable. I don't know howthe nutrientswork with cereal hay (I do believe that's the main problem with straw, which is great for fiber, just not very nutritious), but the fibre count is high enough, and the protein and calories aren't too high, so theywilldo thetrick when balanced withpellets andveggies.

And Bo, I did see a reference to three kinds of hay -- legumes (alfalfa, clove), grass hays (timothy, orchard) and 'straw' (wheat, rye), so I see what you mean! I usually hear themreferred toas 'cereal hays'.

If anybody can add anything, feel free. I'm guessing!



Type of hay/dry matter (%)/ Digestible Energy (kcal/kg)/ Crude Protein % / Crude Fiber% / Calcium%



Alfalfa hay -- 90 -- 1800* -- 15.3* -- 27.0* -- 1.4*

Barley hay -- 87 -- 1790 -- 7.6 -- 24.0 -- .2

Barley straw -- 91 -- 1580 -- 4.0 -- 38.0 -- .3

Bermuda grass hay -- 92 -- 1656* -- 11* -- 27.6* -- .4*

Clover hay red -- 88 -- 1760* -- 17.3* -- 21.8* -- 1.3*

Clover hay white -- 92 -- 2024* -- 21.4* -- 20.9* -- 1.8*

Lespedeza hay -- 92 -- 1290* -- 12.7* -- 28.1* -- .9*

Oat hay -- 88 -- 2000 -- 7.3* -- 29.5* -- .3

Oat straw -- 92 -- 1640 -- 4.1 -- 37.0 -- .3

Orchard grass hay -- 89 -- 1829 -- 9.8* -- 30.0* -- .3

Prairie hay -- 92 -- 1670 -- 5.3 -- 31.0 -- --

Ryegrass hay -- 86 -- 2070 -- 7.4 -- 26.0 -- .5

Sudan grass hay -- 91 -- 1860 -- 7.3 -- 33.0 -- .5

Timothy hay -- 89 -- 2010 -- 6.3* -- 30.2* --

Wheat hay -- 88 -- 1870 -- 7.4 -- 25.0 -- .2

Wheat straw -- 89 -- 1340 -- 3.2 -- 37.0 -- .2


The above is from http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-3/fiber.html.



sas :bunnydance:

 

[werecatrising]

I thought they would like the wheat since it is really coarse like the oat. Maybe I'll pick something else up to mix in with it.

 

[Leaf]

Barley Straw is a great form of algae control in ponds.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

That's really interesting!

I know the bunnies like Oat hay sometimes.