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BunnyAuntie

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Ok, this is actually 2 questions and one of them isn't entirely about eating (and may be kinda dumb) but here goes: 1. I want to use hay for my outdoor bunny's hutch (bedding/litter). I want to get a bale from a local farm (never done this before), do I have to worry about there maybe being dangerous weeds in the hay? He also gets hay to eat, which brings me to question 2. He really prefers 3rd cut timothy and won't really eat anything else. If I mix in 1st or 2nd cut he won't eat it. He also gets pellets and some greens. Is 3rd cut ok? Roo and I thank you for any and all advice :)
 
Yes, you need to worry about poisonous weeds or fungi in "hay" that is specified for "bedding" you might want to use straw instead, it is also less likely to get mouldy and is better at repelling water

While not ideal, 3rd cut Timothy hay is better than nothing
 
Hm, do you mean just baled hay from a farm, meant for feed, which is fine, or second rate hay that is sold cheap for strictly non-feeding purposes? My guess is that stuff that is sold that way is simply too old, but I don't think you would need to worry about toxic plants - mold, on the other hand, is another matter, if there were once bad conditions while in long storage the hay could be contanimated, if it's dusty and bad smelling discard it - that goes for every hay.

You sure can use normal hay ("normal" here are not those fancy single species hays but everything that grows on meadows) for bedding, I use what the buns waste/do not eat.
 
Timothy is all mine will eat. I've spent to much on other suff and end up giving to the neighbors cows. :x

For bedding use straw like Dood suggested. Barley straw if you can find it is much softer than wheat straw. All I use anymore and get both at my local feed mill.
 
Thank you everyone. I've been using wheat straw but it has started to give me a terrible rash on my arms :( I wear long sleeves but that's hard when it's 80 and humid. I would get feed hay (horse hay?), not mulch hay. I can get 1st or 2nd cut for $2-$3 a bale. I'll try looking into barley straw but I don't think there are any actual feed mills near me, we just have places like Tractor Supply, that's different right? He only likes the 3rd cut timothy for eating, but if I give him just that he eats a lot! But it's too expensive to use for bedding/litter.
 
Horse hay is fine, as food too.

The farmer I get my bales from says he reserves the bales with very soft stuff for us rabbit breeders because horses like the other better anyway.

There may be more waste when feeding mixed hay, but imho it gives the rabbits something to do - sorting through every single straw what they like best - and a more diverse diet is imho a good thing. And the waste can still be used as litter.
Well, if he start to like it he will nibble on the bedding, no problem, mine do not touch anything that's soiled.

It takes my rabbits a few days to accept something new, right now they scowl at apples :roll: , I just keep offering it paralell to their usual food.
 
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