As you grab handfuls of soft, sweet timothy hay to feed the smallest members of your family, we’ll bet you’re not thinking much about what it is they’re actually eating.
However, we’ve always been of the pursuasion that knowledge is king. And with that in mind, we thought we’d discuss some of the finer points of timothy hay – but in layman’s terms, as opposed to getting too technical.
So here goes:
It’s ‘just’ a grass….
…but a very particular type of grass (and that’s the reason it’s the very best type you can feed your small pets). Firstly, timothy is a perennial grass. This means that it lasts year after year, regenerating in the spring to go through its life cycle once again.
Other names that timothy grass is known by include, common cat’s tail and meadow cat’s tail. However, when growing in the wild it is often confused with meadow foxtail and purple stem cat’s tails, both of which are similar looking grasses.
Fussy, but not that fussy…
…about where it grows. Timothy grass grows best in fairly heavy soil. But it’s a pretty hardy grass that can withstand periods of cold and drought. Because of this, it can also thrive in poorer, sandy soils or even in upland where the soil is less moist.
A snazzy little number
Timothy grass goes though quite some transformations in its lifecycle. It grows quite tall – in some cases up to 59” in height, with long leaves. From around June until September, depending on the cut and weather, it flowers. These flowers are a purple, pink shade and grow on a flowerhead that can grow up to 6” in length.
Not only food for small pets, cattle and horses
Yep, when growing, there are some other critters that are quite partial to a bit of timothy. These include the caterpillars of various butterflies and moths, including the Marbled White and the Essex Skipper.
A vital component of your pet’s diet
Of course, we don’t get to see timothy grass during the majority of its lifecycle. It comes to us well grown, cut, dried and packaged ready for our small pets to eat – in the form of timothy hay.
And what a crucial item it is, when it comes to ensuring your rabbit, guinea pig or chinchilla’s ongoing good health. Not only is the high fiber content necessary to keep the food moving though the digestive tract, but the constant grinding by the teeth to chew up the fibrous stalks keeps those gnashers good and healthy. But we’re pretty sure you already knew that bit.
So here’s to the humble grass that makes up timothy hay. Mother Nature certainly knows what she’s doing when she creates various foodstuffs. Let’s remember not to take her for granted…
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