We all know that feeding Timothy hay is vital for our rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other small pets. But did you realize that there’s a big variation in the quality of the hay that’s on offer on the open market?
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The thing is, pet stores are in business for one reason, and one reason only; and that’s to make money. And when it comes to profits, the big companies are only interested in one thing – keeping the costs as low as possible so they make as much money as they can.
Now, this is all very well, and we’re certainly not against companies making money. After all, it’s essential to make the world go around… But sadly, it also means that there’s a whole lot of timothy hay out there that isn’t of the best quality – even if it appears to be provided by a reputable company.
This means that it’s up to you to ensure that you know the difference between bad quality and good quality timothy hay. And how to know when you’ve come across some that’s of outstanding quality. It’s not hard, you simply need to know a few key facts, and then use your common sense. Here’s our guide to immediately knowing if the hay you have in your hand is one that you actually want to feed to your small pet.
1. The smell: This is probably the most indicative of all when it comes to knowing the quality of timothy hay. Get your nose right into the hay and take a good sniff… It should bring to mind fresh summer meadows; a slightly sweet smell that’s enjoyable to breath in. If you get even a hint of dust or mold, then this is bad. If you can smell it, then so can your pet. And they don’t want to eat anything that doesn’t taste nice.
2. The color: Much of the timothy hay on the market is a brown or yellow color. This is not a good thing. The best quality timothy hay is a lovely green color.
3. The feel: It should not be hard or brittle to the touch. The best quality is soft. After all, you don’t want your pet to poke his eye on the end of hard, unyielding stalks…
4. The look: The last thing you want to see in your small pet’s timothy hay is mold. This can come in the form of black or white spots. If you see this, then it’s not suitable for your pet to be eating.
5. The taste: Yep – get a piece and put it in your mouth. When you chew there should be a faint sweet taste – one that’s enjoyable to have. After all, your pets have taste buds as well, and the last thing they want to be eating is something dry and tasteless.
6. And most importantly – is your pet eating it? Your pet’s taste test is always the very best indicator of the quality of the timothy hay. Many people make the mistake in thinking that their pet simply doesn’t like hay much. But 9 times out of 10, it’s simply because their being fed bad quality timothy hay. Feed them top quality, and the difference is obvious to see.
And very often this isn’t your fault. That’s because a lot of commercially sold timothy hay isn’t of the best quality. So if that’s what you’re used to seeing, then you assume this is the right stuff. But believe us, once you see top quality hay, you’ll never again mistake it for one of a bad or mediocre quality. And the way your small pet hoovers it up will be all the proof you need….
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