Saying that guinea pigs love hay would be an understatement, as a large part of their lives revolves around hay! They not only love eating it, but also enjoy playing in it, and even choose to sleep on it. Without it, guinea pigs would not be able to lead healthy and happy lives as it's essential to their well-being.
But, did you know that not all hay is quite the same? Below we break down the difference of some of the most common types of hay that can be fed to guinea pigs. Read on to find out more!
How much hay should I feed my guinea pig?
For guinea pigs, hay forms the bulk of their diet and should never be viewed as a treat. But how much hay should they eat every day?
Guinea pigs should be provided with unlimited hay at ALL TIMES. Good quality hay makes up 80 - 90% of a guinea pig's diet alongside fresh water, pellets, and a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Why is hay important for guinea pigs?
Hay is a key component to a guinea pig’s health and wellbeing for 3 main reasons:
Hay is essential for your guinea pig’s dental health
Since guinea pigs' teeth are constantly growing, it's important to make sure they don't become overgrown. Constantly chewing hay will wear their teeth down, keeping them at a healthy length!
Hay is essential for your guinea pig’s digestion
Hay provides the essential high fibre diet that piggies need to keep their gut moving. If their gut slows, which could happen due to absent or limited hay, fatal problems can occur such as bloat and gut stasis. That’s why it's important to provide a balanced diet and closely monitor their appetite. If you suspect your guinea pig has stopped eating, it's always best to seek veterinary advice.
Hay is essential for your guinea pig’s development
In the wild, guinea pigs naturally burrow and tunnel in long grasses, so hay allows you to recreate this environment for domestic piggies. Any extra hay that's not eaten can be used to play and even as bedding (just make sure that the hay you hand out to eat is fresh and not soiled!).
Here's a playtime idea: fill leftover toilet roll tubes and other cardboard items with hay to challenge and entertain your piggies.
The quality of hay for guinea pigs
With a guinea pig's diet being made up of mainly hay, it's important to invest in high-quality hay. This type is green in colour (with the exception of meadow hay, which is golden), smells fresh, and is dry with no brittle or dust. Since dusty hay can cause allergies for both you and your guinea pig. Hay that's yellow or brown no longer has a high nutritional value.
You should also check your hay for any foreign objects such as unsafe plants or plastic. Even the highest quality hay can sometimes get things mixed into it when harvested from the field.
The quality of hay is also important because a poorer quality can harbour pests such as mites, which can cause infestations. However, note that the same could happen if you don't store your hay properly - always keep hay in a dry, dark, and well-ventilated place to maintain its quality.
The types of hay to feed your guinea pigs
When it comes to hay, there are plenty of types to choose from that are safe for your guinea pigs to eat. While they're generally all high in fibre, not all hay is equal when it comes to nutrition.
You may already know that guinea pigs are prone to urinary tract stones if they follow a high-calcium diet. Calcium can also be found in high concentrations in hay. So it's important that you select hay that's relatively low in calcium, and leave calcium-rich hay as an occasional treat.
Here are the 10 types of hay most commonly fed to guinea pigs:
Timothy Hay
Timothy Hay is the most common and well known hay used for guinea pigs. Timothy Hay is a high quality green hay with a high nutritional value for guinea pigs, so a great choice for daily feeding. You can get several types of timothy – first, second, or third cut.
The first cut contains more seed heads and has less nutritional value and fibre than the 2nd cut which is softer and more green. The third cut is the last harvest of the year and is the sweet green leaves harvested later in the season.
Orchard Grass
Orchard grass is high in fibre, green to greenish-gold in colour, and can be mixed in with timothy hay to give your guinea pigs some variety. In fact, it's very similar to second cut timothy hay, but it's just a bit leafier and a great choice for people with allergies for other types of hay.
Orchard grass contains the lowest level of calcium compared to other hays, making it perfect for long term feeding. Due to its softer nature, it's also a great option for bedding as it carries a low risk of poking their eyes.
Meadow Hay
Meadow hay is made from long grass, seeds and flowers from a meadow. Meadow hay is great to encourage foraging behaviour in guinea pigs but can contain more calcium than other hays as well as other plants that guinea pigs may not like.
As such, it's a tasty option to feed as a treat or to mix with other types of hay, but best to be avoided for daily feeding.
Alfalfa Hay
Alfalfa hay is high in calcium and so it should only be fed as an occasional treat in adult guinea pigs, as it can cause bladder sludge and possible bladder stones. However, this hay is beneficial for pregnant or nursing sows as the extra calcium and protein are passed onto the pups.
It's also a great choice for piggies that are less than 6 months old to support their growing teeth and bones, and very young or elderly piggies who need to put on weight or are recovering from illness.
Oat Hay
Oat Hay is also known as wheat hay, it's golden/yellow in colour and thicker than other hays, with coarser stems (so not a great choice for bedding!). Oat hay is great to add variety or feed as a treat alongside your regular hay, as it's known to be higher in protein and fat compared to other types.
Ryegrass
Ryegrass is considered one of the most balanced hays for calcium and phosphorus but is high in protein and sugar. So handing out this type of hay requires moderation, making this either an occasional treat or something to be mixed with other hay to encourage foraging.
Bermuda grass
Bermuda grass is another great choice as a daily feeding hay due to being low in calcium and phosphorus values, with a nutritional value often compared to timothy hay. However, this type of hay may be trickier to find depending on where you live, as it's usually grown in tropical regions.
Where should I store my guinea pigs’ hay?
It is important that your guinea pig’s hay is stored correctly! Hay should be stored in a cool, clean, and dry place to prevent the hay from becoming damp or retaining moisture. Damp or wet hay can result in mold which is harmful to your guinea pigs health. Hay should also be stored away from windows and as it can lose its nutritional value if left to bleach in the sun.
Try a handy hay bag to keep their feeding hay fresh and easily within reach, without gathering dust on their cage's floor.
Conclusion
High-quality fresh hay plays a vital part of your guinea pig's diet, health, and wellbeing. While there are plenty of different types of hay to choose from, not all of them are best suited for daily feeding or bedding. Now that you know which type to pick out of the many, treat your piggy to the best type of hay around for guaranteed popcorns!
