Timothy Hay: A Treat that Provides Major Health Benefits to Small Pets

By Stephanie

What is Timothy Hay?

Timothy Hay is a natural perennial grass that is native to Europe. It can be cut and dried in late in the season, and it is high in fibre and low in protein and calcium. It is recommended amongst vets as one of the best bays to feed small animals and pets, and should be an integral part of the diet of rabbits and guinea pigs in particular.


Timothy  Hay promotes a natural chewing behaviours and helps to wear down cheek teeth, which over time have evolved to grown continuously in small herbivores, because of the large amount of grinding down they do when chewing their food. The consumption of this hay encourages and helps to maintain good dental practice in your small pet.

It's beneficial for their gut


It is great for the intestinal tract of most small pets due to the high fibre content, it reduces the risk of soft stools and helps to prevent bloating, stimulates the digestive system which then helps to prevent obesity. It also helps to maintain a good balance in the urinary system

How much should I feed them?

Timothy Hay can be feed freely and should be available to your pet at all times. It can also make the animal's environment warmer and it allows the guinea pigs to imitate their natural habitat but encouraging foraging, this provides metal stimulation. Timothy Hay should be the main diet of your pet, fresh vegetables and pelleted food should also be available alongside it.


Timothy Hay is so versatile and you can conveniently offer it as treat, use it as a dental aid or you can provide it as a main source of food for your pet without being concerned about weight gain. It's important to follow you vet's advice when it comes down to the dietary requirements of your pet, and if you're unsure about any type of food to feed your pet, you're always better off feeding them something that you'know won't do any harm to their stomachs, don't hesitate to ask your vet, that's what they're there for.

Burgess Pet Care introduce the Excel Feeding Plan, which is a step by step guide to feeding you Fibrevores. The Excel Feeding Plan recommends that you include a premium quality Timothy hay in their diet. Visit http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk for more information today.

Alfalfa Hay For Small Animals

By: Stepphanie

 Photo by: bronzephoenix

 
Alfalfa hay is legume hay that contains more protein, digestible energy and calcium than any other forage. This hay is perfect for young herbivores and makes a perfect treat for adult herbivores.

Alfalfa Hay is a high fibre hay is a high fibre legume forage that is sometimes called the "Queen of Forages" It's different from timothy hay in its leaf, stem and root structure. Alfalfa hay is legume hay and the protein, calcium and content are higher than in grass hay. Because it is bailed at night, special care is taken. Alfalfa hay has a soft stem with leaves attached.

Alfalfa is a perfect hay to feed young animals. It contains a lot more crude protein, digestible energy and calcium levels than most other forages, also it has the fibre content needed for normal digestive functioning. Alfalfa provides the right amount of essential calcium for growing bones. Alfalfa is also a source of important materials, including phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, sulphur, iron, zinc, and selenium.

Because of its succulent taste, this alfalfa hay can be used as an appetite stimulant when an animal happens to be ill or coming out of surgery, because it is so high in fibre, a small pinch can be given as a treat.

Feeding Directions:

Growing animals (Under the age of 6 months):

Unlimited amounts plus free choice of grass hay

Alfalfa hay should only really be offered carefully to adult rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas due to the higher protein and calcium content. Many vets believe that animals prone to kidney stones, bladder stones or calcium crystals in their urine should always avoid alfalfa hay.

-Alfalfa hay can be used to help animals to gain wait, and will give a nice shine to their fur.

-Elderly animals should be fed foods that they enjoy, such as alfalfa, when considering quality of life.

-Alfalfa Hay can be used in small amounts as an appetite stimulant for thin or convalescing animals.

-Rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas under six months of age can be given alfalfa hay daily.

-After six months of age an animal should begin a gradual transition to 100% grass hays such as Timothy Hay

Burgess pet care advise that most of your small animals diet should consist of a high quality Alfalfa hay. Visit http://www.burgesspetcare.co.uk/ for more information today

Peter's Rabbit and Small Animal Food

Peter's Timothy Hay is sun cured with no preservatives or additives that provides the roughage necessary in maintaining the good health of your rabbit or other small animal. See more

Kaytee Timothy Cubes Small Animal Treats

Kaytee Timothy Cubes are compressed blocks of nutritious sun-cured timothy hay that are ideal as a natural treat for rabbits. High quality hay aids the natural digestive process of rabbits by providing fiber. Because timothy hay is lower in calcium, it may decrease the likelihood of urinary tract problems. See more

Kaytee Timothy Hay Plus Marigolds, 24-Ounce Bags

KAYTEE Premium Timothy Hay is harvested from the high elevations of the Columbian River basin - an environment with the perfect combination of dry days and cool nights. Our experts, who have been farming since the 1920's, hand select hay from the second cutting to ensure the proper ratio of leaf to stem. Once selected, our hay is sheltered to protect it from the elements and ensure that the right green color and nutritional content is maintained. As a final step our hay is special cut to increase the ease of feeding. KAYTEE Premium Western Timothy Hay is pesticide-free, and aids in the natural digestive process of rabbits and small animals by providing required long strand fiber. New Timothy Hay Plus offers natural KAYTEE timothy hay blended with all natural health-boosting ingredients. Sweet smelling MINT for digestive health, munchy MARIGOLDS for antioxidant enrichment and crunchy CARROTS for additional vitamins. See more

Oxbow Oat Hay

Your animals will love the immature oat grain that is attached in the head and will benefit greatly from the fiber in the leaf and stem. Oat Hay is a good source of fiber and gives variety to your animal's diet. It also makes a good bedding alternative to wheat straw.

It is at this early stage that Oxbow's Oat Hay is cut. The result is a light green/tan hay with flaky oat husks at the top. Although there is no actual oat kernel present, the hay smells like oats and small animals and rabbits LOVE this extra treat! See more

Oxbow Alfalfa Hay

Alfalfa is very nutritious, full of fiber, energy, protein, calcium and other nutrients. It is the wonder food of the hay world. But even "wonder foods" have their place. There are times you can and should give alfalfa to rabbits and other small animals, as long as you remember, "Everything in moderation". See more

OXBOW WESTERN TIMOTHY GRASS HAY

Oxbow Western Timothy grass hay with high-fiber, low-protein and low-calcium content, helps keep the gastrointestinal tract of rabbits and small herbivores functioning properly. Western Timothy hay will help prevent obesity, maintain a healthy urinary system and improve overall health. A high-fiber diet will also lower the incidence of soft stools, intestinal gas and bloating. Timothy hay is the most widely recommended hay by veterinarians for rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other herbivores. Its fresh fragrance encourages consumption. See more

Oxbow Western Timothy Hay

My pet bunnies drink Brita filtered water, eat fresh salads from the grocery store, and munch Oxbow Western Timothy Hay. Forget the fancy hay mangers. Take a brown paper lunch bag, roll the top halfway down, and stuff it full of hay. Place the bag anywhere that your pet can find it. Alternate serving suggestion: Any pain brown cardboard box makes a grand and glorious mini - meadow. OzBo ships fast, and the product is fresh. Buy it now

Bungalow Edible Environt For Rabbit

Oxbow Timothy Club bungalows are 100% all-natural timothy hay accessories that are hand-woven to perfection.Oversized, all-grass accessories offer a place to rest and relax inside or outside the cage. Edible construction offers your small pet the high fiber he needs and craves. Contains no chemicals, wire, or thread for your small pet to ingest. Buy it now

Para Grass The Best For Rabbit

Para Grass is an essential component of a rabbit's healthy diet. One reason why is that feeding a rabbit fresh grass on a daily basic seems to reduce rabbits tendencies to pull out and consume or chew on their own hair, which leads to hairballs. In my country, there are a lot of Para Grass. It is a native grass and grows naturally. It is a medium size sprawling grass that may be noticd covering large areas growing in water or on land. Para Grass has leaf nodes swolling with dense shaggy hairs. Rabbits also love to diet Para Grass, my caretake always feeds me Para Grass but I eat it a little because I quite like Timothy Hay.

Hay Ball

I suggest that you should buy the ball with hay in it--let the rabbit chew the ball as well as the hay. Here is the Rabbit Salad Bowl that is hay and fruit salad treat contains Timothy hay, apples and cranberries. Natural woven grass bowl is safe to chew. Measures 5 in. L x 5.25 in. W x 2.75 in. D. Buy here.

My Hay

It is recommended that your rabbit eat a diet that is grass or hay based. So do I. I eat Timothy Hay. It is great taste. This high-quality hay aids her natural digestive process with fiber and because it is low in calcium, it decreases the chances of urinary tract problems developing. The high-fiber content also discourages obesity. Daily munchings will keep her healthy and happy! Please note that when you rabbit is a baby, she can have lots of alfalfa hay. As she grows older, she should get very little alfafa hay. Most of the hay an adult rabbit eats should be Timothy Hay, oat hay or grass hay. Your rabbit will prefer it if you keep the hay off of the cage floor with a hay manger. This will keep the hay cleaner and tastier for her.