Where's good for cheap/nice guinea pig hay? And other questions...

[LingDiLong]

Is there a particular type I should be buying my guineas? And if so what?! And where's the best place to get it for a good price?

I've just been buying it from the supermarket but if I should be getting a particular type I'd rather do that - especially once it gets a bit colder.

Also, my girls are really quiet. They barely squeak or chatter. I guess they're still settling in but I remember my guinea pigs I had as a child squeaking like crazy in the morning when we went out to feed them. Will they squeak more as they get more settled?

[BonkeyMollocks]

Good quality meadow hay is the main type.
Most garden centres/good pet shops/ all this or if you have space to store it a bale from a farmer is a good option.

If you want to treat them then they do naice hay such as different flavours like dandelion and camomile or a herb forage.

Timothy hay is also a fave . :)

As for squeaking, I should think once they get into a routine of when to expect food they won't shut up. However some pigs are quieter than others. My Big Pig weeks when Little Pig is out of sight and grunts when he us eating. Little pig does not shut up if you walk towards the kitchen after a certain time of day.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

WRT to the squeaking -yes they'll get noisier!
My boars (now nearly 2) will wheek when I open their Pighouse door for breakfast and stand at the edge of their run when they decide to go indoors.GP1 follows my DD round the edge of the run, and if she's got parsley in a rustling bag...

But it took them a while last winter to find their voices. They cottoned onto the fridge opening (for food obviously.Very miffed if I took a bottle of milk out). And very vocal if I ate crisps.

GP2 doesn't squeak or wheek but he purrs and does a little grunting hog noise.

Hay- I've the past couple of bags are not soft (I don't know if it's the bad growing conditions)

I but The Range (£3,60ish) or Jolleys (same price, smaller bag but smells gorgeous and I don't even like the hay smell).
P@H if I really have to .

Lots of people buy a bale of horsehay, but you'd need to check the texture and have storage.

I bought Equine Readigrass last year (flipping huuuuge bag) but it makes my little boy sneeze so I have to ration it. GP1 loves it though.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

And naice hay- Herbage Excell (lots of different ones out there).
Marigold and Dandelion was the last one we bought.
And the Alfafa hay (quite high in calories and calcium levels- so treats rther than staple food.Good for pg or nursing hogs)

You can get little bags of dried leaves but they look very dusty and are expensive.
Even last winter I cut grass for the boars -rinsed in warm water to clean and take the chill off.
Lots of fresh leaves they can have. Ours munch pear tree leaves and willow on the lawn.

[sleepingbunnies]

My girls love either Timothy hay or hay with dandelion... They go mad for that and luckily it was on offer near where we live so they have enough to last them two months now! :-)

[KRITIQ]

I can also recommend the "Devon Meadow Hay" from the Range for value and quality. Now that I live in Scotland, I have to buy it when I visit my in laws in Cumbria.

It's good for feeding and bedding, but I also give the boys handfuls of either Timothy Hay (which I get from a small animal rescue that also sells pet supplies in Edinburgh) or Redigrass each day as well as they love it and it's especially good for their digestion.

[ExitPursuedByABear]

I miss my guinea pig

[LingDiLong]

Thanks everyone, we have a Range near us so I'll take a look in there.

Exit , it's amazing how attached you can get to a small furry thing isn't it?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ling the Range hay is probably the best value for money but have a good look at all the bags before you buy them.
A couple of times I've had to ask staff to take hay off the display because inside is black/mildew looking. I wouldn't give hay with mould in it even for bedding. GPs are very prone to respiratory disorders and their little faces are right in the hay.

[LingDiLong]

Good tip, thanks 70. I'll keep an eye out for that.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I gave my little boys a deep litter bed tonight (filled the haybox to the roof) to keep them warm overnight.
It takes half a bag of the Range big bag (IIRC it is 4kg).
They were so happy that GP1 didn't rush out for supper.
My DD checked inside to make sure he wasn't stuck, but he was happily burrowing through

[LingDiLong]

Wow, that is a LOT of hay . I thought I was giving mine a 'deep' hay bed putting in half a 1kg bag!! Hay seems to be the only 'big' expense so far with the guinea pigs, they get through tons of the stuff. It might be cheaper long term to buy my own blinkin' field!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

it is alot, but they have a big hay box (my DH made it out of an old bookcase) it's about 3'x3'.

I use a deep litter bed for 3 days, take out the poo'n'pee, instead of the summer bed which gets daily change.

It keeps them happy (adult boars are a recipe for arsiness if they think too much )

And I tell my DH- half a bag of hay is cheaper than a cold guinea-pig going to the vet.
That wins him over. (But I'm the one driving off to buy the hay)

[ByTheWay1]

We buy our hay from a farm shop, meadow hay in a big 5kg bag - lovely stuff, we also deep bed the piggies from about now til May - fill the sleeping side to the top and shake it down every day, with a part clean out and replenish twice a week and a full clean out at the weekend - they need the snuggle warmth at night now the temperatures are dropping (ours are outdoor hutch all year round).

Fresh hay (the same stuff) for eating every day too. Costs us about £5 a month...