Can someone explain to me why straw is supposedly so bad for piggies ?

[BonkeyMollocks]

Because i bought some today to try and I cannot believe how soft it is!

Im trying to economist the pigs a bit . They are having £15 a week spent on them at the moment, half of that is hay.

Yes i know they love it but my pockets don't :(

So instead of newspaper and then piles of hay for bedding, I am trying a deep layer of woodshavings yes i know these are supposedly bad too and a straw bed on top, with a pile of hay in the corner for eating only.

And rather than replace the whole lot everyday like I have been doing I am going to poo/wee pick and replace all hay.

Providing they don't eat the straw I can't see why it would be bad. There was hardly any dust and its so soft i want to curl up in it myself. And its considerably cheaper than hay!

I thought the reason it was not recommended is because its too coarse.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Oops babbled on bit there

[fridayfreedom]

think it's because it is generally a bit too pokey for them which could hurt their mouths and there isn't much goodness in it if they eat it.
I use megazorb instead of shavings £7 for a big sack, lasts about 4-5 cleanings out and it's a big hutch

[guineapiglet]

Hi there - this is the time when economies have to be made, bedding ie expensive - this is why we got a farming friend to deliver us off some bales which we kept stored in the old shed, the bales worked out at £6 each !!!!! - they were lovely hay as well, no big horrible bits in it, and they lasted about 6 weeks each, so it is worth investigating local hay suppliers. Straw is usually not suitable because it can rip their mouths and poke in their hays, ie it is quite rigid and hard, whereas as you know, hay is multipurpose -food, bed and toilet!!
Hope you find somewhere - could you contact local riding school to see who supplies them?

[BonkeyMollocks]

I have tried megazorb but its such q pain to get hold of and doesn't work out very cheap . Plus its tricky to store a big bag because i don't have any outside space. Its £13 for a bag over here plus the time and petrol to get out to the farm store order it then go back a few weeks later to collect.

Same goes for hay, no where to store a bale or i would bring some back from the stables.

The straw I've bought is softer than the hay, this is why i can't see why hay is ok and straw is not...unless they eat it which i am hoping they don't .

The bag of straw i bought was a small bag for £1.25 . But for the about i would use should last 2 weeks!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Hi- I bought straw for my boys and it was so soft. Especially compared to the hay that's out at the moment (I don't know if the hay has had to be heat dried or dried indoors, but it's sharp)

I put it behind newspaper to keep it away from prying eyes and mouths, to pad out their bed in winter and give more insulation. They flatten their hay down when they stamp about on it.

Cost for hay/straw is roughly the same where I buy it, so not a cost saving.

I've always been told the straw is too sharp for young/pregnant and nervous GPs.
Maybe that's more the equine straw? The small animal barley straw seems lovely.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Maybe thats it 70, horses aren't bedded on barley straw. But even some of the straw I have used in the past for my pony has been soft...but the strands have been longer and i can see why they would be sharp.

The barley straw I have bought to try with the pigs is quite short stands and its lovely, but I will have to keep a eye on munching! Little Pig generally 'tries' something (newspaper/binbags/megazorb/the radiator.. ) and then realises that hay is tastier and gives up.

Completely agree about the hay at the moment, and i wouldn't be surprised if that goes up in price as the winter goes on, due to the farmers not being able to cut it at peak time. Our fields at the stables have only been cut in the last few weeks due to the weather. Normally they are done June/July!

[guineapiglet]

I guess in days of yore, straw was used for mattresses, which would be shaken down after use, so I love the idea of making them a 'mattress' maybe inside a pillow case or such like, and then putting hay on top of that with a newspaper layer in between? It is really for insulation and comfort and that way it would stop them eating it?If the straw is as soft as you say, it can't really harm them, I assume its treated the same as hay in terms of processing so hasnt got any nasty chemicals.

My farmer friend told us it had been a very difficult harvest with less than 50% yield on some fields due to sogginess, so yes, it looks like it is all going up in price and there may well be shortages. In my more youthful guinea keeping days, I actually used to make my own hay by cutting long stalks and leaving it to dry out, in the days when we used to have summers....... Am I right in remembering that they are not allowed to have lawn clippings from the lawn mower, I guess that could be put into a 'mattress' for them?

[BonkeyMollocks]

I have been researching, and from what i can see, the only reason people dislike straw is because of eye pokes, and its because its not very absorbent.

I can see more risk from eye pokes from hay than I can with the straw, especially timothy hay. I buy the oxbow brand and its really coarse, great for the teeth, not so great for the eyes.

I have shavings underneath to absorb so thats that problem sorted.

I'm going to give it a go and see how we get on, I can't not do for the £s it will help me save!

[guineapiglet]

when dried out of course? Airing cupboard anyone?!

[BonkeyMollocks]

Lawn clippings, I think could cause them bloat?

It causes colic in horses due to the fact that it ferments quicker because the grass is shredded rather than cut iyswim.

Love the pillowcase idea, but sadly I think my two would just chew the case just to see what was inside .

Little pig has been snuffling through and popcorning so I think he approves. Both have naice hay tonight so I don't think they will bother about the straw.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I think with the lawnmover cuttings there's a risk of pollutant (the oil from the blade) and it ferments on standing- it does get quite warm and smells stagnent.

I bought a new shredder for my GPs. Our household one cuts into long strips.
The guinea-pigs' shredder cuts into tiny cofetti spieces so nice and soft.
I was worried about the boys cutting their feet or strangulating themselves . (What a sad sack)

[ByTheWay1]

Was told by the breeder we got ours from not to put straw down as it stays too wet then compresses when wet and can case "bumblefoot" due to the constant contact. Straw is also more prone to mildew and other spores.

We put newspaper down (and wood shavings where we want them to "go") then hay - the hay stays drier for longer, the wood shavings wick away moisture too - but straw just stays wet.

[EdMcDunnough]

Have you tried the fleece thing?

We use a sheet of fleece (cheapo throw cut in half to fit the hutch) and under it a layer of old towel(s) to absorb the wee.

It's really good - I put the fleece in a washing bag before it goes in the machine though as the bits of hay clog up the filter otherwise.

In the sleeping compartment she has got a cat litter tray with shavings in it, and hay on top to eat/keepwarm.

[Pipsqueak99]

Erm, well I am obviously doing all the wrong thing as I have my piggies on shavings (on top of newspaper) and then make their bed area up with lots and lots of straw. Hay goes in their hay bar for eating.

Their bed area (straw) actually stays totally dry compared to the rest of the hutch. I clean them out completely once a week.

[BertieBotts]

We used to put straw in the bedding area for sleeping and hay in the main area for eating, although they'd often take it back to the nest to make it cosier in there too.

You can't use all straw as they don't eat it, the hay is important to their diet is what I was told.

[mumnosGOLDisbest]

Straw doesnt hurt thembut you use hay as they eat it and it aids their digestion.

[BonkeyMollocks]

Don't get on with fleece.

Little pig eats it.

Plus they both love.burrowing too much and hay is a bitch to get off of fleece!

Verdict this morning: Majority of their hay pile is gone, which means they have eaten it and not the straw.
Have cleaned and it was easy, take out last bits if hay, poo/wee pick, fluff up bed, replace hay.
And i have to say the straw is quite dry. It seems to have wicked down to the shavings.

Providing I keep getting soft bags like yesterday, then i will keep using it i think. :)

[sleepingbunnies]

I have just bought our piggies an edible house with straw on top (obv straw is the only part not edible)! I have used wood shavings in the main bit every since we got our girls! I had no idea it was bad for them?

Just tonight I have put a big fleece blanket in their sleeping compartment :-)

We visited a farm today and we are going to buy a big bale for £6 and ask my daddy very nicely (beg!) if we can keep it in his shed... Felt it - so soft and lots of dandelions in it too which is always a winner!