HOW TO: Choose the Right Hay for Your Guinea Pigs | Squeak Dreams

Hay is THE most important part of our guinea pig's (and rabbits!) diet, so how can we pick out the best quality hay for them? I recommend the following factors to look out for when choosing hay (often you have to purchase it and open it, but you will know for next time!):

* Information on the package, as a general rule, packaging with more information means better quality hay.

* The smell test! Does it smell nice and fresh when you open it? If it smells musty it could be mouldy.

* The feel test! Hay should feel dry and definitely not damp. In the UK watch out for small bags of uncompressed hay, in my experience this hay is often damp, indicating it has not been dried properly and may contain mould.

* Dustiness: Hay should be dust extracted. It might say this on the packet but judge for yourself. If you and your piggies are sneezing because of dusty hay it might be time to try out some different brands.

* Greeness: how green hay is isn't really a true reflection of the freshness, different grasses retain colour differently.

* Long strands vs short strands: Long strands are better for your guinea pig's and rabbit's digestive systems.

For people in the UK I recommend Lunnun Dust Free Hay as it passes all of my tests and contains a variety of grasses. It is also good value and available in large bales to order online or in WCF Pet and Equestrian stores. I also feed Alfalfa King Timothy hay (available in Pets at Home) alongside, as the guinea pigs love it and it encourages them to eat more hay. This is only available in small bales so costs a lot more, hence the combination of two hays.