Belinda Says Hay: “Q & A, Part 3”

This hot weather is nonsense.

I'm supposed to remind everyone about the grooming supplies on the Small Pet Select website.

Don't be too shy to ask for help with grooming. Extra fur in your belly can cause all kinds of problems. Like "GI slowdown" and worse.

My roommate grooms me with a blue mitt. I am not a fan but “it has to be done,” as she says.

OK on to more pleasant subjects.

I hope you had a chance to read "Part 1" and "Part 2" of my answers to the "Ask Me Anything" blog. 

I'm having the time of my life with these blogs by the way. I love to get emails.

The first question today is from my friend Herr (hare) Giger.

"Hi Belinda,

I don't particularly care for hay. My roommate has offered all the varieties available at Small Pet Select, but none of them really interest me.

I like my Timothy Hay Pellets and I like the fresh greens she gives me every day, especially cilantro, but hay just doesn't do it for me. I suspect because I came from a home that only offered pellets.

So I'm wondering if you have any suggestions to make hay more palatable, or other options to make sure I get the fiber and nutrition I need. 

Thanks in advance!"

This was a tough one for me, to be honest. I eat so much hay everyday I don't think about "why." 

But I kept a "hay diary" for a few days and I learned a lot. So here are some tips I put together for you.

First of all, it's OK if you don't eat all your hay. It's also fine to kick it around the floor inside your office or exercise pen.

My roommate gives me a nice stack of hay morning, afternoon and night.

I pick through it for the best pieces. I eat maybe half of the stack.

My roommate throws the "discards" along with my used litter into a bin in the garage. Then she gives the whole shebang to a gardener. I wrote about this in my blog about the loo. 

So that's my first tip. Don't put too much pressure on yourself hay-wise. Eat what you can and give the rest to that gardener.

Some other tips:

• Rip up cilantro and mix it into a handful of hay. 
• Add herbal mix to it. Belinda's Blend would be good choice. "If I may be so bold."
• Eat smaller servings but ask your roommate to bring them more often during the day.
• Ask your roommate to serve your hay on a plate. And to make a big deal about it. "Presentation is everything."
• Crumble a treat over the hay. Country Loops crumble up nicely. Any loops really. 
• Ask your roommate to hand-feed it to you. Especially 1st cut Timothy. It has lots of fiber.   

I hope some of these ideas help you Herr. Let me know.

Another great question comes from my friend Deanna.

"My rabbits love to eat bamboo sticks for pets that I bought on Amazon. I don’t want them eating too much so I cut them up into small slivers and wedge the pieces of bamboo into a willow basket (made for rabbits to chew on). Chewing on the basket to get the small pieces of bamboo is an activity my rabbit likes.

I just wish there was an American source for organic bamboo that I could buy from because I think the quality would be better. I saw some dog chews that included some bamboo made in the US but I have not seen that for rabbits. Rabbits do love bamboo. Do you know where to get good quality, organic bamboo for rabbits?"

I have to say that I am "stumped." I have never heard of rabbits eating bamboo. 

I asked the team and they didn't have any information about it either. 

I'm sorry we couldn't help, Deanna. I hope you find some nice organic American bamboo. 

That's all for now. I'll answer more questions after the holiday weekend.

Be sure to watch for my special photo blog next Sunday.

"Stay cool."

Sincerely,

Belinda

SpokesrabbIt, Small Pet Select

Belinda@smallpetselect.com

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