October 05, 2018
As the pet parent of a small herbivore, you know that hay is important to your pet’s health, but have you ever wondered exactly how hay helps keep your pet healthy & happy? Let’s take a closer look at some of the specific functions that hay provides to your pet’s daily health.
Digestive Health
Dental Health
Mental Health
Tips for Preventing GI Stasis
Gastrointestinal Stasis is a serious condition that occurs when the digestive system slows down or stops completely. As a pet parent, there are key steps you can take to minimize the likelihood that your pet experiences this condition:
Feeding a variety of hays offers many benefits to pets. Learn more about the Top 5 Reasons to offer your pet a variety.
Hay: It's Not Just for Herbivores
Hay is critical to the health & wellbeing of herbivores, but other pets benefit from this high fiber forage as well. Hay is a great source of physical enrichment for birds, hamsters, gerbils, rats, &
other small pets. From bedding to burrowing to general exploring, these pets will benefit from access to hay in their daily routine. Hamsters & gerbils particularly enjoy oat hay, which often contains tasty, immature seed heads.
DIY Mental Enrichment
To make mealtime more mentally enriching for your pet, try stuffing hay into hideouts or other “safe to chew” containers, such as toilet paper or paper towel rolls. For added enticement, bury a few of your pet’s favorite treats toward the back of the hay & watch him eagerly hunt for them.
What Are "Open-Rooted" Teeth?
Rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, & other small animals have “open-rooted” teeth. This means that these teeth grow continuously throughout the animal’s life. Without proper dental wear, serious issues can arise, including
malocclusion (improper alignment of top & bottom teeth), tooth elongation, & dental disease. Eating hay regularly provides your pet the necessary wear & helps ensure that teeth do not become overgrown.