Hay?

[Lesa1211]

Do Too's like hay? Is it safe for them? Just curious.:20:

 

[roxynoodle]

I guess I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be safe. As for whether they would like it, well, it's very dry. They might like it, or they might prefer something a bit more fresh like dandelion leaves or other similar greens.

Knowing my Grey she would take it, thank me and promptly turn it into a nest rather than eat it

 

[luvmytooo]

I could be wrong , but I think offering hay is like saying "here , go build a nest".

 

[KatherineI]

I've known my Mom to use hay as bedding for the bird cages, but I've never heard of them eating it. I think it's like luvmytoo said, it's giving the bird nest building supplies, not so much food.

 

[Pedro]

I would have to say No. I would be cautious of dust & fungal spores in dry hay especially for Parrots. I know it's safe for other animals.

 

[Ginkai]

I'm no expert but the breeder I bought Suki from suggested I put hay in a foraging toy that she gave me. So maybe its not all bad. But I have no idea I haven't tried it yet

 

[Pedro]

If the hay is clean from a pet store then it would probably be safe. But I would think there are other safer things that can be used.

I know i have read that it's not safe to use around parrots because if it gets wet or damp it harbours fungal spores which are dangerous to our parrots.

I don't use it at all.

 

[roxynoodle]

Yes, I should say hay comes in all qualities. Cows can literally eat anything. They can eat dusty hay, moldy hay, horrible black, rotten hay. Horses can not. If there is dust or any smell of mold, you need to toss it. So I would be less concerned about hay for the parrots if it has passed my horse inspection.

It also comes in different types of grasses. Some is like the grass that we grow on our lawn, some is alfalfa, some is clover and most is a mix between at least 2. How it is stored is important as well. To prevent mold, it can't get wet. And often barns have raccoons, rats, mice, birds and even owls who may be peeing and pooping in it.

So if you were to buy it for your birds it might be safest to buy right out of the field as soon as it's baled and store it yourself.

Storing hay isn't really fun though, lol! It takes up a lot of room and it's very messy. It has even been known to spontaneously combust if it does get moldy and then too hot. So I'd probably just stick with greens you can buy in the grocery store or grow in your own garden.

 

[luvmytooo]

I wouldnt use any , especially bought from a store because they have no idea what would be safe either. No telling how old it is and how it was stored.
Just like Pedro said about the mold spores. I should have known that because of having the horse , but it never entered my mind when I read the post.
( It's been a YEARS since I had my horse ) It can be very dangerous and a birds tiny system is no match for any of that stuff.

 

[Lesa1211]

Thanks everyone for the input. Im just going to stay away from it. )

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, just bear in mind that what you buy in a pet store came out of someone's hay field. We have a couple of people around here who lease their hay fields to pet food companies. Those companies cut it themselves and make it into pellets or those little bags you buy in the pet stores. So what you are buying in the store is the same as what the local farmer can sell you, minus I suppose the potential problems of it being stored in someone's barn, like animals pooping in it.

Hay is a very labor intensive crop so some of the local farmers just don't feel like dealing with it anymore. And one of my neighbors lost her husband in a freak accident so she leases the hay fields to a pet food company as well.

 

[roxynoodle]

I do think you are best off though feeding things you can actually wash. I've never given my birds hay myself even though I have a barn full of it.