Storing hay safely

[Akasha]

Hello
Hay is a very important thing for chinchillas,but unfortunately it is quite hard to store.Moisture and not enough air circulation can make hay become moldy.The worst part is,that we are not able to see mold spores on hay.

The best and safest way to store hay is in a cotton pillow case.
This prevents the hay from becoming moldy.Plastic bags or containers are not suitable to store hay.

To prevent moisture from causing mold,you can sew a little bag,fill it with rice and/or coarse salt and close it.This little bag can be put in the pillow case.Change the rice/salt every month.

Hugs Julie

[nighty]

Great hint Julie!!
I often thought about what is the safest way to store hay!!


Hugs Ilka

[lulu]

Thank you for sharing this info. I have been storing hay in the plastic bag it came in. I will move it to a pillow case.
How about using a clean sock to fill with salt/rice, and tie it off, rather than sewing a little bag?
Thanks!

[Akasha]

Hi
Yeah a sock will do a great job.
Actually this idea is brilliant.Like this I could get rid of those single socks in my closet.

Hugs Julie

[lulu]

Exactly what I was thinking! lol
Thanks!

[nighty]

*lol*
I also have single socks!! And you must not sew a zipper like in a bag - you can easy make a knot in it! ;D So socks is a GOOD idea!

Hugs Ilka

[booboothekiddo]

^I always just wear the socks mismatched hehe

I store my hay in a mesh hamper that my parents bought at the dollar store. It's on a plastic frame and it was super glues together so it couldn't come apart when the hay gets put in.
The I put the hay in there. The bottom is solid so the fine parts don't get on the floor but the rest had little air holes all over it.

[jadespider]

Thanks for the heads up!

I guess I've got to get my hay out of its plastic bag ASAP. I'll just have to see if I have enough pillow cases for it all - we bought a big bag.

[amymac]

Wow Ive never seen this, great tips! I have a brill cotton bag called a 'hay bag' that i brought online, its just like a pillow case the rice/salt thing I never heard of, Im off to make a bag of rice now.....hehe

[Jean]

awesome.

i always leave the bags open /and boxes.. and it gets so mess, that is great because i will be able to close the pillow case and not worry... YAH!!! thanks..

huggies..

[kellogg]

THanks for sharing, I will try this.

I have an additional question about hay storage. I've been suffering from allergies for a while now, and lately I've come to learn that the Timothy Hay I feed my chins can be one of my many triggers. I always wash my hands before and after handling their food and treats, but what can I do for myself? Is there another alternative hay I can feed them instead (I know alfalfa is a treat only, Orchard and Bermuda grass contain allergens similar to Timothy). Has anyone had or in similar situations?

[magicalpixies1(Laurie)]

Apr 30, 2010 15:37:40 GMT -5 kellogg said:

THanks for sharing, I will try this.

I have an additional question about hay storage. I've been suffering from allergies for a while now, and lately I've come to learn that the Timothy Hay I feed my chins can be one of my many triggers. I always wash my hands before and after handling their food and treats, but what can I do for myself? Is there another alternative hay I can feed them instead (I know alfalfa is a treat only, Orchard and Bermuda grass contain allergens similar to Timothy). Has anyone had or in similar situations?

Sadly, I don't think there is an alternative to this problem. It's one of the reasons that some people have to give up their chins.
Have you talked to YOUR doctor about allergy shots, perhaps ?? That might allow you to live comfortably with your babies !
Just a thought,

Laurie

[Jean]

what about blue grass?

is that what its called, from kleenma

jean

[kellogg]

Aw Laurie, that's heartbreaking. I definitely won't be giving my guys up just because of that, but I may have to minimize contact with them and be vigilant about washing my hands. My husband will take over dispensing the hay to them.

Yes, I did talk to my doctor, that's how I found this out. I'm already on daily allergy meds, and allergy shots are my last option. However, at this time I don't have the money or time -- you basically have to go every week for the first few months, and then on a per month basis for years, the rest of your life even. I don't think it's worth it. I was just hoping there was a milder hay allergen wise that I'd be able to handle.

Thanks for the suggestion Jean. I will look into it, but I think blue grass is also an allergen. I'm hopefuly though.

[craneum]

Apr 30, 2010 22:10:06 GMT -5 kellogg said:

Aw Laurie, that's heartbreaking. I definitely won't be giving my guys up just because of that, but I may have to minimize contact with them and be vigilant about washing my hands. My husband will take over dispensing the hay to them.

Yes, I did talk to my doctor, that's how I found this out. I'm already on daily allergy meds, and allergy shots are my last option. However, at this time I don't have the money or time -- you basically have to go every week for the first few months, and then on a per month basis for years, the rest of your life even. I don't think it's worth it. I was just hoping there was a milder hay allergen wise that I'd be able to handle.

Thanks for the suggestion Jean. I will look into it, but I think blue grass is also an allergen. I'm hopefuly though.

It's your lucky day!! You are talking to the poster child for allergies!!

When I was a child, I got tested for allergens. It seems I was allergic to most every tree and grass pollen there was, as well as cat and dog dander. I got shots for YEARS, as a child, and as a teenager. They had no lasting effect, although as an adult, I did (somewhat) outgrow the severity, of my allergies.

Under the advice of a doctor, I had to move from the East coast (Pennsylvania [ Pa. ] ) to the West coast, (SoCal) to escape the tremendous amounts of pollen in Pa.

Even in SoCal, there are certain times of the year, when my allergies flare up, particularly in spring, and fall when the Santa Anna winds blow (hot westerly winds that usually blow for 6 days at a time), suspending the dusts, and pollens.

Two things that have helped me, are an inhaled steroid called Flownase (prescription required), an as silly, and stupid as it sounds, a construction respirator.

The respirator absolutely STOPS the pollens from getting into your body. It has to be a full on respirator, with replaceable cartridges, and not just a good dust mask.

I used to have sneezing fits that would last for sometimes an hour, that I would just have to lay down, and let pass. With the respirator, it STOPS the sneezing fits cold!

I even wore it at work a couple of times, and though I got some funny looks, I was able to work.

In my line of work, if you want to have a good reputation you have to be at work every day, no matter what. The only excusable reason for not being at work, is that you died the night before!! So using the respirator helped save my rep.

Your chinchilla might not like the sight or sound of it at first, but if you just use it when changing hay, it should be OK.

Nowadays, I just tough it out, and change the hay without a respirator then wash my hands, after. I tend to put a lot of hay in at complete changings, then replace soiled hay daily, although some would disagree with this practice.

I put water in a small bowl, in the corner, so that there is no issue with leaky water bottles creating mold on the hay or bedding. My chinchilla is very good with the bowl, but I know that some chinchillas might not be.

Also, all pollens are different in individual species of trees or grasses, and will cause different reactions in people with allergies. A really good allergy specialist, may be able to test you (a simple skin test) for the individual pollens of the species of grasses that you can choose from, but as many people say, timothy hay is the best for chinchillas.

I have substituted hay before, but only temporarily, as a way of getting my chinchilla back into eating hay again, when she got bored with timothy hay.

Hope that helps.

John