Guinea pig not eating hay

[Prasiddha]

Hi friends,

Need some help I own four piggies past 2 months. 2 boys and 2 girls in 2 cages. I live in India (city chennai) we don't get Timothy hay here and I need to buy it online. It is pretty expensive since it is imported. I knew hay was vital for them. But I was finding alternatives and providing them with fresh cut Bermuda grass, fresh veg, alfalfa based pellets and distilled water. They were happy with this food. But I know hay is important to them. So I got Timothy hay from online for a try. They never touched it. Since they like Bermuda grass I bought Bermuda hay from farmers here. Just nibbled on it and left. Since I have a garden with Bermuda grass, I cut the grass and dried it for a day. It is still green and soft. They love eating it. Is it good enough? Can I feed them this? Is it equivalent to hay ?

[Prasiddha]

Please help

[bpatters]

Bermuda grass is fine. You don't even have to dry it, but start them off with small amounts and gradually work up. A big bunch of green grass, when they're not used to is, can give them big digestive problems.

[Prasiddha]

Thank you for your help.. I was just concerned since one of piggy give milky white urine. It isn't sludgy yet. Only powdery. So I know she is letting out calcium excess. Since grass was their staple food instead of hay I was worried if that was the cause and wanted to substitute with Bermuda hay. Will it work? Any one from India please advise me with the diet you are following.

[bpatters]

It may or may not work. Some pigs will secrete calcium and/or produce stones even on a low calcium diet. Others never will no matter what they eat. You can only play the odds and cross your fingers and hope.

[Lynx]

Ditto bpatters. It should be fine. Look over www.guinealynx.info/hay.html for more information.

And especially look over this hay chart:
https://www.guinealynx.info/hay_chart.html

[WICharlie]

The reason most people feed hay is because it's next to impossible to keep fresh grasses in the cage all the time. Fresh grass will keep the teeth pared down just like hay does. If you can provide it daily in the quantities needed, I think it will be fine. I think the hard part is giving them enough every day to meet their needs. The largest part of their diet should come from the grass. It sounds very labor-intensive to me though.

[Lynx]

I remember some years ago going for daily walks with a big plastic pitcher and filling it with fresh grass I pulled in an unused field. In the winter I even brushed off the snow and still picked grass. My guinea pigs loved it.

[Prasiddha]

I actually could provide them fresh grass 24/7. Just was concerned if it was good for them. I understood from all your replies that it does no harm.

[Lynx]

Nice clean fresh uncontaminated grass that they are accustomed to should be fine.
www.guinealynx.info/forages.html

[Prasiddha]

Thank you

[Guineapun]

I bet they love it! They are lucky to have a dedicated owner who harvests fresh grass for them every day.