Best type/brand of hay to buy?

[Fall_Deere]

There are lots of options for hay and grasses so I was wondering if anyone had a specific type or brand they would recommend for gerbils? Does Petsmart or Petco have good stuff or would I be able to higher quality stuff elsewhere? I'm in the US, by the way, if that makes a difference.

 Also, what are the odds of it making allergies act up? I've been hesitant to get hay for my gerbils because I and everyone else in this house has severe allergies to pretty much everything... I'm just working on giving my gerbils the best diet possible and I think they would really appreciate hay.

Speaking of which, I may be back at a later date asking for help balancing the gerbils' new diet to make sure they're getting all the nutrients they'll need.

Thanks for any help.
~Fall

[crittercrazy]

Hi,
I'm in the US and get basically all the gerbil supplies from Petco and Petsmart, and my recommendation would be Timothy hay. Not sure if the brand makes much difference, but I use Kaytee. I've been using it for my girls for a long time and they love it.
If you can, adding hay would definitely be a good thing, since not only will your gerbils enjoy it but its good for them and also helps make the bedding more suitable for burrowing.
As far as allergies, it would depend on what you're allergic to. I'm allergic to a type of mold-like-stuff that is basically everywhere, but they hay doesn't bother me too much. Other then that though I'm afraid I'm not going to be much help as far as that goes.
Good luck and feel free to ask any more questions you have!!

[keldamouse]

I second critercrazy. I have allergies to everything and the only thing that bothers me is the dust when cleaning out the tank. I just will wear gloves and a mask. No big deal. ☺

[Fall_Deere]

I read reviews for hays by Kaytee and Oxbow and some are really good, but then some say the hay is really dry and dusty. Is there not a "go to" brand for it that everyone says is the best? I guess I'm spoiled because I have rats and there is really only one brand of food that is good for them, so I'm not used to having to choose, lol.



I just want to make sure I'm getting the highest quality stuff for my gerbils.

[rhianna]

Honestly with gerbils, the brand/type of hay doesn't really matter. Any type of grass hay is fine (this excludes alfalfa hay) and any brand will do. Gerbils don't require hay in their diet and most of them won't eat more than a small amount, if any. The main use of hay with gerbils is to mix with their bedding. I've used Kaytee as well as Oxbow and honestly prefer Kaytee with gerbils because the strands are tougher and hold up tunnels better than the soft strands of Oxbow.

The reviews you're reading for hay are very likely from people who own rabbits, guinea pigs, or chinchillas. These animals eat hay 24/7 and the brand/quality is a big deal for them. Don't let the reviews convince you that a more expensive brand of hay is necessary for gerbils.

[t0m]

I think the main differences are how dry the hay is and how much dust you get with different brands. I use this (UK store, but I think it's a US brand) www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/small-pet/rabbit-bedding/hay-and-straw/timothy-hay-18kg and it's great because whereas a lot of hay is very yellow and dry this stuff looks lush and green and smells awesome! Plus my gerbils love it and set to work chewing it into tiny strands as soon as I put it in their tank and you can see them working it into their tunnels for structural support. It's also a good for environmental variety because it's different to other substrates and it provides good opportunities to stimulate different behaviours. But, the best way to find out what works is to test a few brands yourself. Good luck!