antiochian
New member
I saw the stuff fairly cheap in my local Bomgaars (a franchise similar to Lowes and Menards). Would it be acceptable substrate for a corn?
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Substrate: Processed Straw/Hay?
- Thread starter antiochian
- Start date
diamondlil
Mice! They taste so nice!
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
I have never seen chopped hay or straw offered. I use hay for my tortoises, and straw to insulate their night house. I have often thought of using some for my rodents. I bet they would even get some nutrition out of something like alfalfa. I have seen alfalfa cubes for sale, but haven't bought them.
I am not sure how finely chopped or processed it is. Yours may be processed differently than what is offered in the UK, so it might be more, or less, absorbent than what is available there. If I saw it here, I would probably try it for a month or two, and then evaluate it after that.
I am not sure how finely chopped or processed it is. Yours may be processed differently than what is offered in the UK, so it might be more, or less, absorbent than what is available there. If I saw it here, I would probably try it for a month or two, and then evaluate it after that.
I don't think I would be comfortable using straw, like from a bale that came from a farm field. It is the leftovers after the wheat/barley has been harvested. If you've ever been near a farm field as they were dousing it with sprays to get the ground ready for planting you understand my concerns. If you haven't had that pleasure, the smells of what they are applying is quite frightening at times.
antiochian
New member
Indeed... I didn't think of farm chemicals. The stuff was labeled as pet safe, but then again some potato chips are labeled fat free. Not so sure now.
kathylove
Pragmatic & Logical
Hmmm...I WISH I could afford to eat only organic produce and to give the same to my animals. Unfortunately, I have to mostly eat the cheap, commercial stuff that most people do - except for my own, small gardening efforts.
My tortoises have been eating commercial hay for a long time. I have never heard of organic hay. Does hay farming use more chemicals than all of the other produce we eat?
I don't like the idea of eating - or feeding to pets - all of the chemicals used in commercial farming, but I have no other choice right now. I would be less concerned about using it for bedding than for feeding it to my tortoises or other animals. I don't know enough about hay farming to know if it is worse than veggie farming as far as chemicals. But if it is too toxic to use as bedding, how can it be used to feed horses and other farm animals? For that matter, I wonder if the aspen and cypress bedding we use has been treated in any way?
My tortoises have been eating commercial hay for a long time. I have never heard of organic hay. Does hay farming use more chemicals than all of the other produce we eat?
I don't like the idea of eating - or feeding to pets - all of the chemicals used in commercial farming, but I have no other choice right now. I would be less concerned about using it for bedding than for feeding it to my tortoises or other animals. I don't know enough about hay farming to know if it is worse than veggie farming as far as chemicals. But if it is too toxic to use as bedding, how can it be used to feed horses and other farm animals? For that matter, I wonder if the aspen and cypress bedding we use has been treated in any way?
Hay and straw are completely different.
Hay is grown specifically for feeding livestock, it may have some fertilizers put on it but as far as I know the fields do not get sprayed with weed killers or pest products.
Straw is the leftover stalks that are baled after the grains have been harvested and is generally used as bedding not feed. The harvested grains go through the mill and are washed/bleached/processed but the leftover stalks are just baled. It would & do use it as bedding in my dog house and for my horses, but they are not on it constantly like snakes would be.
Hay is grown specifically for feeding livestock, it may have some fertilizers put on it but as far as I know the fields do not get sprayed with weed killers or pest products.
Straw is the leftover stalks that are baled after the grains have been harvested and is generally used as bedding not feed. The harvested grains go through the mill and are washed/bleached/processed but the leftover stalks are just baled. It would & do use it as bedding in my dog house and for my horses, but they are not on it constantly like snakes would be.