# Timothy hay, good or bad?



## Steeeew (Oct 9, 2012)

The pet store told me that since my Sulcata tortoise is young to put her in Timothy Hay. But I've noticed when soaking her that she is eating the hay and it comes out in long strands sometimes making it a little difficult for her to go. The pet store said this is okay but I'm not so sure.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 9, 2012)

Baby sulcatas will hardly ever eat hay. If yours does, that's good. Only thing I'd do different is take the scissors and cut it up a bit so it doesn't go in and come out in long strands.


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## Steeeew (Oct 9, 2012)

emysemys said:


> Baby sulcatas will hardly ever eat hay. If yours does, that's good. Only thing I'd do different is take the scissors and cut it up a bit so it doesn't go in and come out in long strands.



Oh my, I don't think I have the time or patience for that. What other type of bedding would be good for her? She's much bigger now. So maybe the hay is not necessary.


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## LuckysGirl007 (Oct 9, 2012)

You need coconut fiber substrate or Cyprus mulch. I also stated with mine on the hay...cause that is what was recommended to me. I noticed they weren't very happy and hen I switched it out it really made a HUGE difference. I try to cut up the Timothy hay into small pieces, wet it a little and mix it in with the greens. That way they do get some (cause they do need it...and I have quite a bit since I was using it as bedding).


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## Steeeew (Oct 9, 2012)

LuckysGirl007 said:


> You need coconut fiber substrate or Cyprus mulch. I also stated with mine on the hay...cause that is what was recommended to me. I noticed they weren't very happy and hen I switched it out it really made a HUGE difference. I try to cut up the Timothy hay into small pieces, wet it a little and mix it in with the greens. That way they do get some (cause they do need it...and I have quite a bit since I was using it as bedding).



I'll look in to that. Thanks so much!


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## sibi (Oct 9, 2012)

Cutting the hay and mixing it in with their greens is good; but, if they happen to eat long strands of it, it won't hurt them either. In fact, if they are a bit compacted, those long strands can help move all the stuff out.


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## Tom (Oct 9, 2012)

Timothy hay is fine for food for adult sulcatas, but it is much too dry to use as bedding for babies. Click the links in my signature for some helpful info.


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## countrygirlcolorado (Oct 9, 2012)

Has anyone heard of using Timothy pellets? Or Timothy/alfalfa pellets? They sell them at big r (the farm and ranch store) out here and have always been currious. If I soaked the pellets wouldn't it be the same as zoo-med?


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## Steeeew (Oct 9, 2012)

countrygirlcolorado said:


> Has anyone heard of using Timothy pellets? Or Timothy/alfalfa pellets? They sell them at big r (the farm and ranch store) out here and have always been currious. If I soaked the pellets wouldn't it be the same as zoo-med?



I considered the pellets as well but then thought about the smell. My tortoise is in doors and the Timothy hay smells up the house enough. I can only imagine that wetting them would make it worse. As for the pellets being safe, that I do not know.


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## Masin (Oct 9, 2012)

I put ours in our coffee grinder and bullet to get em to the consistency I prefer, I then sprinkle it over her mazuri, weeds, greens and grassland pellets and mix it up, takes some time but I blend it in batches and store it in the freezer.


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## Yellow Turtle (Oct 10, 2012)

Steeeew said:


> countrygirlcolorado said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone heard of using Timothy pellets? Or Timothy/alfalfa pellets? They sell them at big r (the farm and ranch store) out here and have always been currious. If I soaked the pellets wouldn't it be the same as zoo-med?
> ...



I am different than you. I love timothy hay's smell.
Like some kind of green tea 

You are lucky though, your tort will readily eat hay. I still need to chop them to small pieces, mix them with mazuri or greens for my torts to eat them


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## Steeeew (Oct 10, 2012)

Yellow Turtle said:


> I am different than you. I love timothy hay's smell.
> Like some kind of green tea
> 
> You are lucky though, your tort will readily eat hay. I still need to chop them to small pieces, mix them with mazuri or greens for my torts to eat them



It's still a complete shock to me that she eat hay since she won't touch anything else besides romaine. She'd rather starve herself. It's frustrating because I know that's a poor diet but its better than her not eating at all. I've tried cutting it or blending it with tiger foods but she knows. She's so smart, too smart.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 10, 2012)

LOL!!! I'm sorry, I totally mis-read your original post. I thought you were actually feeding the hay to your tortoise. In that case, cutting it up works better. For substrate, hardly any of us use hay. It gets moldy and you can't moisten it, which is something you need for a smooth sulcata. My personal preference is orchid bark for substrate.

And as a side note...feeding your sulcata tortoise hay is a good thing, but babies hardly ever eat it until they get to be about 3 years old.


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## Steeeew (Oct 10, 2012)

Thank you! I know I'm definitely going to get her new bedding because she is also starting to pyramid. Is that what it is called? I'm guessing from lack of humidity and poor diet. I'm starting to get so many new ideas for her enclosure. 

Can anyone tell me why Pyramiding is bad? I thought it was a nice look until I found out she is suppose to be smooth.


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## Yellow Turtle (Oct 10, 2012)

Lol, some people I know in my country love pyramided torts. I think it's personal preference, but for me I like smoother one.

Pyramiding is bad might be because it is some kind of MBD (metabolic bone disease). A bit pyramid won't be dangerous to the torts, until it has serious and extreme one and the shell itself starting to get soft...

You can always google for MBD for more info


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## twotortmomma (Oct 11, 2012)

Steeeew said:


> Thank you! I know I'm definitely going to get her new bedding because she is also starting to pyramid. Is that what it is called? I'm guessing from lack of humidity and poor diet. I'm starting to get so many new ideas for her enclosure.
> 
> Can anyone tell me why Pyramiding is bad? I thought it was a nice look until I found out she is suppose to be smooth.



Its not uncommon for people to like the pyramid look, after all, for decades, that was the accepted 'tortoisey look' tortoises were just bumpy. But pyramidding is dangerous because it is a deformation of the bone, the shell is a bone covered in hard plates, it makes the shell brittle, soft, easily cracked. It makes it harder for the tortoise to function like normal.


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## countrygirlcolorado (Oct 11, 2012)

I love the smell of Timothy and alfalfa! Soaking it doesn't make it smell worse, we soak it for our old horse and it smells the same.  I just don't know about nutritional value


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