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Question about hay and finches

Puddles02

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Do finches like feeder balls with hay to forage I see it at the pet store but don't know if it's safe or not.
 

UrbanSylvanus

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I can't really say I've seen anything like that, but my finch Koyuki loves her whicker ball with paper strips(? I'm not sure what that is, confetti??) So finches love it at the very least, at least those that like pulling and ripping stuff.
IMG20190706001925.jpg
 

Zara

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I would worry about giving hay to a bird.

A foraging ball is a great toy to have (the wire balls), you can put a hunk of veg in there and let your little one pick at it :)

@finchly
 

Beasley

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I’ve seen the hay feeder balls stuffed with Timothy hay in the finch cages at Petsmart and wondered about that too!
 

Zara

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I’ve seen the hay feeder balls stuffed with Timothy hay in the finch cages at Petsmart and wondered about that too!
Hopefully Tanya can help us when she is online next :)
 

fashionfobie

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Following also :)
 

Lady Jane

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I believe the dried grasses can harbor aspergillus spores so I would not use any of them around companion birds.
 

Zara

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I believe the dried grasses can harbor aspergillus spores so I would not use any of them around companion birds.
This was my knowledge on it too. Seems odd that pet store give hay to finches....
 

finchly

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Actually giving hay to finches is quite common. They love to play with it.

Having allergies myself, I can tell you it’s quite dusty. If you have access to fresh from a local farmer that could be best.

Grass cutting from your yard can work too.
 

finchly

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Well - I searched for a photo of the big hay racks some aviaries have (full of hay) but couldn't find them. I know I have seen some in the last few days. Anyway, it's only moldy hay that would carry asper *I think* so best to know your hay and find some that is safe.

Amazon has "hay racks'" for cages that I was going to try this year to put nesting material in. I don't have a good source of hay, so I buy the little bales at the big box store and mostly use shredded newspaper.
 

Zara

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This is really interesting! This is why I enjoy AA so much... always leaning new stuff :)
Thanks for enlightening us @finchly :hug9:
 

mythic55

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Hay to finches is completely normal.

Another good option is to use dried wheat grass
 
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