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[LindyLu]

So when I first brought baby Daisy home last month, I was feeding her Kaytee brand timothy hay with added mint. I had purchased this hay clear back in October though (to try to entice Dewey to eat hay. Didn't work.) ...and I was a little worried about it's freshness because it felt crunchy and dry to me.
So, I was at Petsmart this past weekend and found the Oxbow western timothy on sale. I know Oxbow is a good quality brand....so I got some for Daisy and threw away the old Kaytee hay.
Well she won't touch this new hay. It feels and smells much fresher to me, but she ignores it! I wonder if she only ate the other stuff because of the brand, or (more likely) because of the MINT. Is she a hay snob or does she just want her herbs? lol
I guess I have 2 options.... I can go buy her more kaytee brand. Or I can buy some mint and add it to the oxbow and see if that entices her.... what would you do? Is it very healthy for chins to be eating mint in all their hay? Kaytee brand has other "extras" in their hay too. One has added carrots, but I am sure my chins would pick out the carrots and not eat the hay. I figured mint was healthier to be eating daily than carrots.....? some advice?

[chinclub]

I don't think dried mint herb will harm your chinchilla in moderation, however, I don't know how much is in the hay. Dried carrot flakes in moderation wouldn't be harmful either but you are right that they would pick them out before the hay you need them to eat.  You can buy a small amount of the mint version and over time slowly add more of the oxbow and less of the mint until she is eating just the oxbow hay. 

[LindyLu]

That's a good idea. I guess I'll go pick up a new bag of the kaytee mint and mix it with her oxbow. Thanks!

[olivia41]

i agree with jamie, try to wean her off it. honestly, i've heard that kaytee brand is not that fresh or good for chinnies. i used to give it to them with the carrots but they wouldn't eat it so i got them oxbow and they eat it right up, even without the carrots or anything. so like jamie said, put her kaytee in and then put some oxbow until you switch her to that entirely. in the end i think it will be best for her!

[LindyLu]

I believe it will... but it's strange that she was chowing down on old stale kaytee hay - then I put some fresh oxbow in her ball and she won't touch it! How is it that I always end up with WEIRD chinchillas? lol

BTW - I was going to buy some kaytee hay tonight when we dropped by petco.... but it was 9.99 for the 24 oz! I swear to you, it was 4.29 at Petsmart on Sunday when I was there. I told the Petco guy they are charging more than double and he said "we price match if you can prove it" ....uhh...call them? I just didn't bother buying it! I'll go to Petsmart again this weekend!