Can guinea pigs eat the hay dust at the bottom of the bag?

Short answer: small bits are fine, but sift out fine dust so your guinea pig does not breathe it in.

1. Where it comes from — leaves break during shipping; the nutrition and fibre remain, just with less chewing.

2. Sift the fines — shake through a coarse sieve to remove powdery dust.

3. Reuse the bigger bits — sprinkle over long hay for aroma or mix with the powder for picky eaters.

4. Long strands stay the staple — whole timothy hay supports natural tooth wear and gut motility.

5. Discard if off — musty smell, clumps or discolouration mean the bag should not be used.