Nibble Grass

Pebbles82 · 05-17-2016, 02:46 PM

I'm growing some more of this at the moment on the windowsill and it's growing quickly which is good. There doesn't seem to be any growing medium with it - it seems to be a bag of wheat, barley and oat grains which you tip straight into the plastic tray and just water. So I was wondering whether it would be safe to put the whole tray in the cage when it has grown. I guess there could be something mixed in with the seeds to help them grow though - but it doesn't say that on the pack.

Great deals on rodent food at zooplus: Grow your own Rodent Grass

SKB_Hamsters · 05-17-2016, 02:53 PM

I bought some for Sherbet a while ago, but I was unsure about this too and it seem to have something in it which look like pieces of foam/polystyrene whichis designed to absorb the water so the grass can grow but I didn't know if it was safe. So I just cut the shoots of and gave them to Sherbet like that to be on the safe side she enjoyed looking for them as I hid them around her cage.

Pebbles82 · 05-17-2016, 03:02 PM

Thanks SKB. Yes I did that last time I grew some. You're probably right that there is something mixed in with the seeds. It would be nice to know because I can imagine it would be more fun having it in the cage, and chewing it off, but not if it isn't safe. On the packet it just says barley wheat and oats - but thinking about it they probably wouldn't sprout that quickly on their own.

SKB_Hamsters · 05-17-2016, 03:09 PM

I also thought it would nice to put in the cage to and let her walk through and eat it, as the content only mention barley, oats and wheat, so thought it would be safe. But I just found my other half a bag as I only did half just to try it out, but there seems to be something else in the bag which look shiny and when I felt it it had the feeling of polystyrene - which is strange!

cypher · 05-17-2016, 09:07 PM

I'm pretty sure the growing medium is vermiculite, not something I'd want mine to eat!
I'd only leave it in under close supervision.

Pebbles82 · 05-18-2016, 03:44 AM

Aah that makes sense. Better be on the safe side then and just snip chunks off it and put them in. This is from Wikipedia so it probably is vermiculite.

Soilless growing media: exfoliated vermiculite is combined with other materials such as peat or composted pine bark compost to produce soilless growing media for the professional horticulturalist and for the home gardener. These mixes promote faster root growth and gives quick anchorage to young roots. The mixture helps retain air, plant food and moisture, releasing them as the plant requires them.

cypher · 05-18-2016, 04:44 AM

I don't know for sure but I do use vermiculite for potting things & it looks exactly the same to me.

SKB_Hamsters · 05-18-2016, 04:47 AM

I think it is vermiculite as I've just googled it and it looks identical to what is in the other half of my bag of nibble grass.

Pebbles82 · 05-18-2016, 04:47 AM

I think it is too. So I won't be putting the whole tray in the cage!

Lala Noma · 05-18-2016, 07:32 AM

I use that grass with Pizca, she loves the glover, so I mix the grass seeds with glover and some birds seeds. I plant all in a little ceramic dish. It looks grat in the cage, Pizca likes it and doesn't pay attention to the vermiculite. I do not have any problems with the grass since last november