Hayrack?

[katnanw]

So I got this metal ball thingy (I don't know what it's called) from a local pet shop to put hay in it but my rabbits hate it and won't touch the hay :/ I've tried putting hay in cut up milk cartons and tissue boxes but my mum says that's not a long term solution as the cardboard always gets destroyed. Anymore creative ideas? Or should I just rotate between the carton, tissue box and placing hay randomly in their cages? (btw they like to make a mess of it and most just ends up on the pull out tray oh dear >.>)

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We put our hay in a rack that hangs on the side of the hutch. Haven't figured out any way to keep it from being messy yet.

 

[LakeCondo]

I use a cardboard box a little bigger & thicker than a tissue box. I cut an opening in it like a tissue box opening, but bigger. I'd say I cut away about 40% of the top. I know I'll have to replace the box eventually, but it's not as messy as a rack. I don't think a milk carton would be good because of the plastic coating. That is, when they chew on it.

 

[qtipthebun]

I just got Q a wooden hay rack. So far she loves it (but she wasn't keen on the ball, either). The only other way she'll eat her hay is if you toss it in her litterbox.

 

[katnanw]

Eeek I shall remove the milk carton ASAP. Cuz my mum got annoyed at the prospect that hay (which I buy with my own money) is being wasted. She doesn't want me to waste money but I told her rabbits like to mess hay up and she won't listen. At least now I have proof

 

[Nargle]

Hmm, maybe I'm the odd one out because I just keep Butternut's hay in a big shallow bowl. She spreads it around a little but she's such a little piggy that even if it falls into her litter box she'll still eat it! So I guess I don't understand the concept of hay being wasted. It's not like it goes bad sitting there on the cage floor, and if it did, it's not like it would even last long enough for it to go bad before it got eaten, lol! Sometimes I even sprinkle hay around on the floor when she's outside of her cage so that she can "graze" like a wild bunny, and she always cleans up every last piece!

 

[LakeCondo]

Butternut Squash is a great name. Be glad she's not a picky eater, Nargle.

 

[mrbunny]

You can try one of those closet organizer wire racks as a hay rack. Here is a picture.

 

[mrbunny]

If you're handy, you can try to imitate the "The Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet by Wabbit Works."

Neither this rabbit (along this one looks like one of mine) or the image above post belong to me. From: http://www.myhouserabbit.com/blog/2010/08/06/product-review-screwy-rabbit-hay-buffet/

Take a cheap plastic litter bin with a lid like the Ikea FILUR:

And create holes on the bottom with a knife.

(I was going to go through with something like this, but I never went with it. So, no end result.)

 

[mrbunny]

We use the Ikea RATIONELL VARIERA in our household. We followed this person's setup for the hay rack.

 

[katnanw]

THANK YOU OMG THAT WAS REALLY HELPFUL :biggrin:

 

[MarisaAndToby]

Goosas, that's actually genius. I even have one of those sitting in my cupboard... how does it do for mess?

 

[mrbunny]

I tried to post up my own picture of my own buns at the litter bins, but I'm not very technologically adept.

The Ikea RATIONELL VARIERA works pretty well for us. I have four buns. Three dwarf breeds and one "medium-sized" breed. (All mutts.) Make sure you have the paper placed behind the larger oval-sized hole (see picture above). Otherwise, your bun may stick his/her head in. If they do, it isn't a big deal, but I would worry about causing respiratory problems if they do it too often/long. I also use hemp twine instead of cable ties to hold up the "hay rack" to prevent eye-poking and mainly because I have tons of it.

I hear the closet organizer wire racks are pretty good at keeping the mess in for smaller-to-medium breed buns.

For large breed buns, I would go try to make an imitation of the "Screwy Rabbit Hay Buffet."

 

[mrbunny]

Note:
There will still be strands of hay pulled out that the buns don't like. That's just normal. Otherwise, most of the hay stays in and everyone huddles around the hay racks.

 

[mrbunny]

Sorry, one more thing. I would suggest to get the pink version instead of the white version of the Ikea RATIONELL VARIERA. The white version gets dirty really quickly. I bought four of them, and boy am I glad that I only bought one white one.

 

[katnanw]

Thanks I'll drop by to IKEA later in the afternoon to see if they have it
P.s I mix orchard, botanical and Timothy hay for them (Oxbow brand) no alfalfa, that's okay right?

 

[mrbunny]

You can mix all sorts of hay. Botanical hay is simply timothy hay added with herbs. Alfalfa is fine if given as a treat once in a while for adult buns. (Unlimited for baby buns and weaned off for teenagers.)

 

[LakeCondo]

Take a cheap plastic litter bin with a lid like the Ikea FILUR:

And create holes on the bottom with a knife.

Thanks for the idea. I think I'll be trying something like this.

 

[LakeCondo]

So 3 days ago I bought a plastic container & made a hole. I'm not sure if I;m going to keep using it, though. The hay doesn't move down by gravity when the hay below it is eaten, so once Honey eats what she can get, it might as well be empty, as far as she in concerned.

I got it to work a little better by putting some heavy dinner plates on top of the hay, inside the container, but I'm thinking about switching to a box that's wide & short, like a plastic shoebox.

 

[katnanw]

I bought one too but the hole is already there it's for dispensing tissues lol when the hay on top gets eaten they don't bother digging inside for more (or maybe because it's too deep. Or something I'll try an post a picture) soooooo... Yeah . Is a plastic shoebox safe? :O