How to Make a Grate for an Existing Litterbox?

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Jenk

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I'd like to know what material works well as a "grate" for an existing litter box and how to make one.

My one bun, Zoe,can't have access to litter;we've discovered that she's been eating it (CareFresh) for God-only-knows how long. And putting just hay in her litter box leads to her eating the peed-on hay (to clean it up?) and wastes a lot more paper towels in terms of clean-up.

Zoe has large poops for a Mini Rex; making a grate small enough to prevent her feet from falling through, yet big enough to allow the passage of her poop, would be ideal. At the very least,we mustseparate her from her urine and litter. If she must tap-dance on her poop, so be it; that's the least of my concerns. ;)

For all I know, a good portion of Zoe's digestive issues could've been partly caused by eating CareFresh much longer than we humans had realized.

Thank you,

Jenk
 
You could try plastic canvas... have used this before .. I get the one with the largest holes and it is really easy to clean up too
 
Anniegurl wrote:
You could try plastic canvas... have used this before .. I get the one with the largest holes and it is really easy to clean up too
Click to expand...
Did you just lay the canvas directly on top of the litter? That wouldn't work for Zoe; I know that she'd find a way to suck any litter through it that she could. (She's that devoted to sucking down the stuff. :()

The litter boxes used by my girls are the high-backed ones, which can be viewed here: http://www.rabbitstop.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FP032&Category_Code=2LitterPans&Product_Count=5

Of course, now that I revisit that website, I find a similar litter box with a built-in raised grate. Figures. :? I might have to go that route, if the plastic canvas can't be somehow raised above the litter by a few inches.


 
You can use a fluorescent lighting grid. Buy one at a hardware store and cut it to size.
See pictures here:

http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc43/velvetlop/

Or, use hardware cloth which isn't cloth, at all. It's powder coated wire. Get it at a hardware store and cut it to size.

Sorry about not embedding pictures, I've never gotten the hang of that.


 
I tried the plastic canvas, and it worked for a while...until Yofi decided it was tasty enough to eat. :X

He hasn't been digging up the litter lately (which was why I originally wanted a grate) but if he starts again I'm going to try Pixel's suggestion of a flourescent grid, cut to size. :) Sounds like a great idea!
 
Jenk wrote:
Anniegurl wrote:
You could try plastic canvas... have used this before .. I get the one with the largest holes and it is really easy to clean up too
Click to expand...
Did you just lay the canvas directly on top of the litter? That wouldn't work for Zoe; I know that she'd find a way to suck any litter through it that she could. (She's that devoted to sucking down the stuff. :()
Click to expand...
Jenk, the canvas I used to buy has very small holes, I doubt the litter can be sucked up through them. They're so cheap too, like at Walmart:D, $1, in the sewing section. Let me know if you need a pic;).
 
AngelnSnuffy wrote:
Jenk, the canvas I used to buy has very small holes, I doubt the litter can be sucked up through them. They're so cheap too, like at Walmart :D, $1, in the sewing section. Let me know if you need a pic ;).
Click to expand...
I'm concerned of two things about the canvas idea, though: 1) Zoe would likely chew plastic; 2) super-small holes in it probably won't let most of Zoe's poops pass through. (She can have dinosaur-sized poop. ;))

Still, I would like to see your photos, if you can scrounge 'em up.
 
Bassetluv wrote:
I tried the plastic canvas, and it worked for a while...until Yofi decided it was tasty enough to eat. :X

He hasn't been digging up the litter lately (which was why I originally wanted a grate) but if he starts again I'm going to try Pixel's suggestion of a flourescent grid, cut to size. :) Sounds like a great idea!
Click to expand...
I need to look more closely at Pixel's suggestion, too. I'm totally convinced that Zoe would chew a plastic canvas because...well...I know her. She likes to eat inanimate objects that she can break into bite-sized pieces.
 
somebunny wrote:
I like these plastic-coated wire mesh a lot.. it comes in a flat sheet and can be easily bent into any shape of your liking. i'm pretty sure its easy on their feet, too, cos sometimes i catch the bunnies meatloafing in their litter boxes :biggrin2:

http://furrybutts.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/bunny-litter-box-ideas/
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if I could make this material work for Zoe's existing litter boxes, but it's still a really nifty solution for others who need new boxes.
 
Hey Jenk ,you really don't want the poo's to go through the holes. It's so easy to clean, just pick up the screen and empty poos into garbage.

Honestly to me it's the best thing since sliced bread. I don't have to clean the litter as often as I use to. I cleaned their litter boxes twice a day, now i do it once a day. Saves on litter too. With 6 rabbits it was getting expensive to do.

Susan:)


 
i just started to use the plastic grids this week, i will be switching litters to Equine pine and it crushes down to a saw dust that they were tracking everytwhere so i wanted to try the grates and so far i really like them.
 
Finally found one! Here is one of Pet Bunny's pics, the canvas on the left. I know what you mean about the chewing, I had one of these in Snuff's litter and he chewed part of it, he did not consume it, thank goodness. But, definitely something to try as they cost literally a dollar:). If this doesn't work, try the florescent lighting grids and see how that does. Best of luck!

IMGA1039.jpg

 
Angelnsnuffy what kind of litter is that?corn cob? Is it scoopable?
 
I still have serious doubts about trying anything other than a metal grate. Zoe tends to suck down inedible things. If she were to chew on a plastic grate, she'd definitely ingest whatever she managed to break off of it. :(

Jenk
 

Jenk wrote:
I still have serious doubts about trying anything other than a metal grate. Zoe tends to suck down inedible things. If she were to chew on a plastic grate, she'd definitely ingest whatever she managed to break off of it. :(

Jenk
Click to expand...

I'm in a very similar situation. Captain Snow (my mini rex) is the messiest when it comes to his box. In fact, he pees and poos equally consistently on the other side of his cage where there is NO box. (Though he is very good when free-range...and does not soil our house - only his.) So I am constantly cleaning up after him and trying to keep him dry. He, too, is the consummate chewer...

No solutions from me, but as soon as I find one I will share...am following this thread closely.
~Mary Ellen
 
I'm wanting to do something like this too, but I have corner litter pans, sorry to hi-jack your thread, but does anyone have any tips on doing that? Archie likes to sleep in his litter tray. While I don't mind, sitting in his pee makes his white fur dirty. I don't really want to buy a new tray as I only bought this one recently!

Fran :) :hearts :brownbunny
 
Fran, here we can buy the screens in large pieces and then cut them to what size you need. Do they sell the screens over in Great Britian?

Susan:)
 
I could use a wire mesh easy enough (I don't know what you mean by 'screen'!) but its just fitting it on the corner tray so it has a gap between the litter and the wire, I like the square one with the wire slotted over it but can't figure how it would work for a corner pan :?

Fran :) :hearts :brownbunny
 
Hi Fran, these are the screens i was talking about.

DSC03899.jpg


DSC03904.jpg


DSC03900.jpg


They come in 2 sizes. I actually bought them in the crafts department at Wal Mart.

Susan:)
 
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