Creative Hay Management
Making Hay Holders and Accessories
by Barbara Ray
http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/hayrack.html
Most of us who want to use some type of hay holder do so because
we don't want to put the eating hay into the litter box and we
want less hay waste and easier hay clean up. The types of rabbit
litter I prefer to use include pelletized newspaper, pelletized
plant fiber, or wood stove fuel pellets. My personal goal is to
reduce the hay waste and the hay mess and have easier and faster
clean up. Here are some methods I have successfully used.
1. Hat Rack
Buy, create, or adapt a hay rack that can be attached to the cage
or pen from the inside. The commercially made hay racks for use
outside the cage are not very effective and most bunny people
don't like them. Some pet stores and internet pet supply
companies sell commercially made hay racks for inside the cage
with the U or V shapes. The commercially made ones are way too
small for my two buns' (who are very big hay eaters) needs . So I
have created several different hay holders. I've used a U shaped
plate rack that I found in the house wares section of a store last
year. The spacing of the vertical wire bars was a little too
close so I used wire cutters and cut two or three of the bars
off. I've also made some racks from the kind of metal shoe rack
that curves up and down. I cut two sections of about eight
inches, wired them into a V shape by attaching a bendable piece
of wire at the bottom of the V and another piece of bendable wire
on each side to hold it into a V shape. You can use lots of
different kinds of stuff that can be found at thrift stores and
yard sales to create a hay rack. Just be sure that the end result
is a U or V shape that has some vertical bars that are more than
1 inch and less than 2 inches apart so the buns can easily get
their mouths in and be able to pull the hay out.
2. Attaching Hay Rack
For a hay rack to be successful you must have a secure way to
attach the hay rack to the cage or pen. Do not rely on the hook
that the commercial ones use to put over the cage or pen bar.
Most bunnies can easily figure out how to pull the rack off. I
use sturdy metal "leash clips" - the kind that comes on most pet
leashes. These sturdy metal clips can be purchased new from a
hardware store. I rarely have to buy new clips. I usually can
find them at a thrift store or yard sale. Look for old leashes
being sold cheaply. An even better source is old purses, tote
bags, or travel bags. Usually the purse or tote has a strap that
has two clips. Often the purse or tote has a broken zipper or is
torn or damaged, but the clips are in perfect shape, and usually
the cost of that item is very cheap. I've collected lots of clips
attached to things, sometimes in a free box or at an "as is"
store for a quarter. Simply cut the clips off the strap or leash.
I use two clips at the top of the hay rack and one or two clips
at the bottom of the rack. I attach the clips from the outside of
the cage or pen. I've not yet met a bunny that can undo those
clips. For best results be sure to use sturdy metal clips, not
flimsy metal clips or plastic clips. Some people use bendable
wire to attach a hay rack to the cage. Some people use cable ties
(plastic strips that loop into a locked position and are used to
bundle cords together.) They are commonly found in automotive
departments and electronic departments. I prefer metal leash
clips because they are more versatile. They can easily be
unclipped and moved for cleaning or reorganizing the cage or pen.
3. Barrier
After you have some kind of hay rack and it is securely attached
to the cage or pen, the next helpful suggestion is to also use
some kind of barrier to keep the hay from falling outside the
cage or pen and to minimize the mess of loose hay everywhere. I
have used several kinds of barriers. There are two ways to do
this. Put a barrier inside the cage between the bars and the
rack, or put the barrier outside the cage. Here are some simple
ideas: a piece of Plexiglass, thin plywood, cardboard or a piece
of clear plastic rug runner. I prefer the clear plastic rug
runner. I can easily cut the size needed, then easily cut through
it to create a small opening for the hay rack clip holders. The
barriers can easily be attached to the cage bars with a twistie
wire or leash clip. (Plexiglass or plywood would need to have
holes drilled in the top corners for attaching to cage by wire or
leash clip.) Plastic rug runners can be purchased new at hardware
stores, discount stores, home improvement stores, and are often
sold by the foot. Warning: if your buns are plastic chewers you
should position the plastic or plexiglass outside the cage and
out of their reach or use something else as a barrier.
4. Hay Bin Below Hay Rack
The next trick to keeping hay manageable is to have some kind of
bin under the hay rack to catch the dropped hay. This made a big
difference in my cleanup time. I have used several different
kinds. All have these things in common: they fit directly below
the hay rack, they are securely attached to the cage or pen bars,
they are at least as long as the hay rack. I've used various hard
plastic containers from thrift stores that are rectangle shaped.
Some people use a glass loaf pan or a metal loaf pan. The
container you use should have these features: deep enough to
catch hay, long enough to be under the entire hay rack, and wide
enough to allow a bunny head to reach in to eat the dropped hay
from the rack. My personal favorite is to use a section of
plastic rain gutter with two end caps. I measure the size I need,
cut the plastic gutter, glue on the end caps, drill two holes
near each end, and use a piece of bendable wire (or cable tie)
through the hole to securely attach the gutter to the cage bars.
I've noticed that my buns like to eat the smaller hay pieces that
fall into the gutter. I scoop out the leftover uneaten gutter hay
at least once daily. Warning: if your buns are plastic chewers,
you might look for some kind of ceramic, glass or metal
containers (like a bread loaf pan), or a metal rain gutter.
5. Litter Box Placement
Since many buns like to eat and poop at the same time, I push the
litterbox next to the hay gutter. Now the hungry buns can easily
and happily sit in the litter box, eat hay from the hay rack, and
also eat fallen clean hay from the hay gutter.
6. Small Vacuum and/or Broom & Dustpan
Regardless of how much you organize, there is always some hay
that strays. If you have carpeted areas I recommend investing in
a small electric hand held vacuum (like a Dirt Devil) that you
keep handy. I've tried the cordless type hand vacuums and they do
not work well for me. In uncarpeted areas I use a small broom
that attaches to a dustpan and is kept nearby.
7. Final Notes
Many buns respond better to hay if it seems "fresh" to them. This
may include hay that has recently been taken out of the hay
storage box and put into the hay rack. To some buns, hay that has
been moved or handled recently is sometimes more appealing to
them. I've found that my buns have more interest in hay and
actually eat more hay if I do not overstuff the hay rack (which
means putting fresh hay in more often), clean out the hay that
has dropped into the hay bin (by removing it and discarding it
daily), or if I just handle the hay and move it around.
Hay is absolutely essential for your rabbit's diet and health.
But hay can be messy and annoying. Finding a system of hay
management that works for you (the caretaker) and your bun (the
hay eater) can increase hay consumption and decrease hay waste,
frustration, and time spent cleaning up. This system evolved over
a period of years. I have used this system with a variety of
buns, different sizes, breeds, ages and habits. Almost all of
them have easily adapted to this system.
Be creative and enjoy discovering bunny care shortcuts!
Rabbit Advocates / March 2000
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