Hay Rack Idea: wanted to share

[LuvFurBabies80]

Hey guys, while searching the forum for a solution to my hay in the litter pan problem, I found many great ideas.  I tried a few.   

As we know all our buns are different on what they prefer and what they will tolerate 

I wanted to share this Idea but most of the hay rack idea threads are old…so I hope I am posting in the right spot!

So anyway, this is what I ultimately came up with and have been testing for a bit with Sage to see if it sticks as so far so good!!!

You will need…..

Large Litter Pan

Small Shoe Tote

Drill and Zip Ties

And a way to cut plastic??

With Sage and this set up I end up with a very little amount of hay wastage and she has fresh non poo or peed on hay!

[Melon]

looks like a an great idea! I will try it out. Thanks!

[Melon]

looks like a an great idea! I will try it out. Thanks!

[Mikey]

Ive been looking for DIY hay racks! We had a cardboard one before but our buns finally tore it apart so i tried making one out of coroplast, and 2 of the 3 really dont like it. Ill have to try this one out; i have high hopes!

[MrBun&Daisy]

Great idea! I’m always trying to find a better hay rack. the way I have it right now I feel makes them “work” for it lol I think they would eat more if they didn’t have to put in the work. i’ll give this a shot thanks!

[Vienna Blue in France]

LOL. “Pan” “tote” “zip”…. NO idea what they are!!!! But I made mine out of a metal grill that I bent to my size requirements, attach to the wall just above litter and fill the hay from the top…

Your hay is VERY green !!.

[LuvFurBabies80]

LOL Vienna!! language barrier!! lol

I will try to explain as best as I can

Litter Pan = Litter Box = Litter Tray

Tote….ummmmm I really don’t know what else they are called but they are the plastic boxes with lids for storage that come in all shapes and sizes…in the pic it is the clear thing that has the hay in it. that particular one is supposedly marketed for storing a pair of shoes? (I have “totes” for storing everything in my basement like christmas decorations and out of season clothes to protect them since my basement is not exactly water tight all the time )

Zip Ties = Wire Ties the plastic strappy thingy that you wrap around a group of wires and such to keep them together and secure.

I took the Litter Pan (black thing in photo), laid the tote (clear thing in photo) on the back side and drilled holes. Put a wire tie through the holes of the tote and litter pan and tightened. Took the lid of the tote and cut out and smoothed the center area for access and viola

LOL As far as the hay…I get that shipped to me by Small Pet Select…it’s always fresh and green like that. Smells so good too!

[Azerane]

Looking good! My two love to pull all the hay out of their hay rack. Fun for them, not so much for me.

[Q8bunny]

That looks fab! I usually put a layer of rejected hay on top of the litter to minimize how much purple paper flies out every time my little rocket launches himself out of his litterbox.

[jerseygirl]

Waaait… Do I see 2 of these? Is there another bunny you haven’t told us about LFB?!! Haha, as if you’d be able to keep that under wraps. So Sage has 2 litterbox set ups like this?

[jerseygirl]

Just a cuationary note on hay racks. Think of all the ways a bunny might get itself into a pickle when designing or buying a pre-made rack. Some rabbits have a tendency to want to get into their hay racks. So make certain access holes are not so small that they could get their head stuck. Or that the position of the rack does not become a launching pad to get out of an enclosure. 

Sage is a big bunny and will get bigger, so this rack looks great for her. 

Here’s a cute photo of what rabbits get into their heads sometimes. This Ikea bag holder used as hay rack. A popular idea. I bought one to do this but it now holds my toilet rolls. 

Anyway… best to block off the open end even if you use the rack this way or vertically. 

Photo is not mine. I don’t know who to credit for it. It was just one I came across.

[Q8bunny]

ROTFL Silly wabbit.

[LuvFurBabies80]

Hey Jersey…lol…nope only Sage, I made two litter boxes because my girl is dainty and after she has pooed a little in her box she doesn’t like to step on it so she will instead poo right outside of it…so I made her two that way when she feels one is “too dirty” she has another option. I swear I don’t leave the litter boxes dirty I scoop both 3 times a day (first thing in the moring, mid day, then again before I go to bed) in order to keep her happy and both boxes get a total clean out and refresh every couple of days. She is just a very picky princess
Since I put up the 2nd one there have been no more poos on the outside so apparently I have “met my royal highness’ needs”

[Azerane]

Goodness me, I’d been considering an Ikea hay rack but that puts me off a little. I’ve also been thinking about making a custom wooden one, but I’m really not sure whether to make the holes too small for their heads, or nice and large so their heads fit easily and they don’t try to push them in where they shouldn’t (which they would do).

[jerseygirl]

Posted By LuvFurBabies80 on 9/10/2016 11:49 AM

Hey Jersey…lol…nope only Sage, I made two litter boxes because my girl is dainty and after she has pooed a little in her box she doesn’t like to step on it so she will instead poo right outside of it…so I made her two that way when she feels one is “too dirty” she has another option. I swear I don’t leave the litter boxes dirty I scoop both 3 times a day (first thing in the moring, mid day, then again before I go to bed) in order to keep her happy and both boxes get a total clean out and refresh every couple of days. She is just a very picky princess
Since I put up the 2nd one there have been no more poos on the outside so apparently I have “met my royal highness’ needs”

Ha!  She has you well trained! 

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Azerane on 9/11/2016 1:58 AM

Goodness me, I’d been considering an Ikea hay rack but that puts me off a little. I’ve also been thinking about making a custom wooden one, but I’m really not sure whether to make the holes too small for their heads, or nice and large so their heads fit easily and they don’t try to push them in where they shouldn’t (which they would do).

I still give them a go. Just position in a way so the open end is blocked off, or make something to cover that end. Im thinking they’d make a great foraging toy for Dory too!

I was trying to find an image I’d seen about some precautions with hay racks.  I couldn’t find it, but in the search, I came across this! 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Great idea!!!!

[Q8bunny]

Jersey: BAHAHAHAHAH!

[Azerane]

I think the main precautions I’ve seen with hay racks is making sure they don’t get too empty, so in the case of where bunnies can jump in them, their feet don’t fall through the gaps. Then of course having the correct sized hole for their head is also important.

[Vienna Blue in France]

A fruit and veg wooden crate standing on its side could serve as a pigeon hole for a hay rack (to be settled in) to stop somebun jumping up and in from the top…. (that’s sort of how the cage works as the roof is not high enough for her to jump lol)…  i’ll take a pihoto when I’m back home tomorrow….

[skysblue]

Nice. Don’t know if my litterbox is big enough though..

I used to have this..

[Vienna Blue in France]

@Skysblue. I’m very confused re your photo… is the bun in the hay or the litter tray? And did he have to jump over the high edge to get in?…

[skysblue]

it’s a hay rack tied from the outside. The black thing at the bottom is the litterbox.
She jump into it from the outside during roam time>_<

[Vienna Blue in France]

Oh yes, in a bunny card game of Trumps, a cardboard card would be a very high scorer !!! Yum yum – le’me’at’it !!!

[Author]

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