Rabbit Multitool (Boy Scouts Of America)

[JackWabbit13]

Hey y’all, long time no talk! How are you?

So, I’m trying to complete the Inventing merit badge, and I actually need to invent something. I created the Rabbit Multitool. So far I only have a little cardboard model but we will be getting the materials to actually build the prototype soon.

So that’s just a little cardboard model. The white lines are just things I drew onto the image to show what else will be added.

The Rabbit Multitool was originally supposed to be only for food. You’ll notice a large hay feeder. It’s on a platform, which is for scatter feeding veggies and leaves (my little gal, Jumping Jack, loves dry leaves. We just rake the yard, clean the leaves, and keep them year round for her) and such. There is also a box on the right side of the hay feeder. I will buy two metal bowls and cut holes in the box. The bowls will be for water and pellets, and the box will be a bowl rack. You may also notice the white lines, which represent dowels. We had the idea for toys and such later on. The “dowels” on the left side of the feeder will be for hanging toys on, as will the ones above the bowl rack and next to it. The one on the nearest corner is to put chew toys on. On the back of the feeder, we will put one of those hay mats with little wooden chew toys on.

The idea of the Rabbit Multitool is to provide all kinds of things your rabbit needs (but not all), such as food, water, toys, and enrichment. I want this to be somewhat large, and to have things on all (or most) sides, as people who buy it for their rabbits will need to provide their rabbits with more space (I have this in mind for people who keep their rabbits in small cages) so they can fit this in, while still giving their bunny enough room to get around and have a hiding hut, litter box, etc. I feel like that’s better than just sitting in a small cage.

So, the requirement for the merit badge states that I need feedback from people who would use this invention if I were to manufacture it and sell it. So what do you think? Would you use this for your bunnies? Any recommendations on improvements?

[Wick & Fable]

I reached out to a couple people to get some feedback, in addition to my own. The primary feedback comes from the fact that rabbits pee…. so anything made entirely of wood/with large surface areas of wood (like the landing area in front of the rack) is prone to being peed on and being hard to clean. Perhaps you can make the platform bottom a different material and the rack/bowl-holder pieces can be slotted in via biscuits/dowels, or there is some sort of covering/fastening mechanism so owners can swap in and out a fabric cover.

The depth of the hay storage rack allows for more hay storage, but may be welcoming a rabbit to jump into eat, and also means rabbits will likely not be able to reach the hay in the back. I suggest making it less deep and perhaps focus on height instead– this would also let it sit more neatly against a wall.

The spacing of the dowels and height of the bowl holder will be important. Both need comfortable heights, but also not dangerous spacing (i.e. they can get their head in, but can’t pull back out due to their ears/headshape).

It’s great that you’re doing this! The concept piece is very exciting to look at.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[JackWabbit13]

Good ideas! If I were to ever make this and sell it, I might look into a plastic or metal bottom. And I like the idea for biscuits or dowels for the dish holder. For now, I’ll probably stick to wood since I have it readily available, and my bunny (who will be using it), Jumping Jack, is litter trained and hasn’t marked in awhile. I think it’s just her age. Plus, I don’t know the first thing on building with plastic or metal.

I made sure the bowls were at a good height for a rabbit to eat and drink from.

I forgot what measurement I did with dowel spacing on the hay feeder, but I made sure it was enough to where a rabbit couldn’t get its head stuck. It can fit its nose, and if the rabbit were to chew out a dowel, the spacing would be wide enough to where a rabbit’s head can slide in and out easily.

For the chew toys, I bought some I knew were safe. I also bought some pumice toys that I will have on a dowel. I heard that they cause bladder stones in rabbits. Is this true? If it is, I’ll just leave the pumice stones on for decoration, take them off when I give this to my bunny, and then just give them to my chinchilla. It’s safe for chins to chew on, I know that

[Wick & Fable]

A past conversation around this seems to imply it is technically safe: https://binkybunny.com/forums/topic/pumice-stone-block-for-gnawing/
… however, considering how many certainly rabbit-safe chew toys there are out there, even a cardboard scratcher/block, it may be best to stick to what is known to be safe instead of the pumice toy. What each one actually contains, how it’s treated, etc. I imagine impacts its safety for rabbits and how transparent those details are on a label may be questionnable.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

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