My rabbit loves peeing on his hay. I thought this hay rack would solve the problem but alas. It's wasting a lot of hay and I just don't get why he does this. His litter bedding is a layer of soft wood stove pellets and a layer of shredded paper bedding. I'm pretty sure he likes his bedding but he tends to find a way to pee and poop in his hay whenever he can. He's not neutered yet since he's a little young but have him booked in the next month.
Anyone else's bunny do this? *face palm*
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Fluffybunz
New Member
My Bunilla does this too I use to have half her cage covered in hay for eating until I found out she uses it as litter too. I've been putting a small layer of hay in her liter bin on top of the liter so she'll go there and by slowly decreasing the amount of hay she'll just use the litter. She sticks to a corner mostly so I moved the rest of her hay pile in the middle of her cage
They seem to understand that we don't want them in their hay racks but whether they actually care about what we want is a completley different question.
That being said, I tried around 10 different hay rack designs and Bugs would sit in every single one of them. I tried cardboard, plastic, paper bags, boxes with and without a top, metal desk organizers, racks that sat in the litter box, some that hung above, etc. I eventually gave up and now hay goes directly in the litter box. My mini rex thinks it's fun to push all of the hay out of the litter box so I may try a hay rack with her. My lop refuses to eat hay when he can't sit on it.
That being said, I tried around 10 different hay rack designs and Bugs would sit in every single one of them. I tried cardboard, plastic, paper bags, boxes with and without a top, metal desk organizers, racks that sat in the litter box, some that hung above, etc. I eventually gave up and now hay goes directly in the litter box. My mini rex thinks it's fun to push all of the hay out of the litter box so I may try a hay rack with her. My lop refuses to eat hay when he can't sit on it.
Augustus&HazelGrace
Well-Known Member
Normally, I would say buy it by the bale. But seeing you live in New York, I know space can be an issue, also the availability of fresh hay. I think Chewy has a compressed bale of hay. Its a bit pricey but its cheaper than buying the small bags for $5. This way you won't have to worry about wasting hay.
Oh how cute!!
Oh gosh, if you check back to my previous posts, I've tried the bale and it was a disaster. Tons of foreign plants and did not smell like the stuff I'd been using thus far. And like you said, space is a major issue. My small porch is already packed with containers of litter pellets, hay, bedding, etc. etc.
JenGibs
Well-Known Member
Mine sit in theirs too. I think it’s just something we must accept and accommodate the best we can. I also keep a layer of hay in their litter box, above the wood pellets, and they still sit in the hay box NEXT to their litter box. I guess it’s just a “thing”.
I do have a separate hay box away from their litter box stuff and they don’t get in that one. They eat from it and make a mess pulling it around but they don’t pee in that one. Hmmmmmmm...... third box the charm?
I do have a separate hay box away from their litter box stuff and they don’t get in that one. They eat from it and make a mess pulling it around but they don’t pee in that one. Hmmmmmmm...... third box the charm?
neophytical
Member
I use half of the litter box as a hay feeder and the other half is paper litter. My bun only goes in one corner of the box (the one that lines up with the corner of the room) and it took me a while to figure out to put the hay... not in that corner (facepalm). I finally noticed because he'd dig to move all the hay out of that area and kind of rearrange the box so it would work for him. Bunny: 1, Human: 0
I just started using the wood pellets. I'm on my second bag and these pellets are larger than the one I used before so she has just started spreading her hay over the top and peeing on it. I think she wants a soft layer over the top. Before I felt I was wasting $$ on pellets. Now I'm saving on pellets and wasting $$ on hay. Lol
I started using pellets also. I put a thin layer of hay over the top so it “sifts” everything to below. Works great.
Imbrium
Jennifer
There's some chance your rabbit sits in it because it's easier to get hay out that way, since the bars are somewhat close together. I used a dremel to cut bigger gaps (and sand down any remaining burrs) in something similar to make my mangers. The rabbits appreciate being to stick their whole head inside and really dig around for that "perfect" piece of hay, lol.
That said, it's no guarantee - we have four rabbits who use the mangers as they were meant to be used... but our beloved Layne (RIP) was the oddball who would wedge his big behind inside the manger to eat! Not all the time, but periodically. I swear hubby and I both saw him pretty much do a freaking back-flip into it once or twice! He didn't do it often enough to warrant bothering to make a cover for the manger, so we just let him do it and laughed at how silly he was
.
That said, it's no guarantee - we have four rabbits who use the mangers as they were meant to be used... but our beloved Layne (RIP) was the oddball who would wedge his big behind inside the manger to eat! Not all the time, but periodically. I swear hubby and I both saw him pretty much do a freaking back-flip into it once or twice! He didn't do it often enough to warrant bothering to make a cover for the manger, so we just let him do it and laughed at how silly he was
.
Oh Yes. My little Alice LOVES to sit on the manger. So, I started filling it less and then putting the cover down. Now she sits on the cover and eats out of the side. They are so silly sometimes, and so intent on doing what they want. If I try to move something so they stop doing a certain thing they will invent a way to get at it so they can keep doing it. Very smart and crafty; but, so cute and adorable. I just have to laugh at their creativity sometimes. They want what they want that is for sure. I've learned to just let them be rabbits and as long as they are not harming themselves I just let them be, and enjoy the silliness.
Imbrium
Jennifer
Cats and rabbits both, lol! Many years ago, I coined the term "thwartation device" to describe things I cobbled together using scrap lumber and other household items. I made a 1' tall holder with long "feet" for stabilization that I could put the kitchen trash can in so that cats and rabbits would no longer be able to knock it over. I also once used 1x2s, carpentry staples, hinges and a roll of pet screen to make a screen door between the kitchen and the dining room of our apartment so that no one could trip me when I was cooking (well, except for my husband
).Pretty much anything that's ghetto-rigged to prevent stubborn and intelligent animals (or husbands) from doing something you don't want them to do qualifies as a thwartation device! I go for what's cheap and gets the job done over how it looks.
I always laugh so hard watching TV shows like American Housewife where the mom comes up with extremely weird and creative (but effective) ways to thwart or punish their children. That's totally the kind of mom I am for my furry/feathered/scaled "kids".
that is too funny! I have come up with lots of "thwartation devices" as well. I'm glad I am not the only one who often asks "What the #$#?" and "How the &^#?". Then try to solve it by coming up with some other creative invention. Trial and error. Lot's of training and patience (for husband's too) also comes in handy.
P.S. the "flying back flips"... I think your rabbit might have the same genes my does. She (the one in the photo) does flying drop kicks at the manger to loosen up hay. She's also gotten her head "stuck" between the bars as she has found that perfect piece and now can't seem to get out without giving it up. They are so fun to watch...
I’m going to try cutting bigger holes. Great idea because I stopped using the rack and just putting it directly in his litter box since I felt like he was struggling to get it outThere's some chance your rabbit sits in it because it's easier to get hay out that way, since the bars are somewhat close together. I used a dremel to cut bigger gaps (and sand down any remaining burrs) in something similar to make my mangers. The rabbits appreciate being to stick their whole head inside and really dig around for that "perfect" piece of hay, lol.
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That said, it's no guarantee - we have four rabbits who use the mangers as they were meant to be used... but our beloved Layne (RIP) was the oddball who would wedge his big behind inside the manger to eat! Not all the time, but periodically. I swear hubby and I both saw him pretty much do a freaking back-flip into it once or twice! He didn't do it often enough to warrant bothering to make a cover for the manger, so we just let him do it and laughed at how silly he was
I can write a book on Thwartation devices. Gosh this bunny is so lucky that I’m obsessed with himCats and rabbits both, lol! Many years ago, I coined the term "thwartation device" to describe things I cobbled together using scrap lumber and other household items. I made a 1' tall holder with long "feet" for stabilization that I could put the kitchen trash can in so that cats and rabbits would no longer be able to knock it over. I also once used 1x2s, carpentry staples, hinges and a roll of pet screen to make a screen door between the kitchen and the dining room of our apartment so that no one could trip me when I was cooking (well, except for my husband
Pretty much anything that's ghetto-rigged to prevent stubborn and intelligent animals (or husbands) from doing something you don't want them to do qualifies as a thwartation device! I go for what's cheap and gets the job done over how it looks.
I always laugh so hard watching TV shows like American Housewife where the mom comes up with extremely weird and creative (but effective) ways to thwart or punish their children. That's totally the kind of mom I am for my furry/feathered/scaled "kids".
Jana Ko
New Member
My Bunny used to do this and still would if she could. I get her hay by the bale and put the whole bale behind hog fencing (like a wire grid) and put her litter box next to it. My friend made the amusing observation that she basically sits on the toilet all day eating from a wall of endless food lol. She is able to fit through the fencing though so as she eats into the bottom of the bale, I have to take hay from the top and stuff it into the voids that form, otherwise she'll climb through when the voids get big enough for her to fit. I understand bales aren't a good option for you but you could do something similar with smaller quantities of hay.
