Methods to contain hay (allergies!) - hooded litter box?

[LolaE]

Ah, okay, perfect. I might start transitioning them to meadow hay and see how they do, then. Thank you!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

I'm very allergic to Timothy and Alfalfa is only good for young rabits up to 6 months only. We started using orchard grass and I don't have to wear a mask or gloves anymore--not nearly as "dusty" as Timothy and no reaction when handling it or in the bunny room where they are fed with lots of it every day. Don't know if it will work for you or not. Also seen somebody use a heater vent air filter built into the side of a box with a fan on the other side to draw air into the vent to clean air just like an air filter--way less expensive too.

 

[LolaE]

That's an interesting innovation, the fan with the box. Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately I can't get any hay apart from one kind/brand of meadow, timothy, and alfalfa--not much variety on offer where I live. But I'll experiment with switching them to meadow hay (carefully--last time I tried that, I think my one rabbit lost a lot of weight). Once the two bunnies are done bonding, I'll also try a hay rack and maybe an air vent/filter contraption, when I refurbish their joint bunny room.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

For nutrition info on various hays check out Small Pet Select website.

Also, I have terrible allergies and switching to third cutting Timothy was all it took to relieve my symptoms.

 

[LolaE]

For nutrition info on various hays check out Small Pet Select website.

Also, I have terrible allergies and switching to third cutting Timothy was all it took to relieve my symptoms.

Thanks!

What is third-cutting timothy hay?

 

[JBun]

Thanks!

What is third-cutting timothy hay?

It's the third crop cut of the season, most often the last one, and is a softer richer hay with no seed heads usually, so no pollen. Some specialty small pet hay businesses sell a third cut. You can also sometimes find cheaper hay bales of it at farm stores, but you do have to know what to look for. Most often they have second cut. Though being in NZ, I'm not sure whay hay is available to you, or if you can find third cuts there.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Hay

 

[MeggyM]

Just use a large storage bin for their litter box. These are so tall all the hay stays in. If your bun is small and doesn't love hoping in and out, simply makeshift one or two stairs to the litter box using a hiddie hut or anything else that works. Even if they jump in from a level flush with the top of the box, they still have to jump the distance out which is when all the hay drops off of them and back into their litter box.

I covered the top of my bun's hiddie hut or "stairs" with large sheets of sand paper I simply glued on with Elmers. This way they have plenty of grip so they don't mind the extra hops at all - not to mention this files down their nails so win win!!

You can also use a cooky tray over the litter which keeps the bun's from sitting in and getting tangled in piles of hay so they don't track much hay out.