Am I being a good bunny owner? NEW PICS

[The Duchess]

I think that your set up looks very nice.

I would have to suggest a big old hay box though as well as the hayballs.

As you know bunnies like to 'chew and poo' so putting it in their litter tray is a great way of getting them to use the tray anyway. Mine sit quite happily in their trays all day whilst they eat.

My buns go through loads and loads of hay ( I am able to buy in bales so I am lucky to get it cheaply) but I see it as an insurance policy. My vet firmly believes that so many bunny ailments could be avoided if they ate a mostly hay diet. It certainly seems to keep any problems with teeth at bay, not to mention stomach problems - loads of fibre!!

Check out one pair of my hay monsters just after I refilled their wendy house hay box/litter tray. They have one indoors and one outdoors in their run.

Oh yes and I forgot to mention that they use it for insulation as well as their heat pads in the cold weather as they burrow down inside.

 

[LionheadLuver]

I think that your set up looks very nice.

I would have to suggest a big old hay box though as well as the hayballs.

As you know bunnies like to 'chew and poo' so putting it in their litter tray is a great way of getting them to use the tray anyway. Mine sit quite happily in their trays all day whilst they eat.

My buns go through loads and loads of hay ( I am able to buy in bales so I am lucky to get it cheaply) but I see it as an insurance policy. My vet firmly believes that so many bunny ailments could be avoided if they ate a mostly hay diet. It certainly seems to keep any problems with teeth at bay, not to mention stomach problems - loads of fibre!!

Check out one pair of my hay monsters just after I refilled their wendy house hay box/litter tray. They have one indoors and one outdoors in their run.

Oh yes and I forgot to mention that they use it for insulation as well as their heat pads in the cold weather as they burrow down inside.

Thanks for the reply. The problem I have is that I don't have enough money to buy all this hay and keep replacing it. Once the summer comes around, the girls will probably only eat grass and a small amount of hay. Is this ok? I have a box that size but the girls will eat a little and soil the rest of it, meaning I'll have to chuck most of it out.

If the hay isn't fresh, they don't eat it. So, do I leave unfinished hay in their hayballs or replace it?

 

[XMissySJx]

can you get bales?its much cheaper! xx

 

[LionheadLuver]

can you get bales?its much cheaper! xx

I don't know where to buy them from.

 

[The Duchess]

Thanks for the reply. The problem I have is that I don't have enough money to buy all this hay and keep replacing it. Once the summer comes around, the girls will probably only eat grass and a small amount of hay. Is this ok? I have a box that size but the girls will eat a little and soil the rest of it, meaning I'll have to chuck most of it out.

If the hay isn't fresh, they don't eat it. So, do I leave unfinished hay in their hayballs or replace it?

It would be worth investing in some where to store hay bales if you can source some locally. I pay only £4.00 for a massive bale which will last my 13 buns over a week giving them unlimited. I don't actually throw that much away to be honest, but I do plump up the hay every day even if i don't top it up. This means less is wasted.

Whilst I think that grass is great in the summer, I will still be offering the same amount of hay to my buns. As I mentioned, it helps prevent gut problems. Grass is great for teeth but I still think that good stalky hay is the way to go.

I wouldn't necessarily replace the hay in your hay balls all the time, but I would just keep topping them up to keep them fresh.

Helen

 

[The Duchess]

I don't know where to buy them from.

I'd have a look for a local farm or animal feed supplier on the internet.

Or ask at your local riding stables etc. Folks with horses will be able to point you in the right direction.

Just make sure if you find somewhere that the hay isn't dusty or mouldy if it's been damp because mold spores are bad for bunnies.

 

[LionheadLuver]

Thanks. So should I only chuck out soiled hay?

 

[Thea & Bobbin]

I think your set up looks lovely, nice a clean too!

Sorry if someone's already suggested it (I have not read every post ) but I wonder if the girlies would eat more hay if more of it was on ground level? Perhaps they feel uncomfortable reaching up to the hay balls? Even though Bobbin and Broome are house bunnies I have taken to just throwing huge piles of it on the floor! :shock: Works a treat

 

[The Duchess]

Thanks. So should I only chuck out soiled hay?

I tend to do a full clean out twice a week and at that point chuck out whatever is in the hay box unless it is obviously clean or unused - often my buns decide to use one of their boxes only and the other remains free from poo and wee. In this case I might leave it a wee bit longer but not indefinitely.

 

[clutterydrawer]

If the hay isn't fresh, they don't eat it. So, do I leave unfinished hay in their hayballs or replace it?

I notice that mine eat the nice green bits of hay then leave the brown and wait for a new lot. :lol: so to economise on hay, I use the rejected brown bits for lining litter trays or beds, then put new hay in the racks.

 

[LionheadLuver]

Thanks for the replies. I was strong last night as tha=ey hadn't eaten hardly any hay during the day so gave them the old hay at night and they did eat it so it shows that when they are not spoilt with new hay, they will eat old hay. :lol:

This is their new setup:

They have their hay in a biggish box. Molly seems to love it:

In their shelter, they have paper, litter and straw to encourage them to use their shelter as a litter tray:

And here's a piccie of the roof of the run, it's completely rain proof:

 

[LionheadLuver]

*bump* Is this new setup better? The girls seem to have eaten far more hay in their haybox so I put it into their hutch tonight. I did keep some unsoiled hay and added a bit of fresh hay into the box. I'm planning to completely clean the box every morning, and only replace soiled hay at night.

 

[AllForTheAnimals]

I think it's awsome!! WOW:shock: I have never seen a run like that is that their actual 24-7 hutch?