Calvin’s Care Corner
Keeping Hay at Bay
Hello folks! In this installment of Calvin’s Corner, I address the messy issue of hay. Every bunny slave knows the score: hay is essential for rabbit health. We need to provide our cottontailed friends with ample quantities to munch on throughout the day. As we do this, many struggle to stop the hay from spreading everywhere. Is there a way to offer our bunnies the hay they need while confining it to their area? The answer is yes. It’s called the Hay Tower*.
Here is how you create one:
STEP 1: Get a cheap 8” flowerpot. The ones that mums come in are the perfect size. Take the pot to Home Depot and find an 8” cement form tube that fits into the pot. Note that not all 8” tubes are the same so make sure to bring your pot and try it out.
STEP 2: Cut a circle out of cardboard to fit inside the flowerpot. You want it to fit snuggly so that hay does not fill the space below the barrier. This space will not be available to the buns so any hay there will get stale and go to waste.
STEP 3: Cut a hole near one end of the tube about an inch or two from the bottom. Don’t make the hole too big or your buns will end up IN the tower.
STEP 4: Put the cardboard circle in the pot. If you don’t have something on top of the hay tower to hold it in place (for example, it can fit snuggly under a NIC cube shelf) then you can fill the space under the cardboard circle with litter to weight it. If you do this, you will need to cut a second smaller circle to go in the bottom of the pot to cover the small water holes.
STEP 5: Next, fit the cement form in the pot with the hole end nearest the pot.
STEP 6: Choose how high you want the tower to be and cut to length. You can use a razor blade to lightly score the sides. Just go round and round and round and eventually it cuts a nice line right through.
STEP 7: Cut a top out of card board and loosely tie-rap it to the open end of the form (you can use the razor blade to punch a hole just big enough for the tie rap). You need to have a top or your bunnies will end up inside the tower. It’s a mystery but somehow they manage this feat!
STEP 8: Fill with hay. Pull a little hay out through the hole so the buns quickly learn where it is. Give to buns. Voila! End of hay woes!
*Special thanks to Vyvyane Loh for originally inspiring the Hay Tower and to Jessica Dufrene for providing the instructions!