davea
Tin Member
Posts: 127
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Post by davea on Jun 1, 2012 17:09:03 GMT -5
Can anyone recommend a good timothy hay feeder that will minimize waste? We've tried a couple, including a DYI job that works okay, but still so much of the hay winds up on the bottom of the cage. Any suggestions cheerfully considered!
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Post by wendypc on Jun 2, 2012 9:57:03 GMT -5
LOL....I'm not entirely happy with our hay feeder, either. Right now I am using a hay rack that attaches to the side of the cage, but it's a constant battle trying to keep the floor hay-free near the hay rack. I used to use the SuperPet Rollin' the Hay rack, which is a wheel that can be attached (with the bracket that comes with it) to the side of the cage. The wheel is suspended in the cage, but not against the side grid. This keeps the hay in the cage, but there is still quite a bit that ends up on the bottom of the cage. My piggies won't touch any hay on the cage floor. They are picky that way! I'm looking forward to reading the advice you receive. Hopefully someone has a better solution! I'm thinking of shallow putting a plastic tray in the hay rack area of the cage. The piggies would be able to get in & out easily, and it may just keep the hay in that area for easier cleaning. Good luck!
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 2, 2012 10:01:40 GMT -5
There doesn't seem to be a waste-free way to serve hay, but there are some that minimize the waste. This is a cloth hay bag. I think they come in different sizes. www.jenscustomcrafts.com/ourshop/cat_503536-Hay-Trough.htmlThere are some that hang on the cage side. I find them hard to fill, and they don't hold much, so need to be refilled regularly. www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=6067+10382+19835&pcatid=19835You could use a cardboard box or tubes studded with hay, or try binding handfuls with string and hanging them from the sides. Whatever you try you will get waste. I have created some out of grids. They work, but take up a lot of space and really concentrate the piggy mess. Pigs enjoyed figuring out how to get into all of them, so did provide a lot of entertainment. I gave up and created an easy care hay box. The pigs get to wallow in the hay, and it's easy for me to clean. Mostly trial and error for what really works for you. |
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Post by wendypc on Jun 3, 2012 21:22:00 GMT -5
I love the hay bag! I haven't seen it before, but I think I may give it a try. Thanks so much for sharing the info, 3 piggles.  I have the rack in the second link (or one extremely similar to it), and you're right about it not holding much, having to be refilled often & being a bit difficult to fill. I also have a hay mess on the bottom of my cage & on the floor.  |
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Post by lovemypiggies on Jun 6, 2012 18:48:06 GMT -5
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davea
Tin Member
Posts: 127
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Post by davea on Jun 6, 2012 19:30:52 GMT -5
That's almost exactly what we're using right now! It works pretty well, and there's less waste than with some of the other items we've tried. Overall, I'd recommend it.
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Post by Canadian Comforts on Jun 7, 2012 11:21:59 GMT -5
I made my own hay bags, kinda like Jens Custom Crafts but different openings. I do have one from Jens but personally I like mine better because I was able to control the size better (my pigs climb in and wee on the hay ) |
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 7, 2012 11:30:57 GMT -5
I haven't tried the cloth ones, but if they hold a decent amount of hay and are easy to fill, that's a definite improvement over the hard sided ones.
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Post by lovemypiggies on Jun 8, 2012 1:39:48 GMT -5
The only problem I have come across with the soft ones is my piggies sticking their heads too far in and getting hay in their eyes. Hershey had to go to the vet for it.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 8, 2012 8:09:40 GMT -5
That's an issue with hay boxes like mine, too. It seems as if either we provide hay in such a restricted and wasteful way that it's almost counter productive, or we provide a free and easy flow of hay for them and us, but at greater risk of eye pokes and problems from debris in the eyes.
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Post by lovemypiggies on Jun 8, 2012 15:31:32 GMT -5
So far the ones I bought are working really great! The piggies can get to the hay easily and they aren't wasting large amounts of hay like before. Best of all no debris or eye pokes!
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Post by wendypc on Jun 8, 2012 18:24:25 GMT -5
I didn't know that you made hay bags, Erin! I didn't see them on Canadian Comforts site. I just ordered 2 from Jen's Custom Crafts. I would have ordered from you if I had known. I hope my piggies don't climb in and pee on the hay like yours do, Erin! |
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 9, 2012 15:14:44 GMT -5
Are the suet feeders hard to fill? Do they run out quickly? I'm home during the day, but anyone who is gone for school or work needs something that will hold a days worth of hay at a time.
I also find burrowing in and just generally playing in the hay is a favorite piggy past time. When my box was on the main cage level, the pigs used to bulldoze through the hay box and across the cage. Big mess for me to clean, but showed how much they enjoyed doing it. Now that it's on a loft, I find pigs buried in the hay happily munching or napping, and hay bulldozed down the ramp. I know I could use a system that was a great deal less wasteful or dirty, but the pigs love it so much!!!
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Post by lovemypiggies on Jun 9, 2012 19:37:34 GMT -5
The suet feeder lasts all day which is great because I have both work and college to go to during the day. I know the piggies love playing in the hay and that is how I had it set up before just free range. I didn't mind cleaning up the mess but the hay pokes in the eye were becoming a big problem.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 9, 2012 20:04:14 GMT -5
Hay pokes were a problem when I was buying Oxbow, but not with Kleenmama. That hay is just so much nicer than any timothy in a bag, I can't believe it! I have several suet feeders, and may give them a try, just to see how they do.
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