hay holder - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**custard** · #1 03-10-08, 11:56 am

Hello,
right now we give the piggie hay everyday but have been putting it on the bottom of the cage. Does anyone know if it really worth it to get one of those hay holders do you think I might be able to go every other day with one of those holders or not ?

**willowfaery** · #2 03-10-08, 12:45 pm

Don't wast your money on BUYING one. Just take a single grid, lay it flat on the floor, (with your shoes on) step in the middle of it with one foot, and pull up on both sides slowly. You might have to rotate it to bend the other side better. And presto....you have a hay rack. I would hang it horizontally from the side of your cage above a litter box. You can store a lot of hay in it.
http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos...hp/photo/10543

http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos...hp/photo/10058

http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos...hp/photo/10449

Hope these help!

**custard** · #3 03-10-08, 01:13 pm

And where would I get a single grid like that ? Also do litter boxes really work ? If so what do you use for litter?

**TX_2_Pigs** · #4 03-10-08, 01:43 pm

You really ought to take a look in the hay rack gallery. You will find many brilliant ideas that will get your own imagination working. I tend to look at things now and think "hmmmm, that would make a good hay rack" or hidey house or something for the pigs. I am currently using 2 of those under shelf baskets. I added a piece of coroplast on the back to keep the hay in.

**willowfaery** · #5 03-10-08, 01:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by custard

And where would I get a single grid like that ? Also do litter boxes really work ? If so what do you use for litter?

Do you have one left over from building your c&c cage? If not, there are many other things you could use like the under shelf basket previously mentioned. Litter boxes work for catching MOST of the piggy waste since they tend to "use it" while they are munching on hay. And if you have your hay rack over your litter box, this will cut down on the hay getting all over your fleece (if you're using fleece). For my litter box, I use Aspen on the bottom and Carefresh on the top. This saves me money.

**Astrantia** · #6 03-10-08, 01:56 pm

Does he/she even have a c&c cage yet, given the comment...?

Best thing to do, as mentioned is look at the photo gallery for ideas.

**buttons** · #7 03-10-08, 02:00 pm

Like the others said, definitely take a look in the photo gallery.

Just a tip though, if you are going to bend a grid, make sure that the grids are attached to the outside of the rim....huh this is hard to explain.

If the place where the grids are attached to the rim is in the inside of where you're bending it, it will crack!!

**TX_2_Pigs** · #8 03-10-08, 02:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttons

make sure that the grids are attached to the outside of the rim....huh this is hard to explain.

If the place where the grids are attached to the rim is in the inside of where you're bending it, it will crack!!

Maybe this will help some.
Here is link to some pictures on how to bend grids. Read the description and it makes it a little clearer.

Look at the grid and you will see that the cross-wires are welded on one side of the frame. In this picture you can see what I mean.

When you lay the grid on the floor you want the cross-wires on the bottom. Also look around the edge of the frame and you will find the weld mark. Make sure that you don't bend that side, have it on one of the sides that won't get bent because that may break.

If you just take is slow and bend a little at a time it should be fine.

**auburnmare5** · #9 03-11-08, 08:31 pm

I have heard from a member on here that used a Suet Bird Feeder. I bought mine at Christmas Tree Shop for $0.89!

It is not the absolute best hay rack you can get, but I love it!

Try it out!

It will take a day or two for them to get used to it if they have been getting it off of the cage floor.

I highly recommend it!

**naturegal592** · #10 03-12-08, 09:32 am

I like the idea of the suet feeder. They make large ones for about $5.

**Jane_G** · #11 03-12-08, 11:53 am

I used to leave the hay on the floor of the cage but I wound up throwing so much away because she would pee and poop in it and it would get scattered all over. Cookie loved to run like crazy all over and throw the hay all over. Since I got a hay rack, she's been a little neater with the hay.

**naturegal592** · #12 03-12-08, 12:26 pm

I started using a hay wheel a couple of weeks ago. Now that they are getting the hang of it it is working good. A lot less mess than the rack I have because they can't pull the hay out in one clump.

**Ly&Pigs** · #13 03-12-08, 01:10 pm

Why is this thread is diet? It doesn't belong here. It's being moved to accessories where it does belong.