Hay Container

[Zompter]

I recently started putting my hay in a small 4" flower pot. Not only does it look good, the chins love it and keeps the cage cleaner. I was wondering what other people do. Have people had luck with the wooden holders? Anybody else use the small clay pot?

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

I use one of the small clay pots for one of my guinea pigs and a bigger clay pot for another one of my pigs. But for the chins, I use the ceramic chinchilla dusters since it is too small for Ansem to dust in. For Zoe, I use one of the wooden chests that I got from Susan (AZChins) or I used to use one of the wooden hidey huts until she decided she wanted it for a house instead. And for Herby I use either an extra hammock or a glass pickle jar. For Sabin, I use the same thing, a pickle jar or hammock.

 

[Zompter]

Ah a pickle jar. I should have thought of that. Would have been a better use than the recycle bin.
What do you mean by a hammock. Do you just put it in the middle so when they are in it they can also have a snack?

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

yep! that is what I mean! Except I usually hang it to one side of the cage, that way it does not pose a risk of poking them in the eye should they try and jump into it. And it keeps the hay clean and dry.

 

[Essentia]

I use hay bags from threewingedfury. It holds the hay in very well and there is less scatter.

I used to use clay pots and still do when I run out of hay bags.

 

[Dewdrop]

We're currently trying out hay bags..

 

[~SG~]

another vote for the pickle jar here

 

[ticklechin]

I use wood hay boxes Riven used to sell.

 

[caiti]

I have one of those hay boxes from forchinate chins with the chinchilla cut out in the wood. Really I got it because it's pretty cute, but it does help with the mess. I've never had another hay holder except a tissue box which quickly got flattened by Chloe standing on it trying to get the hay, so I have nothing to compare it to but I still think it cuts down on mess quite a bit.

What I do is I have the hay box attached to the side of the cage a couple inches above the lowest shelf where her food is. On the floor, underneath the hay box I have her wooden house, so when she pulls out the hay and it falls off the shelf, it lands on top of her house and I can just sweep it off into a trash can from there (if that makes sense). I just don't like too much hay being on the ground because it doesn't do as good a job being litter as my aspen shavings do.

 

[Zompter]

The chinchilla box gives me an idea. I wonder if I can attach the pot to the side of the cage via some of the extra hardware from when I built the shelves so the chins don't keep pushing it around.

What are these hay bags people are using? I haven't heard of them.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I use the PVC tubes that are fleece covered to hold hay in when I'm not lazy. Works great!

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

You can attach the pot to the side of the cage, but be careful and put it on a lower level just in case it falls off. This way, it wont be a susceptible to breaking if it does fall. The hay bags that they are talking about are sold by a few members here and are little bags made of fleece. I forget exactly who makes them though so you could do a search on that one! You can also use a paper lunch sack, though this gets messy as the chins like to tear the bags up.

 

[CJR]

I use a coffee cup that is attached to the cage with a binder ring... works pretty well, although I bet the flower pot is adorable!

 

[Chintastic!]

I use kleenex boxes, have used a pickle jar, tried lots of things. I really like the puffs boces because they can stick their little heads in there and chow down. it works pretty well, except my one male likes to pull all the hay out and toss it EVERYWHERE then sleep in the box.... UGH! I even tried giving him an extra box once he still pulled all the hay out and climbed in.
I also really like these boxes that Schwans has. They are the ones that the ice cream cones and daquari mixes come in. If you take off one side and the top flap it makes a perfect basket for multiple chins. They're made of thicker cardboard and last longer. Problem is we dont buy that stuff often enough.

 

[mishellyshel]

ahhhh.........hay holders. i have different ones in my cages. The pair has a clay pot. Most of the rest of them, i cut the bottom of food boxes, like fruit snacks, rice box, etc. and put it in there, i have a 1/2 coconut in one cage, i have used hay bags, two of my boys have built in wooden boxes, but they sit on the edge and sometimes pee in it. i try all kind of things but if the hay is not fresh it gets tossed everywhere anyway!

 

[Zompter]

Thanks for all the ideas People have some great ways of doing this.

 

[SirLasVegas]

Here's what I use in one of the cages I built

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I like flower pots, too. I buy the Azalea pots which are wider on the bottom and less prone to tipping over.

 

[~SG~]

I've looked for azalea pots but I can't find them anywhere unless they are painted
all mine are plain but they have plants in them, lol

 

[AZChins]

I attach the flower pots right to the side of the cages. I like the Azalea pots, too...they work really well as a hay holder on the side of the cages and as ledges for the chins.