# Best Hay Feeder: How to Prevent Rabbit from Wasting Hay



## nguyenkinhphuc2000 (May 18, 2016)

I am new with rabbits, and they waste a lot of hay. What kind of DIY hay feeder that prevents rabbits from wasting hay?


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## Akzholedent (May 18, 2016)

I tend to put a bit in their litter boxes. I just put a handful in there at a time, but refill it through the day. 

I totally understand where you're coming from. Ellie eats hers out of the hay rack, so it's no issue. Butterscotch likes to play and burrow in his.. lol... and Pippi just eats it.


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## Aki (May 19, 2016)

Rabbits wasting hay is normal and there is nothing you can do about it. They will never eat all of it except if you buy really pricey hay like Oxbow's Orchard. At first, I was leaving what they didn't eat, putting it back in the hayrack because I didn't like to waste it. Believe me, if they don't like it, they won't eat it ever (also, "old" hay which has been seating in their hayrack or in the floor for more than 24h won't be eaten) and if you don't replace the hay it will prevent the rabbit to actually find hay wisps he likes, then he won't eat enough hay and you might find yourself with a case of GI stasis which will cost you a lot more to treat than throwing away some hay. Believe me, it happened to me.
I recently found a way to recycle the uneaten hay by putting it in a big wooden box and growing potatoes in it. That way it's useful now and when it will decompose it will make good soil to plant something else. When I was living in Paris, well, I just binned it.


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## Blue eyes (May 19, 2016)

Yup. Wasted hay is to be expected. If you consider buying it by the bale, then the cost factor doesn't even come into play. A full size bale of hay can last two bunnies up to 3/4 or a full year. The cost may only be $16-24 --- so about $2/month! 
[Oh. That usage is with me adding generous portions directly into the 18" x 24" litterbox twice per day.]

Here is what the hay bale looks like that I get:


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## rave (May 19, 2016)

Omg, a year?? I bought 3 bales this winter, soon finnished nr 2 lol, only.got 2 babies xd


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## nguyenkinhphuc2000 (May 19, 2016)

Blue eyes said:


> Yup. Wasted hay is to be expected. If you consider buying it by the bale, then the cost factor doesn't even come into play. A full size bale of hay can last two bunnies up to 3/4 or a full year. The cost may only be $16-24 --- so about $2/month!
> [Oh. That usage is with me adding generous portions directly into the 18" x 24" litterbox twice per day.]
> 
> Here is what the hay bale looks like that I get:



I understand. But I still wish there is a better way.


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## nguyenkinhphuc2000 (May 19, 2016)

nguyenkinhphuc2000 said:


> I understand. But I still wish there is a better way.



Another thing, do your rabbit always get into the rabbit feeder?


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## Blue eyes (May 21, 2016)

rave said:


> Omg, a year?? I bought 3 bales this winter, soon finnished nr 2 lol, only.got 2 babies xd



Apparently there can be quite a difference in what one terms "bale." In the photo, that bale weighs over 150 lbs and is tightly packed. When it is pulled apart in layers, it can easily snugly fill about 6-8 plastic totes that are those big 55-gallon totes. 

I'm overly generous with the hay since it goes in the litter box twice per day. I use a minimum of double the body size of each rabbit daily. Half is wasted. 

I can't imagine how one could use more than that.


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## ts786 (May 24, 2016)

With most rabbits, it doesn't exist. The selective grazing habits of rabbits often mean that they like some strands of hay more than others and they eat the differently graded strands in a different order. They may sort it, and it is very common for them to pull tons of pieces off of the hay feeder only to drop certain strands on the floor and continue pulling out more until they find a piece that meets their requirements. It's also common for them to like having hay in their litter basket, some of which they may eat and some of which they have no intentions of eating but clearly enjoy their presence. Some rabbits also will pull all of the hay off of the feeder onto the floor, and only begin to eat the hay once it is all spread out in the ground.

I've spent hours trying to figure out how rabbits determine what pieces of hay are on the A-list and what pieces are on the ****-list. Thus far, I've had zero luck but it's still so amusing to watch.


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