Tips for keeping hay in?

squeaksandcarrots

squeaksandcarrots

Adult Guinea Pig
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Penny makes such a big mess with her hay! I even got a hay rack that is meant to keep the hay in, but she finds ways to still make messes. I hate having to throw out the hay since she won't touch it when it's on the floor/she pees or poos in it. Does anyone have tips on what I could do? Should I get a different hay rack?
 
The thing is... they love throwing around their hay. It’s their main form of entertainment for my pigs. I don’t mind throwing it away knowing it’s made them happy in the process of making the mess.

I’m not sure what idea to give you, because anything I tried to keep their hay contained has turned into a game for them and hours of enjoyment to get as much as possible spread around! If it becomes too difficult to get to then you risk them not eating as much.
 
Hay everywhere is just part of owning piggies. Mine have trays full of it, things stuffed with it and spiral hay holders. They love all things hay.
I find it all over my house and have to vacuum most days to keep it under control.
This may not be what you want to hear but it is the truth. A piggy with lots of hay is s happy piggy.
 
Rose and Rosie love the piggie palace being cleaned because they know hay will be out shortly! They love nothing more than tipping it over, dragging it round the palace and making a general mess which they will eat, sleep, pee and pop in, sometimes all at the same time!
 
I was bothered at that exact same thing with my wooden hay rack...until I realized there's really nothing you can do and pigs will be pigs lol. Now I just purposely put a pile of hay on the floor in front of the hay rack cuz I know they're gonna do it anyway and I know they love having lots of hay. I know hay is expensive (especially for $17 a bag at my pet store) so it is a shame to waste it. I have a mat under my hay rack so instead of taking the ENTIRE fleece out to be shaken, I just take the little mat and shake it which is so easy and the hay hardly gets on the rest of the fleece so, i'd maybe recommend that just to help with cleaning (if you have fleece)? Hay is like chocolate for a guinea pig:wub::drool:
 
squeaksandcarrots said:
Penny makes such a big mess with her hay! I even got a hay rack that is meant to keep the hay in, but she finds ways to still make messes. I hate having to throw out the hay since she won't touch it when it's on the floor/she pees or poos in it. Does anyone have tips on what I could do? Should I get a different hay rack?
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Hmm, I don't know if this will work but, instead of a rack, maybe use a bowl? That's what we do and they haven't made a mess. But, maybe it depends on the personality of the pig. Different types of bowls might work differently so experiment with different types of bowls!
 
Here's something that worked for me. It's like a solution to two problems. First you can make a hay rack of a cereal box and hand that on the cage. Then take a cardboard box which sides aren't too high so the guinea pigs can go over it. Place it right under the hay rake. I have learned they like to go potty next to their hay so they can go on the cardboard box and if hay falls it will catch it. Hope this helps!
 
We use hay bags and a hay tray underneath (kitten litter tray) and that seems to keep it contained for the most part. I just fight the losing battle of putting it back in the hay tray and they walk it all over the cage again :))

I used to use a cheaper hay (meadow) in the hay tray and then the timothy hay in the bag as it worked out cheaper but now I just can’t be bothered with all the bags of hay around the house! Expensive but it’s a good job they’re cute! :D
 
squeaksandcarrots said:
Thank you for the replies! I guess I thought Penny was the only one who made a mess, but now I realize that it's part of piggy life :) Thanks for opening my eyes to that :D
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Oh my word. I can only image its because we always post photos of our piggies at cage clean time. But believe me it doesn’t stay like that for very long at all!
Piggies just LOVE dragging hay everywhere. My messiest are my 2 girl foster pigs whose cage looks like it hasn’t been cleaned for a week about an hour after I have cleaned and put in fresh fleece and hay trays.
You are so not alone.
 
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