There are a number of everyday, simple household items that I use in the rabbitry. They are effective, cheap, and easy ways to make life easier, get a job done, or solve a problem.
There is almost always a company or seller out there selling a specially designed, usually overpriced item to do a job. But there are often equally good -- and sometimes better -- tools for the trade that will do the job for much less money.
These are simple things that can easily be overlooked and easy to take for granted. It often feels like they’re not even worth mentioning. Until someone does, and the lightbulb comes on!
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Five Favorite Everyday Items to Use in the Rabbitry
There are probably more of these things in my rabbitry than I even realize, but here’s a list of five of my favorites (with a slight focus on winter).
1. Fleece Lined Waterproof Gloves
Main Use:
- Keeping hands warm and dry while watering and doing chores
Watering in the winter comes with the problem of having to dip hands in and out of water and ice. It’s not a lot of fun in temperatures that fall well below freezing.
These gloves, made by Kinco, are latex rubber-coated knit gloves with a fleece lining. The specific style name is “Hydroflector”. They are warm in temperatures down to 20 below (about as low as I’ve experienced with them), and they do not leak or get wet.
The rubber coating goes all the way to the wrist, and you can dip your hand completely in water without getting wet. They speed up chores because you aren’t constantly pulling gloves on and off to get through feeding and watering (or cleaning).
They also hold up really well. I have pairs I’m still wearing after two years.
There are other brands that make a similar glove, but I can personally vouch for these.
2. Shower Curtain Rings
Main Use:
- Hanging cage tags
- Keeping cage doors open or closed
Basic metal shower curtain rings are a cheap, simple thing that comes in handy in a couple of ways.
- Use them to hang or rehang plastic cage tags (especially to replace the zip ties if they get chewed or I need to cut them off to move the tag to a new cage)
- They would work well to hang other styles of cage tags or DIY versions (like the used canning lids I’ve seen some people use! Smart!)
- They work well as backup cage door clips and are not too easy to remove
- I’ll often put them on a cage if I know kids are coming to visit, and I want to make sure they can’t easily unlatch cage doors.
- I’ll put them on cages when we are harvesting if there are rabbits I don’t want to be slaughtered. Often with a “no kill” tag. Removable later, but helps my helpers to know who should and shouldn’t go.
- They can also be used to clip doors open (up, in, or to the side)
A few tips:
- Buy cheap, large packs, and don’t overspend
- Do not get the style with the rolling balls. They cost more, and they don’t hang as nicely on the cages.
- Keep a pack of spares around so you have them on hand for random uses you might find.
VIDEO: 5 of My Favorite Everyday Items to Use in the Rabbitry
3. WD-40
Main Use:
- Treating slide latches
WD40 (penetrating oil) is a handy thing to have on hand in the rabbitry. I spray hinge areas on cage doors and slide latches on cages. It helps them to move more freely and reduces rust on these wear spots. And it’s there for other things that crop up, like when the wheels on the sawdust bin get a little slow or squeaky.
The spray can will do just fine, but we have also found a cheaper one-gallon bulk can that we can pour into and/or use to refill spray bottles. It gets shared between the house, the barn, and the shop and everyone gets their own spray bottle to keep on hand, and it costs quite a bit less than several individual cans.
Ear Mite Treatment?
I’ve even seen a few people on the rabbit pages saying they use WD40 for treating ear mites in their rabbits. It works the same as olive or mineral oil to smother the mites. It makes sense that it would work for ear mites, as all that any of the oils do to kill ear mites is smother the mites and eggs.
They say it is veterinarian-approved, but I can’t personally speak to that, and I’ve never used it for this purpose. So, I cannot comment on whether WD40 is safe for rabbits for treating ear mites. I can say I have used it on doors and latches, and I’ve never had a rabbit exhibit any ill effects after doing so.
The ingredients in WD40 are apparently a mix of mineral spirits and other petroleum distillates. I believe it works, and there’s a possibility that it is no more harmful than mineral oil, but you’ll have to be your own judge on that. I can see how it could be easy to apply, though!
4. Drywall/Compound/Putty Knife Scraper
Main Use:
- Scraping stuck or frozen muck in cage dropping trays
- Scraping blocked up corners of cage floors
I accidentally discovered how handy a simple putty knife can be when the small hand-held hoe that I used to use broke for the third time. The tool wasn’t cheap, but the welds were, and after busting three and needing a quick stand-in, I discovered a cheap taping knife does the job just as well; probably better! And somehow, they last a lot longer (even for cheap versions -- I really didn’t overpay!).
These work well for scraping out dropping pans if things get stuck or frozen in them. They also work very well for cleaning out blocked areas in cages. (Like when molted fur or hay gets stuck there and then blocks up the manure or urine -- usually, it’s the fur that gets to be a problem!) You’re always going to have at least one rabbit (and probably several) that manage to block a “poop corner” in their cage. It happens more often during the molting phases.
Tips:
- A 3 or 4-inch knife works well for dropping pans with molded ridges
- 3-inch knives fit in most molded spaces
- The knives are called different things, but they’re basically all the same: putty knife, taping knife, compound knife, paint scraper, spackle tool, spackle knife, drywall tool
5. Calendar
Main Use:
- Keeping quick track of happenings in the rabbit barn
A simple wall calendar is a good, quick method of record-keeping. Even if you keep an app or paper records, a calendar gives you a quick and easy spot to record things like breedings, when nest boxes need to go in, litter due dates, ages, treatments, retreatment schedules, et cetera.
You can use it for all your record keeping if you don’t feel the need to keep a lot of records and pedigrees, or you can use it to jot things down until you get time to enter the information into a more formal record or app. Even with an app, an easy backup like a calendar that also makes a good visual will often prove quite handy.
Tips:
- Buy a paper calendar, not a glossy one, so that a pencil will write on it in cold weather when pens don’t like to cooperate
- Find something with little printing and nice, wide, open blocks of space you can write on
- Blocks 1.5 to 2 inches or larger are better -- sometimes you’ll have a lot to record on a given day, especially if you breed more than one doe at a time
- Keep your calendars even after the year flips over -- they are a good record to refer back to
- A piece of plastic or a plastic notebook protector sheet can help keep things dry and clean
Sometimes, the things you’ll find most useful, efficient, or cost-effective for your rabbitry are not “rabbit things” at all. Often, you can find a household item that will serve the purpose just as well or better and often cheaper than anything you find in a livestock or rabbit supply catalog.
Got a tip, trick, or tool to share? Comment below so we all can know!
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