Can I install a J-feeder on the "inside" of the cage? HELP

[jimmywalt]

We are going on vacation for a week in a couple months. We currently feed our rabbits in little Dollar Tree bowls. For a week though I thought we would use Jfeeders. I don't want to cut holes in all the cages and would like to install them from the inside.

I've searched Google and looked at A LOT of links, but none "show" how to install from the inside. I'm visual and some pictures would greatly help.

If anyone knows how to get the feeders to stay in place with the 2 little hook things, and could direct me to some pictures that would be great. Thank you!

 

[MaggieJ]

I've attached J-feeders on the inside of a cage, but it was so long ago that I'm not sure how I did it. Seems to me that I raised the wire clips as high as they would go, placed the feeder against the cage wire and then just pushed the clips down and back until they hold the feeder in place. For extra security, you could use extra wire to fasten the feeders.

A week is a very long time to leave rabbits. So much can go wrong, especially with their water supply. I strongly suggest that you leave them both bottles and crocks. If you can have a friend or neighbour check on them every couple of days, that would be a good idea.

 

[jimmywalt]

We have small breeds - Holland Lops and Lion Heads. We plan to use either two 32 ounce bottles per cage or one 2-liter bottle per cage for water.

They should be fine. We are in Michigan where it's cool and out trip isn't till October. Thank you.

 

[a7736100]

You can buy plastic j-feeders at petsmart that can be attached in the cage. I think they call them bin feeders.

 

[akane]

The feeders I buy at the feed store and the ones I got off klubbertanz just have a bendable metal bar you shape in to a hook. So set feeder inside, put metal bars at desired height, bend around wire, and let the feeder hang.

 

[Zass]

Two water bottles per cage is also something to consider. Just in case one bottle decides to drain for no good reason.

 

[jimmywalt]

Thanks everyone!

We will wire the J-feeders inside the cage to make sure they don't fall.

Also we are planning on doing a 2 liter bottle with water along with a 32 ounce bottle. So hopefully they all will be fine.

We are also going to make sure that we don't have any kits or does that will give birth when we are gone.

Thank you!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

We currently feed our rabbits in little Dollar Tree bowls. For a week though I thought we would use Jfeeders. I don't want to cut holes in all the cages and would like to install them from the inside.

I used to be very reluctant to cut holes in my cages, too. Back when I had a lone rabbit "dumped" on me (sister in law got it from someone at work and knew we would take it) I wired the J-feeder to the inside of the cage.

Now all of them are mounted on the outside- it makes feeding a lot easier rather than having to open each cage every day. I actually have some newly built cages that don't have J-feeders right now, and it really adds time to my chores. I am a stickler for cleanliness and sanitation, and can't abide dirty bowls or crocks, so am constantly washing them out. Another factor is the waste- some rabbits like to tip their bowls, and small kits will use them as a toilet.

If you only have a few holes, I guess it wouldn't be a big deal- but I have around 90 now, so the extra time (and waste) really adds up.

If you can have a friend or neighbour check on them every couple of days, that would be a good idea.

I second that. Even if nothing goes wrong with their feed or water something else may happen. For example;

I don't have an automatic watering system in my growout area (yet!), and use crocks with bottles upended in them supported by chain to provide a few days water at a time. Some of my new cages don't have bottles yet, but the chains are already in place.

Just yesterday, while I was watering everybunny, I noticed a kit nibbling on a piece of chain (one end had come loose, so it was hanging free)... "How cute!" I thought, and continued with my chores. About 20 minutes later, I noticed that the kit was still sitting there. :?

Upon closer examination, I found that the chain was hooked around his lip on the side. Luckily, it hadn't pierced the skin, but he was good and truly stuck. :shock:

A good rule of thumb with rabbits (and life in general!) is to expect the unexpected. It is hard to foresee everything that might go wrong, so having someone check up on them every day would give me peace of mind if they were mine.

 

[Zass]

I know more then one person has gone away and returned to find all of the bunnies mysteriously out of their cages. Sometimes still hopping around nearby, and sometimes nowhere to be found. If they are within sight of people, consider human proofing.

 

[Sagebrush]

I am actually headed out of town for the next 4 days. I have my dad checking on the rabbits for me. I originally had all the j-feeders on the inside of the cages (12 of them) but realized that it would be a royal pain in the bum for my dad to go into each and every cage to refill all the feeders every day. I finally just cut the holes in the front of the cages to allow for easy refill of the feeders.

Zass brings up a very valid point! That is also another reason why I am having my dad check in on my rabbits. I already had it happen once with the neighbor kids letting mine out.

 

[Schipperkesue]

I have wired j feeders to the inside of cages. I stretched the hooks back to the wire behind but found the feeders tipped forward. So I took an extra piece of wire, wound it around the cage near the top of the feeder, stretched the wire around the top of the feeder and attached the other end to the cage at the other side. This held the feeder back and prevented it from tipping forward.

 

[jimmywalt]

Thanks everyone!

Our cages will be in our locked garage, so it's pretty darn human proof.