Critter Hay Bin

thingiverse

We recently set up a cozy wooden hutch for our two adorable rabbits and were on the hunt for a hay bin that would keep things nicely organized. Unfortunately, all the hay bins we found in our local pet store were quite small and wouldn't fit a day's supply of fresh hay for our furry friends. What's more, one of our rabbits has a flat face with a wide profile; the other rabbit has a narrower face and a mischievous habit of getting stuck in tight spots. She has gotten herself trapped before and I wasn't about to take any chances with a store-bought bin that was just the right size for her to get stuck in. So instead, I designed this custom bin with adjustable inserts that can slide along the frame, allowing our rabbits to arrange the front of the bin exactly as they see fit. This also makes it easier for them to access the hay stored near the top of the rack. Print one of each piece except for the bars and the bin inserts, which you'll need three of. You can print more or less of the bin inserts, but I found 2-3 works well for our rabbits. The bars and the corresponding holes in the bin inserts will likely require some sanding to fit smoothly together. Once assembled, we attached it securely to the hutch using screws. In the future, I plan to add an adapter that will allow it to be fixed to a wire cage. This might also involve shorter bars, as I'm not sure if the standard design would fit nicely in many cages. Before placing this design near your pets, make sure they're not prone to chewing on plastics, as some animals have been known to do so. Our rabbits are fortunate enough to prefer munching on wood instead, but I can't guarantee the same for other pets. If you have any suggestions or ideas for modifications that could improve this design, please let me know! Printer Settings: Brand: LulzBot Model: TAZ 5 Rafts: Doesn't Matter Supports: Doesn't Matter Infill: 20% Notes: This printed beautifully without supports using NGEN from Colorfabb. If you're using a PEI bed, make sure to prep it with some glue first for NGEN. Use any infill percentage that suits your needs.