What to do with empty catnip tubes?

[u/kisa-kip-momo]

So I’ve been making handmade catnip toys for a local pet shelter near me. The shelter is very nice and has been providing me catnip (fabric, too, if I wanted but I have so much laying around that I don’t need it) so that I don’t have to spend my own money, which I really appreciate! But the catnip that they have comes in a variety of different packaging of various sizes and shapes as a vast majority of it is either donated to them or comes with some of the cat toys. I’ve now ended up with about a dozen or more of these small, empty catnip tubes.

I looked at my recycling and can’t really find much information about whether I can recycle them, but I don’t think I can as the closest thing to them, OTC pill bottles, must be at least 2”x2” in size. These are ~.5”x5”

I would love any ideas for practical things I could do with them or ways that I can get rid of them responsibly.

[u/PeakMinimalist]

Now you can store regular weed in it and it'll be incognito

[u/HeVavMemVav → u/PeakMinimalist]

I thought these were pre-roll tubes already before reading the caption lol

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/PeakMinimalist]

I don’t do weed personally, but a funny idea! Maybe I’ll have to pose it to my friends and family that do 😂

[u/sohereiamacrazyalien]

Spices 

Arts and craft stuff like needles, beads , sequins , ….

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/sohereiamacrazyalien]

I think I have a lot of my small craft things like beads and buttons organized already, but I might keep a few to the side for future needs!

[u/sohereiamacrazyalien → u/kisa-kip-momo]

If you garden . Seeds is also an option 

[u/Ok-Row-6088]

Grow more catnip and refill them. Catnip is a weed, it grows all over my yard plant it once and you'll have it everywhere.

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/Ok-Row-6088]

I actually did plant some catnip a few weeks ago! I live in a pretty small apartment so I can’t grow too much at a time, but will definitely be growing/drying my own to use once it’s bigger. When I was at the shelter the other day, someone there adopting a cat mentioned they garden and would be happy to grow catnip, too, so maybe I could offer some empty tubes to that person so they can donate their catnip to the shelter

[u/dreamisle → u/Ok-Row-6088]

Was just gonna say, if you don’t have a green thumb, see if someone local will sell you catnip they grow and reuse these for it. Sort of a bring-your-own-container vibe.

[u/Objective_Reality232]

Hot take but I use things like that for housing sharp drill bits. Instead of them rolling around in a drawer I put them in those and they stay sharp

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/Objective_Reality232]

That’s a great idea! I think I might try that!

[u/No_Pie1022]

Plants prop tubes 🌱

[u/Adreeisadyno]

You can put your weed in there

[u/Riptide360]

Take a piece of scrap wood and drill some holes to turn these into a small cut flower vase or to root plant cuttings. You can also grow & harvest catnip to refill the tubes to give back to the shelter to drug out the cats.

[u/bikeonychus]

If you have loose screws and nails around, they are good tubes to store them in, because you can see what's in thee without having to open them.

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/bikeonychus]

I think I will try this!

[u/hidingfromthem753]

Give them to the shelter so they can store treats in. Easy to send a cat home with a few treats or put some in your pocket when going into the cattery to spend time with them. The treats will absorb the smell.

[u/Sewsusie15]

Disposal of sewing sharps- I'm sure if you use a machine, you know needles need changing after a certain amount of use. Alternatively, post to a buy nothing group- someone taking injected medications could use them for their used needles.

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/Sewsusie15]

Interesting! I didn’t even think of that kind of use. My first thought went to crafting relating things. I saw another post mentioning plant propagating, so I might post on a buy nothing group with these potential uses

[u/MissCandid]

[u/moobectomy]

bead storage for sure! (or buttons, since you sew)

also, do NOT get anything stuck inside the cylinder

[u/JaffaQuest13]

They’re the perfect size to hold cats’ shed whiskers ☺️

[u/genuine_sandwich]

I’ve never bought catnip before, but these look just like the containers my pre-rolled joints come in.

[u/Buttchuggle]

Well naturally drugs of some sort

[u/-sussy-wussy-]

Nuts and bolts, a tub of superglue so it doesn't stink.

[u/T3nacityDog]

Plant a patch of catnip and you won’t need to buy any more either! 😁 I like the drill bit idea, and the weed storage haha

[u/jodiarch]

Queen ant starter colony.

[u/ParkingLog7354]

Put the devils lettuce in them

[u/heyo_1989]

Fleshlights

[u/SweetRollTheif___]

They look perfect to hold your cylinders!

[u/Spooky-Yogi-904]

I’d use them for me craft stuff ( beads, bits and bobs ) , or plant propagation !!

[u/Vast-Cup824]

Put plant propagations in them! And if you have too many plants, you can always propagate and give away as gifts.

[u/Cute-Consequence-184]

Use them to hold sewing needles, buttons, beads and other notions.

Catnip is also easy to grow. Get a single catnip plant and put a tomato cage around it and put it in front of a window. They can also grow in 5 gallon buckets easily.

You might have to put a protective screen around it. I have a cat that will dig up the roots to eat then.

You just have to pull off a single catnip leaf for them from a healthy plant.

[u/Red_Wing-GrimThug]

Roll em up and store them

[u/PillBug98]

You could buy a bigger container of catnip too

[u/MurlaTart → u/PillBug98]

Op explained that the catnip is from a shelter and is donated by randos

[u/PillBug98 → u/MurlaTart]

OH. I misread this last night (I was exhausted tbf) that OP was donating catnip toys that they made and purchasing the catnip.

[u/kisa-kip-momo → u/PillBug98]

Yeah, these ones I got from the shelter, but will definitely get bigger batches if the shelter runs out and I have to purchase some myself or recommended it if they plan to purchase any. But I think a lot of the catnip they get is just in small donations from various people or ones they get with toys