Cedar bedding?

[equestrian<3]

I went to the store to buy the bedding that I usually use for my rabbit the other day, but they didn't have it. All they had was cedar and pine. I got the cedar because it was dust free, and the pine was not. I have been on multiple websites, and no one can give me a straight answer if cedar bedding is safe for my rabbit or not. Could someone please help? :x

 

[ladysown]

NO NO NO... PLEASE do not use cedar bedding IF you rabbit sits in it or quite close to it. Much cedar bedding has oils and stuff in it that is NOT good for your rabbit.

Put your rabbit on newspaper, towels etc...if it's not a chewer. OR put only a wee bit of cedar bedding in his pee spot.

 

[akane]

cedar=bad. All softwoods (includes pine) have toxic oils but cedar has a lot more than any other wood we use. Sometimes people get away with not seeing symptoms if they use cedar in areas with a lot of ventilation but studies done on lab animals found that even without the usual external signs there were still elevated liver enzymes and organ damage done over time. If you use it without a lot of ventilation it will cause respiratory infections and if they are in contact with it sometimes skin irritation. Personally I won't use cedar anywhere near any of animals and I'd rather it wasn't sold or contained more warnings since not enough people do their research. It can have bad effects on humans too if you are around it a lot such as having indoor small pets or working in the rabbitry for a good portion of every day. It will set off asthma in most people who suffer from it.

 

[ottersatin]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using Pine shavings as bedding material.
There is a problem with the use of Saw dust as the rabbits will
breath it into their lungs and suffocate. NEVER use Cedar!
I even use Pine shavings in my nestboxes in the winter months under the Hay;
for added warmth and absorption. DO NOT use Newspaper or towels unless
you are trying to produce a blockage in the intestinal tract.
All the BAD hype about Pine shavings is a bunch of Huey!
As always just mine and hundreds of other Rabbit Breeders opinion.
We all must do what we feel is best for those animals in our charge,
I hope you ALL make the right choices.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[avdpas77]

There are multiple types of "cedar" none of which, BTW, are true Cedar in the US, except some ornamentals planted in the Southwest. The three common types of Cedar are Eastern Red-Cedar Juniperous virginaina) which is common in the eastern 2/3 of the country and it is the wood that is commonly used for pet shavings. It is also the on you want most to avoid. The chemical oils in it that keep moths away, aren't terribly good for mammals either. The other main Cedars are Thuja plicata (Western Red-Cedar) a tan to pinkish colored wood which is commonly used in cedar shakes (shingles) and Thuja occidentalis (eastern Canada) which is also used for lumber.

I don't like wood shavings for rabbits, but that is just a personal opinion. I suspect shavings made out of the two "Thuja" species are no more harmful than any softwood or pine shavings, but those made from the Juniper species (darker red and light chips) with the "cedar chest" odor, should not be used except in an emergency.

True cedars are native to the Mediterranean and Middle East and belong to the genus "Cedrus"

 

[devinemarko]

Pine was thought to be safe gerbil bedding but has also been proven to damage the health of rats and mice. The American Gerbil Society does not recommend pine bedding for the same reasons that it does not recommend cedar bedding.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

The pine or cedar bedding is a problem only if you are planning on medicating your rabbit at the same time or its having surgery. Otherwise its no problem. Here is a link;
http://www.rabbit.org/care/shavings.html

So if your rabbit is getting spayed or is sick and requires meds. then the aromatic oils which are what trigger the liver to release more enzymes, to get the phenols out of the body, also will get rid of any drugs present a lot faster as well.Producing these enzymes is a natural process of the liver of any mammal to rid the body of environmental toxins. (which we all encounter every day)

 

[Brody]

for things like this - where there seems to be a lot of varying opinions I personally stay away from the contentious material .. why not stay as safe as possible

that said in rescue we end up getting bedding donated sometimes and I do use what we get - ceder and pine shavings are mixed in well with other materials and used in litter boxes (so changed frequently)

 

[marladenis]

Yes,of course ! It is safe for rabbit.Select hay as an excellent rabbit bedding. Not only does fresh hay give your pet rabbit with a soft place to sleep, it is also an excellent way to balance the rabbit's diet.