Moving to suburbia... cage cleaning advice?

[ironstarhavanas]

Hello!

Well, I am moving from a very rural home to a very urban area. I have pans and usually just dump it all out in a giant pile out back to compost and it doesn't bother anyone. Now I have a small backyard and I am not sure what to do with all my used shavings. I know there are lots of people who keep rabbits in similar situations, but I have never paid attention to what they do with all the dirty shavings!

I have thought about advertising the stuff as compost for other people, but my fear is what would I do if I don't get enough demand for my supply? I don't want to tick off the landlord with an ugly pile of shavings in the back yard.

All suggestions appreciated!

Thank you,

Kelsey
Ironstar Havanas
http://www.ironstarhavanas.webs.com

 

[MaggieJ]

Build a proper compost bin - a double or triple! Make sure it is attractive... maybe use lattice on the front. Learn how to speed up the decomposition with natural additions and then either dig it into your own yard, little by little, or sell the resulting compost. It should go over well with rose growers... Bunny compost is as good as it gets.

 

[All Ears Rabbitry]

We pay for an extra garbage can and the droppings go into that. The can stays out by the barn because the horse waste goes into it too. Not sure what we'll do when we get another horse - wonder if that can go in green waste? We only have an acre so usually have room in the green can. Hmm... Anyway, I know someone who dug a hole (4 foot deep) made a grate to go over it, filled with pooped, shoveled some dirt over it - after 2-3 months, they filled the hole, then dug another. They kept about 20 rabbits. Not sure if that's how I would do it but it worked for them. I'm partial to the trash can.

 

[Miss M]

Right now we just empty it into the bushes... but we'll be making a compost bin soon. We're also considering vermicomposting. We're on 1/3 - 1/2 acre. Thinking about doing the raising-catfish-in-a-barrel thing, feeding the catfish with the worms.

 

[eco2pia]

I second the compost bin idea. If you keep it moist in the summer and turn it every week or two it doesn't even really smell. Then when it is brown and crumbly spread it on your flower beds or shrubs or look around in your neighborhood for someone with a beautiful garden and ask if they want it.

Even with rabbits and chickens on my .14 acre lot, I am still compost hungry all the time--but I have no lawn. I am always begging leaves or grass clippings from someone, because we don't use enough shavings!

 

[akane]

We're potentially facing a similar problem but won't have any yard. I'm thinking of using rubbermaid storage containers that seal completely (no holes in the handles like some) and dump the pans in it until it's full. Then haul it down to the garage. I already have some buyers for it. There is a risk of mold but I don't think it will matter.

Vermicomposting might be another good idea. It can even be done indoors and I've talked to people who keep a small container under the kitchen sink to dump all leftovers in for the worms.

If the rabbits are in wire cages or hutches over a yard it's usually not an issue. I know people who have had dozens of rabbits in the same area for years and never clean the manure out. Rabbit and guinea pig droppings break down quickly and can be used immediately as fertilizer without composting. It won't burn plants. The areas in my mom's yard where I used to dump the cages or put the guinea pigs out to eat grass are years later still greener and grow faster than the rest of the yard. The pine shavings are what needs composted and if you have the rabbits over grass you don't need pans with pine shavings.

 

[Brody]

akane - I fill storage containers in the city then bring the stuff down here to compost .. I also run asmall worm bin through the winter

 

[ironstarhavanas]

Thank you all! I am in a toss up between the compost bin and the garbage can. We are making the great move this weekend, so it will be an adventure!! It's just kind of intimidating to move from acres and acres to a postage stamp!

 

[Leanne]

Our city has extra cans just for yard waste. It is for branches, leaves, grass dog poo whatever. They take it away and compost it just outside of city limits and sell it back to us by the cubic yard!
I too moved from acres to a postage stamp. I couldn't keep the horses or chickens, but I can have rabbits! My yard is shaded by large trees so the little spots that get full sun are now raised beds. I'm doing my own small compost projects, indoor worm bin and digging things down into the garden. Kinda on the spot lasagna gardening. Shavings can take awhile to break down but do real nice when mixed with bunny poo and grass clippings.

 

[rabbitgeek]

How much shavings are we talking? 55 gallon drum each week?

If you are going into a residential area, you will need to be sure you do not create any fly problems which is what most compost heaps will create in residential areas.

Many communities have "green waste" or "yard waste" collection and usually you can put rabbit poop in there with grass clippings etc. If you have more than 20 rabbits then poop will become a problem in a short time.

Have a good day!