Rabbit Bedding Suggestions

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I've had rabbits for about 7 years now, and I have came up with good bedding ideas over time. This bedding being what collects your rabbits poop and urine. Here is how I go through my rabbits' bedding. There are three different example I will talk about here.

Problem 1: Normal Cleaning
(Except for Wilber and Pearl with her mother, who all live in bug cages or hutch) My rabbits live in three vertically stacked wire bottom cages with trays that slide in underneath. They usually pee always in one corner or spot. When it's time to clean them, I pull out the tray, scoop out the gross and dirty spots with a small dustpan, then deposit the used bedding into a plastic bag, like the ones from Walmart or HyVee. Once those are gone, I sprinkle on some Gain scent pellets, to help with any bad smell. After that, all I need to do is fill up the empty spaces with litter. (The litter I use are short fat yellowish pellets used for horse stalls, will add on pictures.)

Problem 2: Full Tray Cleaning
Usually once a month or a month and a half (or maybe even two months) I need to clean out the full trays. To start off, I get rid of all of the bedding in the trays by either dumping them outside somewhere out of the way, or put it in an empty rather bit food or litter bag (which I seal up with duck tape when full, then either dump it outside or just put it in the big trash can) after this, I clean the trays with Fantastic and paper towels. Lastly, I do what I do with normal cleaning and put scent pellets on the bottom and fill the tray with litter.

Problem 3: Travel Cage Cleaning
Maybe o
People with bugger rather bits don't do this, but I have small rabbits so we have small cages that we put the rabbits in to take them to shows. They're not very big and easy to clean. I take out the litter like normal and clean it like I do with trays. Before I do the scent pellets and litter however, we have found out that using Puppy Pads used for house training dogs are great to put on the bottom and easy to change. And lastly, we put on the scent pellets and litter.

I hope that this helped and would like to gear how other people clean cages!

 

[Ducklove74]

I have one indoor bun that I use puppy pads under cage in a tray...this has worked out well at not only controlling odor but ease of cleaning as I can just roll up puppy pads and toss all out with very little effort getting most of everything out at once. I did buy some cheap vinyl sticky tile to line his tray to make it easier to wipe clean... he does have a litter box in his cage which he uses the majority of the time which also helps keep mess to minimum. I clean his litter box every 2 or 3 days and remove puppy pads and change everything out when I notice it's dirty or if it starts to smell which is about every 2 to 3 weeks. He comes out to play in the house and doesn't potty outside the cage. Which he did until I started putting litter box in with him. My rabbits outside have hutches with fully enclosed hide boxes and wire bottoms...they use bathroom in wire part except for 1 buck that insists on using his hide. Which I use dustpan to clean everything out..it's outside so I hose it out and let dry when it gets bad..the rest I just rake out under then every couple months.

 

[Ducklove74]

And, just an FYI, I find if I use litter over the puppy pads it holds the stink...try a little litter box if possible...this can be easily cleaned more often so no stinky saturated bedding.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

And, just an FYI, I find if I use litter over the puppy pads it holds the stink...try a little litter box if possible...this can be easily cleaned more often so no stinky saturated bedding.

I use a triangle rabbit litter box for Natzumi and Pearl in their Hutch
I tried one with Whilber but he would just throw it around

 

[northernnevadahollandlops]

Your system sounds a lot like mine. In the litter trays under the grate I put pelleted horse bedding in the bottom. In their beds, it's a layer of the pelleted bedding, then a thick layer of straw, and then I sprinkle Timothy hay on top to snack on. The soiled spots and smaller litter trays get cleaned out every week, and the beds get a full refresh every month. I used puppy pads in the bottom of the bigger trays for was of clean up. My buns are outdoors with lots of airflow, so I haven't noticed a smell build up.

 

[Ducklove74]

I use a triangle rabbit litter box for Natzumi and Pearl in their Hutch
I tried one with Whilber but he would just throw it around

My boy inside is a Flemish and so uses a large cat litter box, but he also likes to move it around to where he wants it...I tried attaching it to side of his cage..he spent all night banging and pulling it until he broke it free...now that I allow him to move it to where he chooses he leaves it be. But, it's in center of his cage...lol..I guess he likes his potty in middle and not the corner

 

[northernnevadahollandlops]

My boy inside is a Flemish and so uses a large cat litter box, but he also likes to move it around to where he wants it...I tried attaching it to side of his cage..he spent all night banging and pulling it until he broke it free...now that I allow him to move it to where he chooses he leaves it be. But, it's in center of his cage...lol..I guess he likes his potty in middle and not the corner

That is hilarious! At least he's using it, right!?

 

[Ducklove74]

That is hilarious! At least he's using it, right!?

Exactly! Lol..He's such a silly big guy. When we got him it was very hot outside and had already lost 2 litter mates from the heat before coming to us, so we decided to keep him inside for a bit. Of course, that turned into forever ...he is such a character...my daughter will jump and imitate a binky and then he runs a loop and does it too.

 

[ladysown]

In my wire cages with trays... no bedding at all, just daily cleaning.
I have two solid bottom cages where I use litter pans and a product called three-in-one bedding. Composts easily. I find does leave the litter box alone, the bucks tend to move them around.

I can't fathom leaving dirty trays under cages... the ammonia produced is horrible for bunny lungs.

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

I've had rabbits for about 7 years now, and I have came up with good bedding ideas over time. This bedding being what collects your rabbits poop and urine. Here is how I go through my rabbits' bedding. There are three different example I will talk about here.

Problem 1: Normal Cleaning
(Except for Wilber and Pearl with her mother, who all live in bug cages or hutch) My rabbits live in three vertically stacked wire bottom cages with trays that slide in underneath. They usually pee always in one corner or spot. When it's time to clean them, I pull out the tray, scoop out the gross and dirty spots with a small dustpan, then deposit the used bedding into a plastic bag, like the ones from Walmart or HyVee. Once those are gone, I sprinkle on some Gain scent pellets, to help with any bad smell. After that, all I need to do is fill up the empty spaces with litter. (The litter I use are short fat yellowish pellets used for horse stalls, will add on pictures.)

Problem 2: Full Tray Cleaning
Usually once a month or a month and a half (or maybe even two months) I need to clean out the full trays. To start off, I get rid of all of the bedding in the trays by either dumping them outside somewhere out of the way, or put it in an empty rather bit food or litter bag (which I seal up with duck tape when full, then either dump it outside or just put it in the big trash can) after this, I clean the trays with Fantastic and paper towels. Lastly, I do what I do with normal cleaning and put scent pellets on the bottom and fill the tray with litter.

Problem 3: Travel Cage Cleaning
Maybe o
People with bugger rather bits don't do this, but I have small rabbits so we have small cages that we put the rabbits in to take them to shows. They're not very big and easy to clean. I take out the litter like normal and clean it like I do with trays. Before I do the scent pellets and litter however, we have found out that using Puppy Pads used for house training dogs are great to put on the bottom and easy to change. And lastly, we put on the scent pellets and litter.

I hope that this helped and would like to gear how other people clean cages!

Good ideas. However, the Gain scent pellets are a bad idea. Health Risks of Chemically Scented Products for Pets and People - IBPSA

Liver Tumors, Brain & Kidney Damage, Weird Allergy-Like Symptoms & Headaches Linked to Candle & Shampoo Ingredients

They aren't healthy for pets or people and affect pets quicker than people
Thanks for all the ideas for bedding. Very useful

Liz

 

[MnCanary]

I am using PDZ on wet spots, just a sprinkle like salt on a pretzel. Then I sprinkle fresh bedding on top of the PDZ. It works quite well at absorbing ammonia. I've got a couple of guinea pigs in a run with a closed box on one end so they can get into it a stay warm. The ammonia build-up was bad in the box. The PDZ sprinkled in there reduced the ammonia smell to almost nothing.

I use it for rabbits, too. They look at it, sniff and then ignore it. It's quite useful in a nest box.

PDZ is just zeolite

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Sometimes when there's a bit of water spilled on the ground I put some litter on it and it soaks up pretty fast