Rabbit Bedding - What's your favorite?

[PrairieBelle]

I'm getting a six hole stack of cages with my new rabbits ( :mbounce: :mbounce: :mbounce: :mbounce: :mbounce: :mbounce: ) this week and I'm wondering the best bedding to use in the trays. They'll be outside. I've heard good things about Dry Den, but I don't think we can get that in Iowa. And should I sprinkle diatomaceous earth or lime over the bedding as well to keep the odors down? I've only had hanging cages in the past so this whole tray thing is new to me :roll:<br /><br />__________ Mon Aug 19, 2013 1:02 pm __________<br /><br />Whoa, that's a lot of bouncing! My first time using similes on this forum
We are VERY exciting to be getting back in to rabbits though

 

[trinityoaks]

I use peat moss in my poo pans. We've had good success with that, changing it out once a week, and it's biodegradeable. Now that our rabbits are outside, we don't use poo pans on the lower cages, and when we get our new cage racks built, we'll have slant boards instead of poo pans for the upper cages.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Lol... lots of bouncing, for sure! New cages always make me bounce too!

When I have rabbits quarantined in the house in my aquarium, I use pelleted pine. You can buy the wood stove pellets or horse bedding. They are the same thing, so I just get whatever is less expensive at the time.

Just make sure no accelerant is used for the stove pellets. I have never seen such a thing myself, but we are in Commiefornia, land of the overbearing AQMD... other states may allow accelerants.

Some people like to use peat, but that is quite expensive here.

You will probably only need to use bedding in their potty corners, which will keep the trays from getting too heavy.

I think lime would be questionable that close to the rabbits. I use it under my hanging cages though. You could buy baking soda in bulk (I get mine at Costco) and use that for odor control.

 

[ckcs]

I use the pelleted pine horse stall bedding from Tractor Supply. I find it to be pretty cheap. It runs $5.99 per 40lb bag here. I scoop out the soiled sections weekly and refill the bedding as needed.

 

[pwacaviesrcool]

if you don't have a drop down pan could you use the peat moss right in there with the rabbits. Or would we be affraid of him eating it

 

[skysthelimit]

I'd be more worried about the bun getting dirty.

 

[PrairieBelle]

Thanks for the suggestions. I ended up getting some pelleted horse bedding. It was $4 something for 40 lbs.
also got some Diatomaceous earth / montmorillonite that was clearanced because of a hole in the bag. - is that safe to sprinkle in trays? I do have wire bottoms between the rabbits and the litter.

I saw peat moss on my way out, it was $9.99 for 2.2 cu ft. Is that a decent price? Anyone know if that much peat will last as long as 2 bags of pelleted bedding? I may try it next time and compare, see if I just like it better.

 

[skysthelimit]

Peat is very heavy in the trays, one of the reasons I stopped using it.

And the flies love it. They multiplied faster in the peat trays than the lime/pine flake mixture.

 

[PrairieBelle]

Peat is very heavy in the trays, one of the reasons I stopped using it.

And the flies love it. They multiplied faster in the peat trays than the lime/pine flake mixture.

EEW, good to know. :x

 

[amandainohio24]

We use pine shavings for horses ($4.99 for 50 lbs) and sprinkle in on some DE in our drop pans

 

[hoodat]

Corn cob pellets are great if you can find them in your area. Great absorbancy and harmless if they eat it.