Dri-Dek Tiles

Has anyone ever used Dri-Dek in their cages?

http://www.upco.com/dri-dek-tiles-12-x-12-click-more-info-for-colors

My manager uses it in an enclosed area for her dogs. She's had it for 10 years, and said it's virtually indestructable.

Penny has a bad habit of peeing outside the litter box every time I clean it, then she and Shadow hop through it, making a mess, and getting their paws filthy.

I thought this might be a good solution. It would keep them out of the mess anyway.

I don't have any experience but they look cool. My only concern would be if the rabbit urinates on it, does that mean you have to pull it up to clean underneath?

It sounds like a good idea but I wonder how it would be against the bun's hocks. The spacing in the grate might be too harsh? It's hard to tell from the pic. Also vinyl... I think bunnies can chew through that. If your bun is a chewed, I'd be careful. In addition I would suggest some soft incontinence bed pads made for humans. My bun (ironically named Penny too) peed on the floor every day for as long as I ever had her and she would also drag her wet tail all over because she'd hang out on/near her puddles. Allegromedical.com sells great bed pads that you can dispose of or reuse and wash. I almost lost my freakin mind before I bought some large bed pads. It instantly absorbs so there was less mess and the urine was always contained. Soft on feet too.

Which of those bed pads do you use, Helen? There are a ton of different ones on that site. Would she be able to chew it up?

Yes Amy, I would have to pull up the Dri-Dek and clean underneath, but at least the bunnies would be cleaner!

Maybe I could use the reusable pads underneath the dri-dek. Hmmm....

We use it at work, but I've never thought of using some for a rabbit.

Although it would keep them a little cleaner/drier, it would not keep them completely dry. It is not the same as wire and the urine can pool up on it.
They are also REALLY easily chewed up. And bunny mouths are smaller than dog mouths, so even if you hid the edges they could go and chew the holes. They definitely aren't indestructible, though they can last a long time with non-chewers.

If your bun isn't a big chewer I suppose it could be a good idea, but I like kirbyultra's idea a lot better.

kirbyultra wrote:

I almost lost my freakin mind before I bought some large bed pads.

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I'm getting there. She's doing it regularly now.

I know she's doing it on purpose. I think she's mad at me for cleaning!

Snuggys Mom wrote:

kirbyultra wrote:

I almost lost my freakin mind before I bought some large bed pads.

Click to expand...

I'm getting there.  She's doing it regularly now. 

I know she's doing it on purpose.  I think she's mad at me for cleaning! 

 

 

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I know *exactly* what you're feeling. I've tried to get into her head a million times to figure out what's triggering her. Am I upsetting her? Is something going on at home that scares her or annoys her? Is it what she eats? Is it the time of day? Is it something I'm doing? The TV? The other rabbits? My husband? -- I never figured it out. I just knew every single morning without fail, there'd be urine on the floor and she had dragged her wet tail around all over the place. Sometimes she'd do it a couple times a day just to make me extra mad.

At the end of August I finally bought these bed pads to line her cage. And she's part of a bonded pair, so it pained me to have to separate her at night into a smaller space just so she would HAVE to urinate in that space overnight. It made my life a lot easier because cleanup was relatively contained. I bought the smaller one at first but she learned how to lift it up , and pee under it. So I ended up getting the second-to-largest one that completely covered her pen and clipped it down at the edges. If you use it under the dri dek, size might not matter as much. Anyway, 30 weeks after I got her from the shelter, she just turned around and decided to stop peeing on the floor. She does it sporadically now but she's gone a whole 7 days without an accident now, so I'm crossing my fingers that she's figured it all out.

http://www.allegromedical.com/incontinence-c525/grayson-reusable-bedpads-p193256.html <-- different sizes available

Good luck!

Thanks, Helen. Her cage is 29" x 58", so I wonder if I could sew two together. Otherwise, she'll find the edge and dig it all up, and get even angrier at me!

I have to admit I like her diva attitude, but the pee is too much!