how do you feel about corn cob bedding?

[bubblybunnylover]

I saw it today at a pet store and I was wondering if I should buy it for my bunny.Anyone have any experiences with it? They say it's for all types of birds and also good for bunny bedding.

I can't really explain it since I've never brought the stuff but here's some pictures:
http://www.farmersandplanters.com/06621393_p.jpg
http://www.pets-warehouse.com/pic-s/SLM60481.jpg

(is the stuff really messy and hard to clean?)

 

[tonyshuman]

Hi, the problem with this is that it's not very digestible, and it scatters a lot when they jump in and out of the litterbox. The corn cobs just sit in the intestines and can cause a blockage because they absorb water inside the body and expand.

 

[Myia09]

i got something similar by accident when the feed store didn't give me horse pellets..but another brand..

It doesn't absorb well, and it smells. It is pretty awful I must say, and it is really rough on the bunny feet!

 

[bubblybunnylover]

tonyshuman wrote:

Hi, the problem with this is that it's not very digestible, and it scatters a lot when they jump in and out of the litterbox. The corn cobs just sit in the intestines and can cause a blockage because they absorb water inside the body and expand.

that sounds terrible! why would they want to give this to rabbits?

 

[bubblybunnylover]

Myia09 wrote:

i got something similar by accident when the feed store didn't give me horse pellets..but another brand..

It doesn't absorb well, and it smells. It is pretty awful I must say, and it is really rough on the bunny feet!

that's really gross rabbit poo smells bad already i cant imagine it worse.

 

[Myia09]

bubblybunnylover wrote:

Myia09 wrote:

i got something similar by accident when the feed store didn't give me horse pellets..but another brand..

It doesn't absorb well, and it smells. It is pretty awful I must say, and it is really rough on the bunny feet!

that's really gross rabbit poo smells bad already i cant imagine it worse.

My rabbit poo does not smell at all; just dried poops!

It is the pee that is bad

 

[Myia09]

bubblybunnylover wrote:

tonyshuman wrote:

Hi, the problem with this is that it's not very digestible, and it scatters a lot when they jump in and out of the litterbox. The corn cobs just sit in the intestines and can cause a blockage because they absorb water inside the body and expand.

that sounds terrible! why would they want to give this to rabbits?

They sell a lot of things that are not good for a lot of animals; like dog/cat food. If I can only ask why Meow Mix makes the food it does.

But esp in the exotic animal world, there is alot of "bad" products, you just have to do your research

It is also misunderstanding..just like bunnies like carrots. A lot of unexperianced owners will feed thier rabbits carrots as almost a main food due to misconceptions.

 

[andreabaylon]

yeah I liked this stuff for its price and "green" factor but it does not absorb; i ended up pouring our all the urine when I changed it! Which yes of course meant that it smelled. but the green factor really is important. i think that if you got one of those scatter-proof peepee corners it might be okaaaaaay...:?:?

 

[tonyshuman]

Huh that's interesting that it didn't absorb the urine! We used to use it for our gerbils when I was a kid, and I don't remember that happening. Anyway, it's probably best not to use corncob.

If you want a green solution you can use recycled/leftover paper products like Yesterday's News and Carefresh, which are a bit expensive. You can also make your own paper pulp litter by mashing up junk mail and letting the paper pulp you produce dry. I think wood stove pellets are also a byproduct of the lumber industry--all the sawdust produced from cutting made into a pellet, so they're greener as well. I like that all of these things are compostable!

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Have you got a paper shredder? We'll mix Yesterday's News, wood pellets and shredded paper in litter boxes. Shredded paper is more messy when the buns take a flying leap in and out of the litters but softer on tender feet of less-abled or elderly family, and reduces the amount of purchased litter-box bedding. I know spam mail gets recycled that way! Thumbs down on corncob bedding. Knew of a shelter-story bun who consumed the clay cat litter nuggets and on necropsy his/her stomach revealed the ingested material.

Ditto the input from ^ everyone! A lot of stuff out there isn't good, yet stores and companies still market it. :X

 

[bubblybunnylover]

oh my gosh that's terrible! Didn't anyone at the shelter offer to help the bunny?

 

[ShadowtheBun]

I use corn cob litter for bun and she loves to dig it. It never smells either. The litter will stay in the litter pan as long as you have an appropriate litter box mine is about 3 inches tall. I line my pan with newspaper and put hay in the corner and she seems to like it just fine and has never tried to eat any of the corn cob litter. It is a good choice if your bun doesn't eat it and is in-expensive as well.:happybunny: