keeping that rabbit smell to a minimum?

[minimoomin]

Anyone got any tricks they use to stop the smell of rabbit escaping the rabbit hutch?

 

[Watermelons]

Clean daily? Typically an altered rabbit who is litter trained and gets their box cleaned daily or even every other day wont smell.

 

[Blue eyes]

Agreed. How the cage and litter box is set up is the key. A large litter box with a good litter (I like the wood pellets) and topped with hay does wonders.

I currently have two (fixed) rabbits that share a large litter box. I change it out every 3 days. There is zero smell coming from the cage. The cage is kept in the family room so we would all surely notice if there was an issue.

I devoted a page on my site to explaining how to have an odor-free set up. You can see that here.

 

[dustydog]

We use Yesterdays News no scent. They say it's for cats but it is perfect and very safe for bunnies We never smell the litter box.

 

[Bucktooth]

I use yesterday's news too, and the litter doesn't smell but man sometimes those rabbits stink up the room! I found that as they grew they would sometimes overshoot the litter box sides and it rolls under the litter box and then it smells bad even after I just cleaned the box completely (I empty it daily). I bought a taller litter box today maybe that's what's happening to you

 

[fluffybuns]

Try putting a bowl of baking soda near the hutch.

 

[fluffybuns]

Also, use a layer of wood pellets beneath a layer of hay in bun's litter box. That's what I use and the smell isn't noticeable.

 

[Channahs]

I also use the wood pellets with a screen on top. My bun urinates in one corner of the litter box. I scoop that corner with a big slotted spoon removing poos and the pellets that are broken down into wet sawdust at least once but mostly twice a day. Hay does get mixed down into the pellets and I don't even try to separate that out. Somehow the hay helps to neutralize the smell. There's absolutely no smell from his room UNLESS he's actually on the litter box. LOL I can smell from the next room (my office) when he's doing his business and yes, he's neutered, but that smell dissipates. I'm really very happy with this set up and even more happy that my guy is so wonderful with his litty box habits.

 

[ShreddersMom]

I'm a newbie bunny owner but I use newspaper and aspen shavings on top with some shredded newspaper on top of that. I change it approx every three days and there is no smell. I also live in one room in a student house with my bunny free range and there are no smell problems. And student houses are gross as they are with not much ventilation as it is a basement room but you can't smell bunny. Changing litter regularly is the key!

 

[PipkinbunRibb]

I'm a newbie bunny owner but I use newspaper and aspen shavings on top with some shredded newspaper on top of that. I change it approx every three days and there is no smell. I also live in one room in a student house with my bunny free range and there are no smell problems. And student houses are gross as they are with not much ventilation as it is a basement room but you can't smell bunny. Changing litter regularly is the key!

I would avoid the Aspen shavings as they can irritate the bunny bum :bunnybutt:
I use carefresh ultra and clean the litter daily. Carefresh is a bit more expensive than others, and isn't necessary, there are many other cheaper alternatives! Just stay away from the wood shavings because these can irritate the bunny's respiratory system along with skin. Using a cage cleaner and deodorizer really helps. Basically if you can smell the cage, that means it needs to be cleaned.And yes having your rabbit spayed or neutered also can help reduce the strong urine smell! :goodluck

 

[ShreddersMom]

Is it one of those things that build up over time? Like if I haven't had a problem should I stop anyway? Could I use wood pellets or something in the bottom? Or cat litter?

 

[Leopold_Ruby]

I use a paper flyer, then a layer of pine pellets, then yesterday news in my rabbits boxes. Makes for fast clean up.

 

[Blue eyes]

Is it one of those things that build up over time? Like if I haven't had a problem should I stop anyway? Could I use wood pellets or something in the bottom? Or cat litter?

Wood pellets work just great. There really is no need for various layers other than topping with hay. I used to use Yesterdays News unscented, but then discovered the wood pellets through this forum. I switched for economy and was super pleased with the results. The pellets arguably work better for odor control than even the Yesterdays News.

I have always understood that pine and cedar shavings are to be avoided, but that aspen is just fine. I find any shavings to be messy. That's why I like the pelleted litters.

Simple is easy. So here is how I set up my litter box.

 

[ShreddersMom]

Thanks for the response!

The reason I use shredder paper is because my picky little bunbun would go on the floor with just shavings of with cat litter. It was only when I used paper that he used the box.
So now I'm trying to find more absorbant things to put in the bottom and the paper on top so that he still uses the box...

I think I will try the wood pellets though. the paper on top is but a handful to make sure that Shredder does't have a change of heart about wanting to use his litter box....