Litter?

[tori]

What kind of litter do you all use? When I had my Mini Rexes we used Fresh Step but on that Martha Stewart video the guy said to use a heavy type of litter, not powery. I don't think I ever really had any problems with it though. They liked to sleep on it more than anything :twitch:

 

[Spring]

Hi there!
I use wood pellets that are used for horse bedding. You can find them at any feed store. They are great at absorbing and awesome odour control! Prety cheap too, as I can get 40lbs for around $6. Then I just top it off with LOTS of hay for munching, and it works wonderfully!

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I use wood chips mixed with the walmart brand of carefresh.

 

[snap]

For Harper I use Kay-tee Soft-sorbent or something to that effect. He doesn't particularly use a litter box, but he uses half of the bottom of his cage.

For Popcorn and Nissan I just use newspaper and a big layer of coastal hay with timothy at one end.

 

[Happi Bun]

Be careful with wood chips that you're not using Cedar or straight Pine. Pelleted litter is best in my opinion. Feline Pine, Wood Stove Pellets, Yesterday News are all really great brands.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

I know Happi Bun. But even if it was regular Pine it would be ok in only a litter box in a big pen. It is when it covers the floor and the rabbit can not get away from it is when you must worry, or so I believe.

 

[tonyshuman]

Pretty much all cat litter is bad for bunnies, except feline pine and yesterday's news. I use wood stove pellets.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

tonyshuman wrote:

Pretty much all cat litter is bad for bunnies, except feline pine and yesterday's news. I use wood stove pellets.

Yep, I used YD for years and just started using FP, Bun likes it so far, that's what I look for is how much they hate it when you change it, haha.

 

[tori]

Thank you all so much Like I said, I don't think it really bothered them, and they liked to sleep on it more than anything, but I definitely won't be using it again. But just out of curiosity, what is it in those cat litters that is bad for them? What does it do? Again, just curious and wanting to learn more



AngelnSnuffy wrote:

tonyshuman wrote:

Pretty much all cat litter is bad for bunnies, except feline pine and yesterday's news. I use wood stove pellets.

Yep, I used YD for years and just started using FP, Bun likes it so far, that's what I look for is how much they hate it when you change it, haha.

What would you look for to be able to tell that they don't like it?

 

[Sweetie]

I use critter litter. Prince lays in it, digs in it, not sure if he ingests it or not. But it is safe for both my rabbits. Sweetie has it in her litterbox too. But she cannot dig in it or lay in it as I have the litterbox that has a wire top on it.

 

[irishbunny]

I use wood shavings for bedding horses, I buy a huge, white bag from the farm supply that lasts me about 2 months for three rabbits, but I put it all over their cages, for litter boxes it would last alot longer. I love it, it soaks up well and smells really nice and fresh right up until cleaning day every Saturday.

 

[maherwoman]

Spring wrote:

Hi there!
I use wood pellets that are used for horse bedding. You can find them at any feed store. They are great at absorbing and awesome odour control! Prety cheap too, as I can get 40lbs for around $6. Then I just top it off with LOTS of hay for munching, and it works wonderfully!

EXACTLY what I was going to post!

 

[tonyshuman]

Cat litter is bad because when it gets wet it sticks together. Most of the pelleted litters do the opposite--when they're wet, they fall apart. You don't want a litter that gets more sticky and makes big globs going into your bunny because it will stop up the intestines. Cat litter can even suck water out of the intestinal walls near it and cause really bad stasis (dry litter + dry intestines = no moving at all).

It can be done, but cat litter isn't that much cheaper than wood pellets, and the risk of them eating it and getting in really big trouble with GI stasis is quite high.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

tori wrote:

Thank you all so much Like I said, I don't think it really bothered them, and they liked to sleep on it more than anything, but I definitely won't be using it again. But just out of curiosity, what is it in those cat litters that is bad for them? What does it do? Again, just curious and wanting to learn more



AngelnSnuffy wrote:

tonyshuman wrote:

Pretty much all cat litter is bad for bunnies, except feline pine and yesterday's news. I use wood stove pellets.

Yep, I used YD for years and just started using FP, Bun likes it so far, that's what I look for is how much they hate it when you change it, haha.

What would you look for to be able to tell that they don't like it?

They will literally kick it out of the litter pan.(Need scared emot! lol)

We just got Feline Pine and he hasn't kicked any out, so strange! LOL.

 

[DazyDaizee]

Clay cat litter is also really dusty.. no good for rabbit respiratory tracts.

I use Yesterday's News with hay on top. I have used woodstove pellets, Feline Pine, Carefresh back in the day, some Corn Cob stuff a long time ago. I've stuck with YN for several years now.. I just think the odor control is the best, yet it doesn't have it's own odor which I like. Also my bunnies liked digging in the Carefresh and I had way too many rats get mites after using it in their litter pans. If cost is an issue, I'd definitely recommend the woodstove pellets, though.