Mesh on the litter box

[ariusshadow]

So I have this black plastic mesh screening that can go over the litterboxes to prevent wasting of litter. I scoop urine clumps out of the wood pellet litter, but poop covers it all and wastes what I try to save. So now we're going to try this idea of putting mesh screening over the boxes. Now, I know I've seen a choice few people do this sort of thing before. I'm just not sure how. I can't think of how to attach these things to the litter boxes and not make them permanent, as they will need to be removed for cleaning the boxes... Anyone have any ideas/testimonials/input?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I just put the litter in and put the screen on top. Since I have rabbits that chew plastic screens, I also put a wire screen on top.
When I clean the boxes, I take the wire screen out and brush the hay/poop off onto the plastic one. I then fold the plastic screen and dump all the hay and poop into a garbage bag. Then I scoop the wet litter. The screens then go back and the litter box is put pack in the cage. When I need to dump all the litter, I just dump all the hay and poop into the box, dump that into a garbage bag, clean the box and add new litter.

 

[LV426]

Try here for an idea.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=53690&forum_id=93

 

[ariusshadow]

LV426 wrote:

Try here for an idea.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=53690&forum_id=93

Yes, I've seen that before.
I'd prefer to not use light screening or something hard like that. I've had a few buns reject litter boxes that are hard on their feet...
But they way they made feet for the screen intrigues me... I'll have to brainstorm. Thanks.

 

[ariusshadow]

Korr_and_Sophie wrote:

I just put the litter in and put the screen on top. Since I have rabbits that chew plastic screens, I also put a wire screen on top.
When I clean the boxes, I take the wire screen out and brush the hay/poop off onto the plastic one. I then fold the plastic screen and dump all the hay and poop into a garbage bag. Then I scoop the wet litter. The screens then go back and the litter box is put pack in the cage. When I need to dump all the litter, I just dump all the hay and poop into the box, dump that into a garbage bag, clean the box and add new litter.

I wasn't sure about putting it on top, since Jasper, my Flemish mix, tends to throw everything in her cage she possibly can. I'm worried she'll just throw this, too... I may end up trying it, though, if I can't think of anything else. Thanks for the comment.

 

[missyscove]

I have a plastic screen for one of my two rabbits and it just sits on top. My other bun, Timmy, chews his up if we give him one so he just gets a less - pristine litter box.

 

[SOOOSKA]

I use the plastic screen for my bunnies too, a few of them chew them though. Kate what kind of wire screen do you put on top of the screen? Do you have a picture of it?

Thanks

Susan

 

[Tweetiepy]

Weird idea here but it may work - I too made the Runestonez litter box (I LoooOOOooove it) but my bunny does ALL his business in one corner - next to his hay bin - it piles up quickly too. After the first day I shake up the litter a bit to re-distribute the poops in that upper section so that it won't come up through the grate until that second day. I use only a bit of the wood pellets in that upper corner to absorb pee and scatter a few along the edge for smaller pees. My bunny loves his litter, he'll sit/lay/lounge in there a good part of the day.

What if you put a light grate on the top - like the Runestonez litter - but put a smaller grate or mesh underneath that to collect the poop - that way the pee would go on the litter material but the poops would stay above that so you could just chuck those out and save the unused litter material? Use the mesh like a grading system, larger items - like feet - stay on the top level mesh, smaller items - like poop and probably hay - go through the top grate but get collected on the lower grate and all liquids go directly to the bottom.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We do a couple of different things with the litter boxes. First, we got some very tall boxes and cut a couple of small holes in the sides. We then fill a litter pan with hand shredded newspaper as we have an abundant supply and then place it inside the box. It gives our bunnies a fortress of solitude as well as a place to hide and play--they can entertain themselves for hours. Sometimes the only way we can find Coal is when the paper is moving or when her name is called her ears poke up through or she pops up like a prairie dog. We also use a large mesh wire and place it over kiln dried wood shavings. The mesh is the same as is over vents on a house so it is stiff enough to hold it's shape and allows the wood to absorb urine while keeping pellets from falling through. We take the screen and dump it off daily as we have nine rabbits, which equals a lot of poo. We alternate the boxes around the room--out of five in one spot, two have wood shaving and three have paper. Also, we put a little paper over the screen as it will also soak up urine and gets cleaned daily--which enables us to let the wood go for three or four days before needing a spot cleaning as our bunnies tend to concentrate in one area. Been doing this for more than 8 years now and not one complaint!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

SOOOSKA wrote:

I use the plastic screen for my bunnies too, a few of them chew them though. Kate what kind of wire screen do you put on top of the screen? Do you have a picture of it?

Thanks

Susan

I use hardware cloth. The holes are about 1cm by 1cm.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

ariusshadow wrote:

I can't think of how to attach these things to the litter boxes and not make them permanent, as they will need to be removed for cleaning the boxes... Anyone have any ideas/testimonials/input?

I cut my plastic screens to fit the litter box so the bunnies can't pull them out or nibble on the edges. Pebbles still had the original screen (five years) before she passed away.

 

[ariusshadow]

Well, for now I've decided to just set the plastic on top, and it seems to be working. Thanks all for your input. If Jasper starts throwing it, I'll have to come up with something else.