Non Slip Grip

[lola_bunny]

My girlfriend and I just got a rabbit a few weeks ago, and are using cedar shavings on the plastic cage floor, as thats what she used when she had one as a child. The little dwarf lop seems to not be a fan though, as she scraps them all into one corner, and sits in the other on the plastic.

I also am not a fan of the shavings as they get all over and I have read they aren't good for her. I don't want to leave it bare bottom as the slippery plastic won't be good for her. We would continue putting litter in her litter box, but would it be acceptable to spray the plastic floor with rubber grip paint to allow easy cleaning AND grip for the bunny? I haven't found any examples of this being used, but can't see why it wouldn't work? any input?

 

[Tauntz]

Toss out the cedar shavings! Nothing in the cage is worse than cedar shavings! It is toxic to many animals, birds & bugs (that's why they use it to keep moths away!). I don't know your set up for the bunny but a piece of cardboard (uncolored) on the floor is fine or the Carefresh bedding. My bunnies are in an xpen with vinyl flooring & cardboard hidey boxes to play & sleep in. I would not spray rubber flooring on the plastic cage flooring. Bunnies will chew on it or anything they can get their teeth into.

 

[lola_bunny]

you think they will be able to chew into it? it will be like a coating of paint, there shouldn't be any edges for her to get at, it will be smooth but with far more grip for her paws than the slick plastic at the bottom of the cage. This is her current set up:

I don't see how she would chew it any more than she would chew the plastic floor?

 

[whitelop]

Those are pine shavings. They're not good either, but I guess better than cedar.

I would remove all the shavings, they don't need them. If shes pushing them to the side, then she doesn't like them either. Most rabbits do just fine with bare plastic on the bottoms of cages, slipping isn't usually a issue unless they're jumping in and out a lot. But they get used to the floors that they're on.
Getting a sea grass mat to put in the bottom of the cage would help with the slippery-ness and then she could eat it too. So it would help to occupy her as well.

My rabbit is usually free range in my kitchen, with hardwood floors. But now, shes in a exercise pen with a big 3x5 foot sea grass mat, her litter boxes and hidey boxes.

I would say that getting some pine pellets, which have the phenols cooked out of them would be better for litter and just in the litter box. It helps with litter training too, when the litter is just in the box. Pine pellets can be found at Tractor Supply as the EquinePine horse stall pellets. Or at Petsmart/Petco, as Feline Pine or some other generic name that I can't think of. Or if you wanted to get paper pellets(Yesterday's News) or Carefresh(critter care, is the cheaper stuff), those are also good litter options.


I wouldn't put any sort of rubber paint on the floor of the cage. If she eats it, it could be toxic. There are plenty of other rabbit friendly options for no slipping. As Tauntz suggested too, cardboard, just plain ole cardboard is good too. Its shredable and edible, so its good all around.