Screen Wire For Litter Sifting

[pshepard]

Has anybody tried using screen wire (the kind you use on screened doors and windows) as a system for cleaning litter boxes? I saw this commercial for a cat litter sifter called sift and toss: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBEwKxgU1wA[/ame] and thought that this would be a great idea for my rabbit's litter box. You can't get these types of sifters for a small corner litter box though (that I could find at least) so I thought about buying a roll of screen wire and cutting it to fit her litter box. I could put 7 pieces in the pan and dump the litter on top and every day just lift one of the screens up to clean her litter box and then when I run out I know it's been a week and I can do a thorough clean of her box and redo the system again. I figured someone else would have done this before but I searched online and found nothing. What do you all think?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

There are some issues with sifters like that. They really rely on using clumping litters which should not be used with rabbits. Litters usually recommended for rabbits (wood or paper pellets) don't fit through the screen.
The litter boxes you see with a screen are mostly to keep the rabbit off the dirty litter. You still have to scoop out the litter or dump it when dirty.

What I do is I use wood pellet litter. It is basically compressed saw dust, so when it gets wet to breaks down. I use a cat litter scoop, I mix up all the litter in the box and then scoop up a small amount and gently shake it into a garbage bag. The fine bits fall through leaving the bit pieces of litter and the poops. I do use a grate to help keep the poops out of the litter. It does take a bit of work, but not a ton.

 

[LakeCondo]

That might work with clumping litter, but not for non-clumping. All you'd filter out is the poop. HOWEVER, I have a system that's even better. I haven't posted about it until now, but it's been nearly 6 months now, so I know it works.

You'll need the screen wire, plus some window fiberglass window screen as well. The wire alone has sharp edges & I wasn't sure if it would bother Honey's feet or not. Because I Knew I was using fiberglass, I got wire mesh with larger spacing than you'd want in most windows, like 1/4" holes. Anyway cut up enough pieces that when they stack they add up to 1" thick or more. Then take a piece of fiberglass that's at least 3" wider & 3" longer than the other pieces, center it over them, tuck the ends under & fasten with duct tape all around.

I pick up the poop off the top daily & every day or 2 pour the urine into a jar that goes outside or into the toilet immediately. Unless your rabbit drinks lots of water, I'd add some diluted vinegar water to the litter box immediately after emptying it.

Try it, you'll like it. We are litter free.




PS Your rabbit must be Honey's cousin, as their surnames are both Hoppins lol.

 

[pshepard]

I think I see what you mean. If you ever have a chance to post a picture that would be helpful though! And yes, maybe they are cousins! Haha!

Another question for the both of you, why isn't clumping cat litter considered a good idea? I've used it since I got her close to two months ago. I tried using some other stuff I found at a pet store but she kept eating the litter and the bag said it could harm them if they eat too much of it so I went back to regular kitty litter.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Clumping litter is a danger as it will clump in the intestine if eaten. That can lead to a serious blockage which would require lots of vet bills and can result in the death of the rabbit.
Other clay litters are a problem as they tend to be dusty which can cause respiratory problems.
Any litter can be an issue if the rabbit were to eat a lot of it. While small amounts might not be an issue, if your rabbit is eating a lot, then it can be a problem. Using a grate to keep the rabbit off the litter does help, but it is still good to use a litter that won't be a big problem if the rabbit were to get at it.

 

[LakeCondo]

pshepard wrote:

I think I see what you mean. If you ever have a chance to post a picture that would be helpful though! .

No photos, but look at the indoor dog systems [Amazon etc]. I thought of trying one but I knew that rabbits would chew up the artificial turf. So I tried screening, saw the problem with it, then added the fiberglass. A bottom layer of plastic mesh might help keep the metal dry. I'm not sure if you can get them large enough, but the plastic mesh for needlepoint would be good.

And Honey's in the 4-5 lb range, so if you have a heavier rabbit, 1" thick might not be enough, in which case you might want to divide it into 2 layers so the tape will be wide enough to hold it together.

 

[purewater]

What size screen do you all use as the sifter? Do you use something super fine like a 100 x 100 wire mesh screen for filters or something more like a 10 x 10 wire cloth screen filter? I asssume these numbers are the "wires per inch number" I see here....http://www.bwire.com/