Very silly litterbox question

[Double N]

This is so odd....but I really have no idea of the answer!

Now I know clumping litter is a HUGE no-no for buns. I figured as much even before I came on here.

So....cleaning the litter box..... Do you just dump it out each day? I wouldn't think you could scoop it like you do a cat's (as the little poops would just fall right through the slots!). Doesn't that end up being a ton of money wasted?

 

[aurora369]

Some people use a plastic stitching screen to cover the litter so the poops don't get mixed with the litter. Then you can remove the screen (with poops) and just scoop out the wet parts of the litter box, saving most of the dry litter.

Most bunnies leave the screen alone, but some chew it. So you have to monitor them to make sure they are not eating the screen.

--Dawn

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I have not had much long term success with the plastic stitching screens. Penelope would chew them to bits and Lillian has started chewing them too. They are nice to keep the poops and hay from mixing with the litter, but they can be too small for some litter boxes, so you might have some poops on the edges.

With Korr and Penelope's litter boxes, I only use a large handful of litter with newspaper on the bottom. I dump the whole thing every other day. They have one in the back corner that they don't use as much, so that one moves to be the main box while the other once goes to the secondary box. They have wire screens in both boxes so they don't eat the litter or tear up the newspaper, but it doesn't separate the poops.
Lillian has the bottom of a small cage as her litter box. Due to it's size, I don't use newspaper. I just have a layer of litter of the bottom. I am currently looking for something to keep the poops out of the litter as she has chewed the stitching screen and I have tried a bug screen (for doors and windows), but it is not heavy enough. I can kind of scoop the wet litter into a garbage bag, but am left with the dry litter and poops in the pan which is annoying.

I have seen plastic baskets at the dollar store with a fine mesh on the bottom (like the stitching screen). I might buy a couple and see if I can get them to work.

 

[Double N]

So the plastic screen sits on TOP of the litter? Am I picturing this right?

And are you guys using something like Yesterday's News as litter?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I put the screen on top of the litter.
I use wood pellets designed for horses.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Here is my litter box with the plastic screen. The litter box was a square water pail with the sides cut off. The screen is cut to fit the litter box.

I use wood pellets that you can get from the hardware stores. A 40 lb. bag costs $5-$6 dollars and lasts way longer than any other litter. The wood pellets swell up and breaks down to sawdust when they get wet. I just scoop out the wet stuff and mix in more pellets daily.

By the way, these two are my new fosters. :dude:

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Pet_Bunny wrote:

By the way, these two are my new fosters. :dude:

Awwwww. Looks like baby Korrs.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

^^^ Stan, you have fosters???!!!
Must start a blog, post-haste!

Back on topic... yes, I actually do sift my litter for poops. You can customize the litter scoop to your bunny's poop size with a pair of wire cutters.
Eg. Evie has tiny poops, so I sift her poops out.
Slatey has big poops, so I sift the litter out.

 

[BethM]

My litter boxes have built-in screens. Each day, I use a litter scoop (with smaller holes) to scoop out poops and hay. Every two or three days, I lift the screen and scoop out the wet litter, replacing with fresh dry litter.
The wet litter usually stays together well enough to get most of it out. Some small bits will fall through or not be scoop-able.

Litter boxes are totally cleaned out (completely emptied, cleaned out with vinegar) every 7-10 days.

 

[Double N]

Okay, thanks guys! I guess I was thinking "cat" still. Because I know that if I put a screen on top of my cat's litter, they would have a litterbox strike!

I figured that if they couldn't see the litter, that they would really have no idea what it was for....but I guess it's all in training.

 

[elrohwen]

I only dump out my litter box twice a week. I have one 4lb bun and by the end of 3-4 days it doesn't even smell. I use Yesterday's News and only put enough in to cover the bottom - it quickly expands as it soaks up urine, so you don't need much to cover the bottom of the box.

ETA: I don't use a screen over my litter and don't find it necessary as my bun doesn't dig in his litter or make a mess with it. I, personally,wouldn't use a screen unless necessary because it's just one more thing to clean - and it's not easy to get urine off ofagrid surface. I like the ease of cleaning just the flat plastic floor of the litter box.

 

[Runestonez]

We built litterboxes for all our kids...we use compressed pine pelleted horse bedding for our litterboxes and it works great. It turns to sawdust when it gets wet so we just scoop the wet areas and don't waste the litter. We scoop out the majority of the poops but once we have the wet litter out we leave the rest of the poops and scoop them the next time!

Here is a pic of one of our litterboxes!

Then we lift the grate and scoop out the dirty litter! Works great!

Lets us keep the bunns hay high and dry too!

Danielle

 

[Double N]

Wow! I really like those!

What are the plastic grate things? Is the the stuff that's used for covering flourescent (sorry if I spelled it wrong...) lighting? That's what it looks like to me.

And is that just in a regular litter box??

 

[Runestonez]

We call it egg grating but yes it is for lighting...we just clipped it to the size we wanted and crazy glued egg grate feet to the bottom...keeps bunnys feet off of the litter and keeps his hay dry too!

We have 10 bunns and it has saved us a lot of money as far as wasting hay and litter is concerned...I made some for a lady who has jersey woolies and she was uber happy because there was less hay and litter caught in their fur! Since you only have to scoop the wet litter and bunny can't dig out the litter...it saves loads of time too. I was getting upset because I was spending more time cleaning litterboxes then I was playing with our bunns! Now...Problem solved!

You have to scoop at least every other day or it gets messy just like any other litterbox though! Works great with the compressed pine litter!

Danielle

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Runestonez wrote:

We built litterboxes for all our kids...we use compressed pine pelleted horse bedding for our litterboxes and it works great.  It turns to sawdust when it gets wet so we just scoop the wet areas and don't waste the litter.  We scoop out the majority of the poops but once we have the wet litter out we leave the rest of the poops and scoop them the next time!

Here is a pic of one of our litterboxes!

Then we lift the grate and scoop out the dirty litter!  Works great!

Lets us keep the bunns hay high and dry too!

Danielle

We have this to and I have used yesterdays new the horse bedding and cat litter. No I do not suggest cat litter but when I run out an can't get to the store. I used some of bosses litter.

It dos very well at keeping the hay dry I dont waste any hay at all. And storm does not pull hay all over the place cause he can get the hay through the holes.

This is storm the design is a little different. But was made by Rune to

here is another veiw

One of storm in his litter box

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

the grate is very easy to clean as long as you dont let it get bad with pee. I have even put it in my dishwasher no dishes in there of course.


The shipping is the worst but so worth it. and she puts all proceeds to donation.

 

[Fancy77]

I purchased my grates from Home Depot 4x2 sheet for 10.97

 

[JimD]

I change my litter pans every other day.
I use just enough wood pellet litter to cover the bottom of the pan, and I just dump the whole thing, wash and rinse the pan, and refill.
I have 8 rabbits and they go through a 30 lb bag of Woody Pet per week+ (I get 4 changes from a bag).

I like the hay rack Rune!
I've always been tempted to try something like that, but haven't been able to bring myself to actually BEND A NIC GRID!?!?!:shock:. I think I'll have to get over it though, because Brindle has decided that peeing on the hay on the floor of her cage is more fun than using the litter pan. :grumpy:Not fun for me-the-slave-who-cleans-it-up.

 

[Runestonez]

WOW!
That is alot of litter!:shock:

We use pine pellets...and we use a 30lb bag a month...we put just a thin layer on the bottom and scoop out just the WET litter...poops like to roll around....but if you are scooping everyday or everyother...you get the little suckers eventually! Then just top up to replace the litter you removed...voila!

We have 10 bunns ranging from nethies at 1.5 pounds to a mini lop at about 6 pounds...

I did promise to post pics of how to buildour litterbox and hay rack...I even took all new pics...and then I got busy...and never posted it.I know....bad me!

I begged hubby to help me build a wooden jig for bending NIC's...I was bending them by hand...and when OREO started selling them as part of their spring show...bending 30 at a time darn near killed me! lol:thud:

If you do take a whack at bending them...make sure the weld is NOT on the side...it will break every freaking time...lol...ask me how I figured THAT out!:grumpy:

It really does help cut back on waste...keeps white bunnies feet white! I am spastic about white feet! lol And it is FAST! Except when I goof off and play with each bunn...it technically takes me 30 minutes to change 10 litterboxes...but it took me 6 hours on the weekend!:biggrin2:

Danielle