Bedding PSA

[swarning1222]

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience with bedding. I’ve always used aspen pine shavings and just recently switched to pine pellets and this. Is. A. Game. Changer! My rabbits are 5 and 6 years old and have their own room, and I have been battling their mess frustrated for years! I had it in my mind that the shavings were the best for them and didn’t want to switch. I am so glad I did! These pellets don’t get stuck to everything like the shavings, and when they inevitably thrown them and their hay on the floor and pee on it, it soaks it right up and dries out into a sort of dust, which is way easier to clean and doesn’t leave puddles on the floor. And smells way better. If you haven’t switched yet do it! (The only down side so far is it’s a bit crummy and tracks)
Now if anyone could help me with my problem of the mess, advice would be appreciated! I have totes with holes cut in them for them to get in and out with their hay and bedding inside. I’ve also tried totes with shorter walls. Nothing seems to stop them from taking the entire contents of the boxes and throwing them on the floor. I’ve tried the plastic bag holder things and stuff like that to put the hay in and they will not eat it out of anything like that.

 

[Blue eyes]

Agreed! The wood pellets are great for litter -- odor and convenience.

I'm guessing your rabbits like to dig the litter box until it's empty? Are you putting hay on top of the wood pellets (sounds like it)? Do you have a photo of what you've tried? I was going to attach a couple of pics with some options but it may be what you've already tried.

 

[swarning1222]

Yes! They dig everything out of it and throw it on the floor! Then proceed to pee on it. And it’s mostly my one female who isn’t spayed due to head tilt. I try to put the bedding in half of the tote and the hay in the other side. I’ve tried using a smaller container placed inside of the bigger one for the hay but had the same outcome. I just switched to this tote for one (I have the other tote set up the usual way I do it still) hoping digging the hay out from under that partial lid to eat it will satisfy their digging needs but they’re not even bothering with it to eat it lol

 

[Blue eyes]

Have you tried anything like this? The hay does not have to be in a rack with this setup. It's fine to put it directly on top of the wood pellets.

 

[NYAngela]

I put a cookie drying rack on top of the pine pellets to prevent digging & laying in it. (The hay goes in the black wire basket)

 

[boisterous]

We use a combination of shavings (on top) and paper litter (below). The shavings seem more amenable to the rabbit, though they’re not very absorbent, which is why we use brown paper underneath. We get all our stuff from Small Pets Select.

We also like the pine pellets, stopped using them because I felt we were either using them too much or weren't "metering" their usage properly...in any case, we were happy with those too but maybe just felt that our current combination was a better bang for buck. We might go back though, now that we have read your post! thanks for the idea.

 

[Milousmom]

I put a cookie drying rack on top of the pine pellets to prevent digging & laying in it. (The hay goes in the black wire basket)

Question for you, do you find that the cookie rack hurts their feet. I've been thinking of using one too so that his feet stay a little cleaner, and less hay gets wasted, but I'm afraid it might cause sore hocks (though he's never had an issue with that).

 

[NYAngela]

Question for you, do you find that the cookie rack hurts their feet. I've been thinking of using one too so that his feet stay a little cleaner, and less hay gets wasted, but I'm afraid it might cause sore hocks (though he's never had an issue with that).

Put hay on top of the grates as well!

 

[swarning1222]

These are all great ideas thank you!