How often do you clean your rabbit's cage and litter?

[Athena]

I try to clean my bunnies cages ever day to two days since there is a scary bunny virus that's most oftenly contracted by flies they are not completely litter traind either

 

[Alplily]

Niles and Eddie are still getting used to indoor life and have been pretty good about using their litter box (smallish litter pan with a layer of wood pellets). Their hay manger is positioned so they have to sit in the litter pan to eat. They were just neutered, so they are still pretty stinky. I dump and change the litter 3x per week. I think I am going to get some of those anti-smell pellets used in horse stalls to put under the wood pellets.

 

[Preitler]

Hm, wood pellets should do just fine, covered with hay, I don't even clean weekly, well the box is large, and my nose might be somewhat more tolerant than average...

There was a thread on that topic recently:
https://www.rabbitsonline.net/threads/how-do-i-get-rid-of-the-smell.92867/

Blue eyes has it pretty good summed up on her website: https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

 

[katlupe]

I clean "Rabbit's" cage daily. He has gotten to expect that and waits for me to wheel it back into it's spot when I am done and then he jumps right in. Every now and then I skip a day for some reason and try to do it early the next day, but when I do, I have a bigger mess to clean up. So for me, it is easier to clean daily and just part of my daily routine. I live in a small studio apartment and he free roams all the time so keeping it as clean as possible is in my best interest. I have never had an odor from it and it is not that far from my bed.

As far as taking the whole cage apart, well I do that maybe once a month, maybe just the tray underneath. It depends on the condition of the cage, though it stays pretty clean due to the daily cleaning.

 

[RWAF]

My rabbits don't have a cage, they have free range with a variety of places they can hide if they want to. They have a litter tray and the litter I use is wood based cat litter pellets. Great litter, I have used it (various brands) for over 20 years and while I have tried other litters, none measure up. (I understand that in North America people use stove pellets, which are very similar). There is no smell, they turn to powder when used and used patches are easily scooped out and replaced. Used litter is compostible, so ideal if you have a garden though keep it wet while it rots down. Because one of my rabbits in particular, Fearne, is quite naughty and will wee RIGHT NEXT TO the litter tray, I use (disposable) human incontinence sheets under and around the litter tray and they are great because I can just gather them up, along with any spilled hay and throw them away in one go.. It makes cleaning very much easier.

I completely clean out and disinfect the litter tray once a week

 

[Orrin]

I've been lurking and eavesdropping on this thread, learning a lot! I tried wood pellet bedding but my bunnies don't like it. After reading some of the above I've settled on a one-deep layer of pellets with pine shavings on top. It has made a world of difference in ease of clean-up. There is no urine build-up in the bottom of the litter box, now. When I dump them they come clean. Previously, I had to wash and dry them every time.

Thank you, all, who have contributed to this thread. You have made my bunny chores much easier and faster!

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I deep clean once or twice a week, and am soon going to switch over to a litter box as soon as he gets neutered.

 

[Blue eyes]

I tried wood pellet bedding but my bunnies don't like it. After reading some of the above I've settled on a one-deep layer of pellets with pine shavings on top.

Those using the wood pellets usually top them with hay (rather than wood shavings). The rabbits like to munch while 'going' and it keeps them off the wood pellets. - just a thought. Also if you use the pine shavings, check to be sure they are kiln dried to remove the harmful phenols.

 

[samoth]

I use wood pellets topped with shavings topped with hay .

My doe has a couple bare spots on her hocks from before I got her, so I try to make things a bit softer for her in there.

The shavings I use are paper (from Small Pet Select), so it's really soft... and my buck likes to much on it on occassion.

Downside is cleaning spoiled wood pellets if your bun's a digger. I clean twice a week, unless someone's on a digging spree -- then it's every 1-2 days.

 

[Blue eyes]

I use wood pellets topped with shavings topped with hay .
.

ha,ha.. you've got it all Do our bunnies ever know how spoiled they are?

 

[Greatoutdoors77]

I clean once a week. I use kiln dried Aspen shavings. It cleans up really well and there is no smell. He is 6 months old and fully litter trained. He is getting neutered mid January.

 

[lavendertealatte]

Well I've stopped doing daily cleaning.. got lazy. Now I clean whenever I feel like I can't stand it anymore. For the litterbox that's about once a week.

 

[samoth]

ha,ha.. you've got it all Do our bunnies ever know how spoiled they are?

Ha! Probably not, but we still love them -- destruction, messes, and all

 

[GriffindorLove]

Right now Griffin, my sweet boy is about 11 weeks old! I got him 2 weeks ago, and until I get him neutered (maybe Feb.?) I keep him in a x-pen with a variety of hidey homes, tunnels, toys and a big litter pan, when im at work or asleep. He was mostly litter trained when I got him...with only the occasional droppings around my living room area or under my Christmas tree so I am very happy with him and his good behavior! I haven't let him have run of the rest of my apartment yet, I feel like the area he has claimed now is manageable until any urges he will one day have of spraying until he's fixed.
Back to the topic of cleaning! His x-pen sits on top on 2 3' x 5' rugs I got at Home Depot, maybe $8-10 each, and that sits on top of a big piece of cardboard. I researched relentlessly on the flooring issue...coloroplast/chair floor mat/vinyl/ceramic/sheets/plastic-y table cloth, and the throwaway rugs are great for me (so far, its only been 2 weeks here!) and the price is ok. Since he keeps most poop in his box, I change that once a day. I use Yesterdays News compressed paper cat litter, and cover it with hay so he can munch and do his business. Its so easy to take a plastic bag, dumb everything, and refill. No worry of sticking on or smelling, or him digging and throwing the stuff everywhere! The routine is easy, certainly doesn't feel like a chore!

 

[lavendertealatte]

lol I researched a ton on flooring too Griffindorlove, and I'm still not that satisfied with what I have. You don't find the rugs difficult to clean?

 

[cwebster]

Am having to clean every day...Dutchess misses the box a lot and Arnold dumps his water a lot.

 

[GriffindorLove]

lavendertealatte- So far the rugs haven't been a problem with cleaning. Ive got a good vacuum for the hay and stuff when I don't spot clean. Other then his plush cat bed he did pee on (I had company over new years eve and I think I Ticked Him Off! lol hes just used to my son and i) he sticks strictly to his litter box. When I let him out of his xpen for a few hours, he still does great. Finding a little poo here and there is still totally fine with me.. and I know from what other people have said that the dreaded filled-with-crazy-hormones-teenager phase may be a bit more trying, so if that's the case, I plan on going to home depot for some stick and peel vinyl squares to protect the carpet under his xpen. Fingers crossed though on his good behavior, as I bet most people reading know this can all change tonight

 

[olobunny]

I clean up my rabbit's litter box once a week. To be honest, he doesn't use it much...

 

[A & B]

I sweep the bunny rug once a day (his x pen is being used to block off an area in my room) and I clean the litter box twice a week

 

[ravenmoore36]

Hi
We clean every morning and every evening before bed.
We take out any wet wood litter leaving clean and dry alone.
We completely strip and clean the whole litter tray as soon as required.
Ivy left. Ollie right