Is he going to die?

[Sabine]

I'm really really worried - I bought an environmentally friendly all natural clumping litter that was marketed as cats litter. Having used Oxbow pressed straw pellets before which I believe count as clumping litter I thought this was similar and safe to use. This stuff now clumps up into a hard mass unlike the straw pellets that just fall apart loosely. I just checked it out on google and there's warnings everywhere that it means certain death to your rabbit. I only started using it yesterday and removed it from underneath all the bedding a while ago. I'm completely freaked out I'm sure I saw my little dwarf lop nibbling some. Can anyone ease my mind or are all my buns at risk now?

 

[EileenH]

I don't know the answer but I think it would help if you tell us the name of the litter. Someone on here might have some information on it.

Keep an eye on him, make sure he's eating & drinking (and pooping of course). But if just nibbled on a little, chances are he'll be fine. You noticed this all very quickly, good job.

 

[gentle giants]

Ok, take a deep breath. How long ago did you see your bunny eating the litter? Is he showing any signs of distress? Even if he did eat a small amount, he could still be ok. If it was just a little, he could pass it on his own.

Any kind of litter that says "clumping" on the label is a bad idea. Litter that is known to be safe for rabbits includes Yesterday's News, or similar kinds of litter. Also, kiln dried wood pellets are safe, like Woody Pet, which is what I use.

Here are a couple of links:

http://www.woodypet.com/

http://www.yesterdaysnews.com/?D=867342&T=4533903

There are probably generic brands as well that would be cheaper, I know that is always an issue with me.

 

[Sabine]

I think yesterday and today. I only tried it for the first time yesterday. He seems fine but how long does it take? Do you reckon the pressed straw (sorry I said hay earlier!) pellets are ok. They are for bunnies and the supplier is Oxbow. They crumble to a similar consistency as wood pellets

 

[gentle giants]

I have never used them, but they sound fine. Mabye someone will come on who has experience using them. Oxbow is a good brand, too.

 

[Maureen Las]

You're right that clumping litter is really bad but you may have gotten it out of there. in time.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Pineapple juice, lots of water, or get your fellow to a veterinarian? Stomach surgery as I understand is very risky for a rabbit. Good thing you saw it in time!!

Don't know if an xray will show a clump-litter mass in their stomach?

I was aware of another rabbit who died from consuming too much clumping litter. Good thing you cleared out the litter so others don't eat it.

Our Millie passed away from a hairball blocking her duodenum on July 2, a pea-sized hairball mass that got stuck.

Sabine, I'm so glad you caught the action in time and will proactively research, get help, for your baby -- per rabbit-savvy vet advice and help of RO.

Good advice from EileenH and GG, support vibes from angieluv.

Feeling the hurt and "what if's" of losing sweet Millie, lending support to YOU and your dwarf bun & bunny gang.

 

[JimD]

Sabine wrote:

Do you reckon the pressed straw (sorry I said hay earlier!) pellets are ok. They are for bunnies and the supplier is Oxbow. They crumble to a similar consistency as wood pellets

IMO....I'd switch back to the Oxbow.



This is from the Oxbowwebsite about Eco Straw litter....

"Natural fiber from the wheat grass plant is not only safe if consumed by your pet, but can be beneficial to the digestive system of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other plant eating animals."

 

[Sabine]

TreasuredFriend wrote:

Pineapple juice, lots of water, or get your fellow to a veterinarian? Stomach surgery as I understand is very risky for a rabbit. Good thing you saw it in time!!

Don't know if an xray will show a clump-litter mass in their stomach?

I was aware of another rabbit who died from consuming too much clumping litter. Good thing you cleared out the litter so others don't eat it.

Our Millie passed away from a hairball blocking her duodenum on July 2, a pea-sized hairball mass that got stuck.

Sabine, I'm so glad you caught the action in time and will proactively research, get help, for your baby -- per rabbit-savvy vet advice and help of RO.

Good advice from EileenH and GG, support vibes from angieluv.

Feeling the hurt and "what if's" of losing sweet Millie, lending support to YOU and your dwarf bun & bunny gang.

Thanks so much for your support. I will just watch him closely for a while. He seems in no distress at the moment and appears to be eating normally. I reckon if nothing bad happens in the next few days I should be alright. Never having had a cat in my life I didn't realize what was meant by clumping and assumed it would just go into a loose mush like the pressed straw and wood pellets. I'll sure stick with those even though it costs me a fortune to order them

 

[Sabine]

JimD wrote:

Sabine wrote:

Do you reckon the pressed straw (sorry I said hay earlier!) pellets are ok. They are for bunnies and the supplier is Oxbow. They crumble to a similar consistency as wood pellets

IMO....I'd switch back to the Oxbow.



This is from the Oxbowwebsite about Eco Straw litter....

"Natural fiber from the wheat grass plant is not only safe if consumed by your pet, but can be beneficial to the digestive system of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and other plant eating animals."

Thanks, I actually remember reading it at some time. Maybe that's why I thought the other stuff would be similar

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Sabine, want to quickly clarify... as often the fingers type faster than the brain can motor.

Because of Millie and our heavy shedders in the home, I'll give a small pineapple chunk once or twice a week. Perhaps 3x in super-heavy shedding modes. I buy the fresh pineapple product pre-cut in store deli containers. Taste one first as the bunny slave, then serve to "family"

** Avoid giving rabbits lots of sugar or canned pineapple products.
** RO Library and morfz.com rabbit references will expand on things to avoid.

It's pretty cute to see them lap up the juices from watermelon (juicy fruit) or pineapple chunk portion. Drips running down their cheeks.

Strokes to every forum member's furbabes ~

 

[Maureen Las]

Treasured friend is right. If you have a rabbit saavy vet you should take your little dwarf in or least talk on the phone. I know that sometimes petroeum based products like laxatone or petromalt are used to move masses like carpet etc through the GI tract.
better to take care of it before it is a problem.

 

[JimD]

Sabine wrote:

Never having had a cat in my life I didn't realize what was meant by clumping and assumed it would just go into a loose mush like the pressed straw and wood pellets. I'll sure stick with those even though it costs me a fortune to order them

We only have a few kind of cat litters that are also suitable for the bunners.....Feline Pine (wood-based)and Yesterday's News (paper-based)are a couple.

Never use anything that's clay-based or touting the term "clumping".

There's also a corn cob based litter that's NO GOOD for the buns.

I use Woody Pet, but I don't think it's available in Ireland.

Wood stove pellets are used by some of our members, too.

 

[Sabine]

Is pineapple good for long haired rabbits then? Didn't know that at all. My little guy is a lionhead dwarf lop, so that information is also useful for the future. I bought some food the other day that was specifically for longhaired dwarf rabbits with anti-hairball complex. Haven't tried it yet. All my other rabbits except about half of the new litter are short haired

 

[Sabine]

JimD wrote:

Sabine wrote:

Never having had a cat in my life I didn't realize what was meant by clumping and assumed it would just go into a loose mush like the pressed straw and wood pellets. I'll sure stick with those even though it costs me a fortune to order them

We only have a few kind of cat litters that are also suitable for the bunners.....Feline Pine (wood-based)and Yesterday's News (paper-based)are a couple.

Never use anything that's clay-based or touting the term "clumping".

There's also a corn cob based litter that's NO GOOD for the buns.

I use Woody Pet, but I don't think it's available in Ireland.

Wood stove pellets are used by some of our members, too.

Oh no, corn cob isn't suitable either??? I also bought a bag of that and have tried it out a few times during the week. I don't like it that much but at least it said for rabbits on it and I do remember asking in the pet shop. What's that going to do to my bunnies now? Should it go in the bin too or can I use it up at least in the guinea pig part of Coco's cage - Gasp, I know now I said it - I do have a guinea pig living with my first rabbit. It was the pet shops suggestion since they didn't have another rabbit of the same sex (well they sexed Coco wrong but that's another story posted in the rabbitry) So no corn cob based litter???
Is it as dangerous as the clumping litter? I used it in one of the hutches today. Should I run out and scoop it all out? It's getting dark now...

 

[Haley]

Supposedly pineapple and papaya enzymes are supposed to help with digestion and breaking down hair in the GI tract but Ive also read things that say they are pretty ineffective generally.

When I have a bun who has eaten something suspect the drill is to feel their tummy to make sure it doesnt feel bloated or enlarged, second make sure they are eating regularly and pooping normally, third make sure they are getting lots of extra hydration (water or childrens pedialyte) and eating lots of extra timothy hay.

He should be ok if he just consumed a little, just keep an eye on him.

I should also mention that things like catlax and other hairball remedies can be very dangerous for bunnies. Rabbits do not get hairballs the way cats do and if theres any kind of mass in the GI tract these products can coat and congeal the mass, making them difficult or impossible to pass.

Just stay calm and watch for any changes in diet, behavior or poops. Make sure he's getting lots of water and hay (which is good advice for any time you have a bun with GI problems )

Definitely check out our section on Litter in the RO Library for info on what is safe and what isnt: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12084&forum_id=17

 

[Sabine]

Thanks for that, just read through some of the old threads and it gave me some ideas
Just do I have to start fretting over the corn cob bedding in one of my hutches?

 

[Sabine]

I think Lint will be fine. I did think his belly looked somewhat huge (but maybe he just ate too much wet grass) After a night in his cage with one of the baby bunnies for company he appears fine being his usual lovable self.
Thanks for all the advice and support everyone. I will also go out later and remove the corn bedding.
Will stick too wood/straw pellets, straw and cheap hay for bedding. I might also try to build one of those rabbit toilets (Errr.... David is, he just doesn't know it yet)

 

[SOOOSKA]

Sabine, regarding the corn litter we used that with Buttercup when we first got him, I think it's no good for them as it is very fattening. Buttercup really put on the weight from that. Then we switched him to the clumpingcat litter which we used for years (we knew nothing about rabbits when we got Buttercup). Then when I joined RO I realized we were doing alot of things wrong.

Can you get those screens I mentioned to put over the litter so you can use the corn litter, at least you won't be wasting your money or can you bring the litter back where you purchased it from/

Gosh when we first got Buttercup we bought a book that said you had to dry all the greens you gave them to eat. So here was my husband and I drying off his food. :embarrassed:We mentioned this to the Vet and his comment to us was "Do you think someomne is drying off the food for the wild rabbits before they eat". DAH

Susan

 

[Sabine]

I'm relieved to hear that someone used clumping cat litter for years and their bun is still alive. I was sure I had signed my little bunny's death sentence last night. I didn't realize the corn cob was actually edible for them. I'll go out at the weekend too by some mesh for a proper litter box. Might have a look if something like it is available online