Problem coat matting and litter...

[Jumilli]

Can anyone give me some pointers as to which litter I could be using to cause the least damage.?

Currently Mizla,flemish giant doe 7.5 kg,has a problem with her coat matting underneath her back end.This is a combination of me not being able to groom her as regularly as I'd like because she just does not like to be touched or held and gets quite stressed.

Also as it matts it enclose some of the small pieces of straw in her litter tray.This in turn means that some of her pooh gets caught up in it as well which then just goes into a hardened mess.

I am at the point where she is going to the vet next week for a complete skin clip round her rear end to try and break the cycle for her for a while.

So,does anyone have any ideas on litter I can use which would be beneficial to try and avoid the cycle please?Currently I recycle news paper,topped with straw.

I'm in uk .

Thankyou.

 

[JBun]

Is she having problems with mushy cecotropes sticking to her bum? If so, that's a separate issue that needs to be addressed and fixed. Usually a dietary one.

Wood pellet litter is what I've found works the best at controlling odor and mess, and is best at absorption. I use the equine pellet bedding. Though I do also have a DIY pet screen over the pellets, along with a layer of soft grass hay. Even though it helps to have the litter box set up this way, having hay in it isn't absolutely essential if hay in the litter box is causing issues.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

 

[Jumilli]

Is she having problems with mushy cecotropes sticking to her bum? If so, that's a separate issue that needs to be addressed and fixed. Usually a dietary one.

Wood pellet litter is what I've found works the best at controlling odor and mess, and is best at absorption. I use the equine pellet bedding. Though I do also have a DIY pet screen over the pellets, along with a layer of soft grass hay. Even though it helps to have the litter box set up this way, having hay in it isn't absolutely essential if hay in the litter box is causing issues.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

Brilliant,thankyou.I've had a look at the link and look to getting some wood pellet litter to try.
What do you mean by a pet screen?
No it isn't cecotropes thank goodness.She is eating those.
Thankyou.

 

[JBun]

Livestock/farm stores are usually the cheapest for wood pellet bedding, if you have one nearby and they stock this. Or if you have home improvement stores that carry plain wood pellets for burning. I prefer the pine/fir pellets. Usually buying it as litter made for cats from pet shops, is the most expensive option. Whichever one you get, just make sure there aren't certain harmful additives, like baking soda. Just plain wood pellets.

The pet screen, is a homemade screen I made out of plastic pet window screening, zip tied or siliconed into a plastic frame. I use it to keep the litter from shifting around when my bun hops in, to make it a softer surface than the bumpy pellets, and to prevent digging up the urine soaked litter (the primary reason).

 

[Jumilli]

Livestock/farm stores are usually the cheapest for wood pellet bedding, if you have one nearby and they stock this. Or if you have home improvement stores that carry plain wood pellets for burning. I prefer the pine/fir pellets. Usually buying it as litter made for cats from pet shops, is the most expensive option. Whichever one you get, just make sure there aren't certain harmful additives, like baking soda. Just plain wood pellets.

The pet screen, is a homemade screen I made out of plastic pet window screening, zip tied or siliconed into a plastic frame. I use it to keep the litter from shifting around when my bun hops in, to make it a softer surface than the bumpy pellets, and to prevent digging up the urine soaked litter (the primary reason).

I'm trying to visualise your screen? Could you send me a picture please?
Thankyou.

 

[JBun]

That's the picture in my post above. The black cover over the wood pellets in the litter box. Here's a better look at it.

 

[Jumilli]

I'm trying to visualise your screen? Could you send me a picture please?
Thankyou.

Sorry I can't open the picture for some reason.

 

[Orrin]

One of our six rabbits has a tendency to develop poopy "dangles" on its butt. By switching from alfalfa-based pellets to timothy-based the problem isn't quite as bad. I also use a sharp barber scissors to trim the bum hair as much as I can.

I check this rabbit's bottom as often as I can and at the first sign of a "dangle" developing I'll trim it off. If you try this be very careful because the scissors has a tendency to cut into the skin.

Timothy-based pellets are a wee bit more expensive; but, in the long run they are worth it.

 

[JBun]

Sorry I can't open the picture for some reason.

Can you see them now?

 

[Jumilli]

Can you see them now?

No,,could you send it to my email please?
Thankyou.

 

[Blue eyes]

No,,could you send it to my email please?
Thankyou.

I sent your email to @JBun via conversation so that it is not visible to everyone who visits this thread. For future reference, remember that you can send private info to a member by making using of the "conversation" option. It is at the top of the screen and looks like an envelope.