Rabbits + Cat Litter

[JAK Rabbitry]

I know. No one believes in underpants gnomes anymore .

 

[Gumbo1993]

i dont use litter anymore 'cuz we got a new cage for gumbo and it is also a wire cage so all of his poop gose to the tray at the bottom of the cage. Oreo has a smaller cage. she is not potty trained. i dont even know how to potty train bunnies. Gumbo was already potty trained when i got him! so i just change her woodshavings every week. that gets annowing but i learn to live with it!

 

[Flopsy]

Yesterdays News is so expensive here and the buns go through it so quickly my parents refuse to buy it anymore and make me use cat litter or they have to go back outside. Now I'm going to buy Yesterdays News with my Christmas money because I did notice that only having switched their litter to cat litter for one week that Fluffy already had poop stuck to his leg. Since Fluffy is always in his litter box I'm going to have his switched back to Yesterdays News and keep Pumpkin with the cheap kitty litter because he never goes in his box except to use the bathroom.

 

[spoh]

If you can get to a feed store, Tractor Supply or something like that you can buy 40 pounds of wood pellets for way less than Yesterdays news. I buy 40lbs for under 6.00.

Just an idea!

Joy

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

spoh wrote:

If you can get to a feed store, Tractor Supply or something like that you can buy 40 pounds of wood pellets for way less than Yesterdays news. I buy 40lbs for under 6.00.

Just an idea!

Joy

For serious? I didn't know it was that cheap. Then again knowing my TSC it'll be more expensive. A bag of bunny feed at the TSC in the next town in like $8. But I pay $11 for it because its like a rich people's town so I guess they figure they can charge more for everything. My friend was using wood pellets in her horse's stall. The horse that I am now taking care of at my barn. Though her horse is such a PIG that I don't think wood pellets are going to do any good. She destroys everything overnight. And I was jsut up til 1230 AM last night cleaning stalls trying to catch up on some work.

 

[Flopsy]

spoh wrote:

If you can get to a feed store, Tractor Supply or something like that you can buy 40 pounds of wood pellets for way less than Yesterdays news. I buy 40lbs for under 6.00.

Just an idea!

Joy

I have a tsc 15mins away!!! Whats the brand name what area of the store are they in? :biggrin2: I always feel stupid wandering around not knowing what I'm looking for, haha.

 

[Haley]

Its near the horse equipmentand other large bags of animal food. Its usually stacked on the floor. Its called Equine Fresh and its like 6.00 for a 40# bag. So much cheaper than Yesterdays News!

 

[spoh]

Yep! What Haley said! The Tractor Supply is about 45 minutes from my house but it's in a town that we really like to visit so running low on bunny supplies is a great excuse to go. I usually buy 2 or 3 bags per visit and with only one bunny it last a long time.

 

[gentle giants]

I get the Woody Pet, I think it's also supposed to be a horse bedding. I pay $5.50 for 35 pounds. It works great, sucks up all the wet and barely smells at all.

 

[Flick]

Please don't use sawdust. Here's why...

[ame]http://youtube.com/watch?v=JTT7Dr_pPbc[/ame]

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

I think aside from the cedar, the chances of all these ill effects of wood-based bedding actually coming into effect are extremely slim. I've used nothing but for over 13 years. Never had any kind of skin problem. Infact i've had no bedding-related health issues.

I think the Dr. in the video is just a bit.....radical?

Has anyone else ever had a serious health issue with wood-based bedding (not including cedar) ?

 

[gentle giants]

Well, I hadn't heard of wood bedding causing skin problems, I had always heard it gave them respiratory irritation. I had even heard about over long term things like kidney problems, reproductive problems, that sort of thing.

I was wondering-are your rabbits directly in the litter, or is it in pans underneath? Also, are they outdoors or in?

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

The wood bedding is in plastic trays under the bedding. They onyl time they are directly-exposed to bedding is the shavings I buy from TSC that I use in the nest boxes.

My ra bbits are in a heated shed in the yard, but I've been bringing in my pregos to give birth and raise their babies to a decent size since it's warmer in my living room and I can keep a close watch on them, especially if they have babies on the wire, its not a big deal I can just fling their arses back in there. Once my babies hit around 3 weeks I swap them out with a new prego.

 

[Flick]

Please read the below post in a conversational tone, not an agressive or snitty tone. I intend it to be a friendly sharing of supportive information.

The doctor in the video is a highly respected exotic vet in Houston and sees many rabbits in his practice. He's very conservative in his diagnosis and treatments. I know him, personally. I did the video taping and editing. And I uploaded it to YouTube, with his permission, of course. If you were to watch the other videos I've uploaded, you'd see my two rabbits, Pixel and Skyler.

Even though your rabbits may not come into direct contact with the sawdust, it's the fumes that the rabbits breathe when urine mixes with the sap in the sawdust that causes liver damage. Especially if it's pine sawdust. There's no way to protect the rabbits from breathing in the fumes. That's why the litter needs to be kiln dried if it's a wood based product.

Again, please read this as a converational sharing of information. I know you love your rabbits and want to do the best you can for them.

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

I didn't think you were being snitty.

I just find it hard to believe that it causes so many problems when I've never had such a problem and I've never heard of anyone having these problems and breeders especially, its all we use.

I'd also like to know where he got this information and how many cases of health issues he can be 100% positive came from using a wood-based bedding.

 

[gentle giants]

The fact yours have always done fine with it may be because you have a well-ventilated building, or your sawdust is from a different kind of tree, or something. I don't think personally I have ever really seen evidence of cedar/pine or whatever causing problems, but I have never used it for my rabbits. I have used both of those for smaller animals like rats, hamsters, etc years ago, but I have no idea if it shortened any of their lives or not.

I think what I am getting at is-I have never been certain one way or the other, I only heard about the issue about the time I started with my rabbits. (The second time, that is.) I hadn't even heard of such a thing when I was younger and had little critters.

 

[JAK Rabbitry]

Hmm. My enviornment + sawdust combo has changed dramatically over those 13 years. I've used so many different brands and kinds...

When I lived with my mum I had to keep all my bunnies in hutches. In summer the boxes just got a thin layer of pine shavings. I cleaned them every 3-5 days or whenever they looked dirty. Some bunnies insisted on pooping that box while others kept it somewhat clean.

In winter I still kept the layer of shavings but I also stuffed the box with hay and/or straw. But it was also cleaned every 3-5 days, like clockwork.

Now the bunnies are in a heated shed. In sumemr I open all the windows and put fans in there but I do have an AC unit i'm hooking up for next summer. And I'd liek to get a screen door for the regular door so I can leave it open and now have to worry about escapees and critters . Now I use the same sawdust we use for our horses, it's from a sawmill and its very fine, but it only goes inteh trays. I use pine shavings from a different place for nest boxes and for my belgians.

I did know a woman in my rabbit club her boought a second rabbit for her son and then a frien dof hers had some critter pass away and she gave them like half a large bag of cedar. They didn't know better and within 2 days the rabbit was dead. They asked me what could have happaned and I told them about hte cedar and she was very upset.

Last Christmas some guy bought 3 French Lops from me. And just a few months ago he contacted me saying he could no longer care for them because he had to pick up a second job and he felt bad they weren't getting enough attention. So he brought them back, and their cage was one of those pet stores ones with the deep plastic bottom, and they were all sitting on a thick layer of cedar. And he's like ''heres the rest of the cedar i'm sure you can use it'''. And I ssaid ''AAAHHHHH' I know very professional of me. I dumped it int he doghouse. Waste not!

 

[Flick]

I can't speak for Dr. Cruzen, but I'm sure that he'd be glad to talk with you about this. His phone number is 281-890-7257. Just tell him that you saw his video on YouTube and have some questions for him. He's very nice.

However, I can pass on links to let you know where I got information about pine. I know you don't use cedar, it just seems like when one is discussed the other is also discussed.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/liver-disease.html
http://www.trifl.org/cedar.shtml
http://www.afrma.org/rminfo2a.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/care/shavings.html
http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/guineapigs/a/woodshavings.htm
http://www.rabbit.org/care/shavings.html
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/Courses/anphys/1999/Cook/Text.htm
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/training.html
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Dust.htm

French Lops!!!!!!!! I love French Lops! Okay, I'm a sucker for any rabbit, but French Lops are just SOOOOO cool! The Flemish Giant in the video is also too cool. His philosophy is "You got a hand! I got a head! PET ME!!!!!!"