What kind of bedding do you use? And a couple other questions...

[LuellaJean]

Hey guys. As some of y'all know, I have 2 netherland dwarf bunnies. They live in a big cage in my homeoffice. I am currently using Kaytee Soft Granule Blend bedding for them. I started off with the CareFresh Natural bedding, but I couldn't stand the smell of it. I'm wondering what y'all use- the Kaytee stuff gets pretty expensive when you go through a $15 bag every 2-3 weeks.

Also, I have a feeder like this:

I had a bowl for them, but they ALWAYS dumped the bowl out and then wouldn't eat the food off the floor (and who can blame them!). So, this feeder has been better except that now they've realized they can dig the food out of it, so now they've dug a TON of food out of it- it's almost empty, although it wasn't totally full and they won't eat it off the floor either, of course. I don't know what else to do for them! Thoughts?

And! They have an 8 ounce water bottle, with the drinking tube thats about the diameter of a McDonald's straw. They drink that whole bottle plus every day, so I bought a larger bottle with a larger diameter tube, and they won't touch it. The 2 drinking tubes are not interchangable- the necks on the bottles are different sizes. Where can I find a water bottle that holds more water with that same small tube? I've looked at all my local pet stores and I can't find anything.

Sorry this is so long-winded! I appreciate your feedback!:thanks:

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Are your rabbits litter trained? If they are, you do not need litter in the whole cage. Many people use wood pellets in the litter box, but there are other safe litters. Wood pellets are pretty cheap, about $5 for 40 pounds. A bag lasts me about 2 months with 4 rabbits. For the rest of the cage, you can use fleece, pet beds or towels if they won't chew it.

There are food bowls that can attach to the side of the cage. This would prevent them from spilling and possibility even the digging of the food. Most pet stores will have these in the bird section, but there can be some in the small animal and dog areas too.

For the water bottles, you might just need to get more bottles of the size the like. You would probably want 2-3, but more if you need them. You can also try leaving the old one in the cage with the new one so they can get used to it more gradually. You might also want to try a bowl, many rabbits seem to drink better from them.

 

[MelissaPenguin]

I use stray as bedding, but my buns are outside in a large pen (about 6' by 6'). As for water, I've thought about buying them the large water bottles because it seems like they'd keep the water cleaner longer, but for now the buns are very content with drinking out of a bowl, and they even stick their heads under the water while I'm refilling their bowl.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

May I ask why you're using bedding? That is an old thing. When I met/picked up the bun I currently have, the poor thing's whole cage was bedding, no litter and was molting like heck.

Are the buns litter box trained? What kind of bedding is it you've been using? Pine?

 

[Yurusumaji]

I have heard bad things about those gravity feeders. Maybe get a big dog bowl that they can't tip over?

I use plywood with linoleum stapled to it for my flooring. I agree with litter training. I use pellet litter in Michiko's litter box.

 

[Mariah]

I use Aspen in my bunnies litter boxes I thought Pine beddin could cause problems?

 

[Yurusumaji]

Pine and cedar bedding are both VERY bad, which is why someone was wondering if that's what the bedding was made out of, so they could advise against it if it is.

Pine and cedar can cause serious upper respiratory infections in pets. Aspen is the best wood shaving alternative if you don't like Carefresh.

ETA: Looked up this bedding, doesn't sound like it's pine.

Kaytee Soft Granule Blend

 

[LuellaJean]

Okay guys, I'm working on the litter box training- they're doing okay at it, but they're still pretty young- only about 4 months old. Do you think it would help with the litter training if I only had litter in the litterbox? I like the bedding I'm using because it absorbs well and does really well at odor control. I will try the bowls that attach to the sides of the cage for their food and water and see if they like that better. The cage they are in has a hard plastic bottom (no wire) so if I take all the bedding out and just have it in the litterbox, I can find something to put on top of the plastic, but do they need that or is the plastic okay? One of them will chew any kind of fabric within his reach so I don't think a towel or fleece would work for them. Thanks for your feedback, keep it coming!

 

[dragynflye]

it would make it easier to train them if the bedding/litter is only in their litter boxes. having it all over the cage confuses them as to where they are suppose to go. 4 months is not too young to train, but do expect some accidents. mine are around 4 months. outside of the cage, they are perfect. inside the cage, they (especially rue) don't always make it to the box. i just wipe up pee and sweep up the poos with a little hand broom. i use pine pellets in their boxes. pine and cedar SHAVINGS are dangerous, but kiln dried pine PELLETS, like the kind used for horse bedding, cat litter or wood stoves, are safe. i pay $6 for a 40lb bag of horse bedding at my local feed store, and it lasts about a month or so for two rabbits and two cats. feline pine (in the cat litter section of your pet store) is the same thing, but a little more expensive. it's still cheaper than most of the bedding they market specifically for small pets.

 

[LuellaJean]

I've been considering using the wood pellets, I'll have to run by the feed store and pick some up when I finish my current bag of bedding. I'll clean their cage and put litter only in their box. Do I need to put something down for them to be on so they're not directly on the plastic bottom of the cage? This is their cage:

 

[Boz]

I use Wood Pine Pellets. It's cheap and doesn't smell at all!

One time I ran out of Pine Pellets so I used some aspen shavings (used for my gerbils). The rabbit room smelled in less than a day of pee! It was bad! Not saying aspen is bad, but for a rabbit, wood shavings and paper based beddings just don't absorb like wood pine pellets do.

As for your question in your last post:
If your rabbits are not big chewers you can put rugs or towels down. Fleece works too (for the chewers too, it's safer). My rabbits don't chew too much so I use pieces of carpet and rugs. But it won't hurt them to be on the plastic. If it is slippery though it might be hard for them to jump in and out of the litter box. I'm not sure how slick those cages are inside. I don't think they are that slippery if I remember!

Hope that helps

 

[hexi99]

i use paper pellets and aspen bedding. i have tried for a long time to litter train jack sparrow but he just wont take to it. he likes bedding only in the four corners of his cage so thats how i do things for him. my baby bunny is still young so i am going to try to train her. the kind of paper pellets i use is called yesterdays news. i have also used corn cob bedding both are cheap and great for odor control.the dishes i use are heavy ceramic and mine cant tip them over so try that.