Although not absolutely necessary, for most, it is preferable to train your pet rabbit to use a litterbox. It will make clean ups much easier, which in turn may help keep down the odors. It is also less expensive to change the litter in the box more often and the remaining litter will probably last a bit longer. Your bunny's home will definitely be more agreeable to be close to, and your pet rabbit will likely "take care of business" in the area of the litter pan. Once litter trained, you will be happy that and your bunny took the time to train! In addition to the actual training, you will need to decide on a type of rabbit litter to use. The House Rabbit Society suggests the following about rabbit litters: "What types of litter should I use? It depends on what’s available in your area and what your rabbit’s habits are. Keep in mind the following as you choose your litter: most rabbits spend lots of time in their litter boxes rabbits will always nibble some of the litter rabbit urine has a very strong odor. House Rabbit Society recommends organic litters, made from alfalfa, oat, citrus or paper. (Some brands to look for: Care Fresh (Natural only), Cat Country, Critter Country, Yesterday’s News, and Papurr) For a complete listing of litter types, see the litter boxes and liver disease article. Stay away from litters made from softwoods, like pine or cedar shavings or chips, as these products are thought to cause liver damage in rabbits who use them. CatWorks litter has been linked to zinc poisoning. Swheat Scoop Litter should be avoided, because rabbits will often ingest it. Because it is comprised of wheat, it is very high in carbohydrates and can cause obesity, excessive cecal production, diarrhea, bacterial imbalance, and other health issues. Another approach is to place a handful of hay in each box, or to simply use hay as litter. It is helpful to put several layers of newspaper under the hay, to absorb urine so that your rabbit is not standing in the urine. Most newspapers today are using soy-based ink, which is safe for your rabbit, but check with your local newspaper to make sure first. Obviously, you need to change the hay fairly frequently (daily), since your rabbit will be eating it. This method often helps to encourage good litter habits as well as to encourage hay consumption, since rabbits often eat at or near the same time as they use the litter box." Read the entire article: Litter Training Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com bit.ly/BuyRabbitHutch
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Although not absolutely necessary, for most, it is preferable to train your pet rabbit to use a litterbox. It will make clean ups much easier, which in turn may help keep down the odors. It is also less expensive to change the litter in the box more often and the remaining litter will probably last a bit longer. Your bunny's home will definitely be more agreeable to be close to, and your pet rabbit will likely "take care of business" in the area of the litter pan. Once litter trained, you will be happy that and your bunny took the time to train! In addition to the actual training, you will need to decide on a type of rabbit litter to use. The House Rabbit Society suggests the following about rabbit litters: "What types of litter should I use? It depends on what’s available in your area and what your rabbit’s habits are. Keep in mind the following as you choose your litter: most rabbits spend lots of time in their litter boxes rabbits will always nibble some of the litter rabbit urine has a very strong odor. House Rabbit Society recommends organic litters, made from alfalfa, oat, citrus or paper. (Some brands to look for: Care Fresh (Natural only), Cat Country, Critter Country, Yesterday’s News, and Papurr) For a complete listing of litter types, see the litter boxes and liver disease article. Stay away from litters made from softwoods, like pine or cedar shavings or chips, as these products are thought to cause liver damage in rabbits who use them. CatWorks litter has been linked to zinc poisoning. Swheat Scoop Litter should be avoided, because rabbits will often ingest it. Because it is comprised of wheat, it is very high in carbohydrates and can cause obesity, excessive cecal production, diarrhea, bacterial imbalance, and other health issues. Another approach is to place a handful of hay in each box, or to simply use hay as litter. It is helpful to put several layers of newspaper under the hay, to absorb urine so that your rabbit is not standing in the urine. Most newspapers today are using soy-based ink, which is safe for your rabbit, but check with your local newspaper to make sure first. Obviously, you need to change the hay fairly frequently (daily), since your rabbit will be eating it. This method often helps to encourage good litter habits as well as to encourage hay consumption, since rabbits often eat at or near the same time as they use the litter box." Read the entire article: Litter Training Free Shipping on Rabbit Food & Supplies at BuyRabbitHutch.com bit.ly/BuyRabbitHutch Which rabbit litter should you choose for your pet bunny? There are many commerically available rabbit litters available today, but they all fall into small groups based on what materials they are made from. Some are made from wood, some paper pulp and some even from ground up corn cobs! So which type would be best for your pet rabbit?
In addition to which material your rabbit litter is made from, there are other consideration as well. First of all, you want to choose a rabbit litter that is safe for your pet rabbit. You also will want one that can absorb moisture to keep your bunny comfortable. Along with absorption, you will want to choose one that offers good odor control too. To learn more about the differences between rabbit litters and how well they work, San Diego Rabbits wrote a great article to help you choose: "There are many more litter options now than there were just a few years ago. Each litter has a different absorption rate, weight, scent, and tracking capabilities. Because rabbits tend to nibble on everything and can easily inhale the dust, it is important to choose a non-toxic product. Over the years, we have come to know that there may be health risks associated with prolonged use of pine and cedar shavings - and neither is very absorbent as a litter - so we encourage you to try one of the many new litters designed for use with rabbits. We are happy to report that manufacturers are now providing us with many new, innovative products. Courtesy of BunnyBytes - thank you Kathy and Steve! - we were able to test several litter products on foster rabbits. Here is what we discovered. Aspen Supreme pellet litter: This pellet litter had a "woodsy" smell but it was not strong or offensive. The pellets are compostable and can be flushed in small quantities. Although heavy, we found this pellet litter to be very good at odor control and very absorbent, as well. The pellets are dark in color, so it took a little getting-used-to, but this litter fared very well. Kathy from BunnyBytes reminds us that because these pellets are also good at keeping odor down, so we need to remember to adhere to a regular cleaning schedule to keep bunny's box fresh and clean. Aspen Wood particles: This shaved-wood product looks similar to pine shavings, but it is made from Aspen wood. Although relatively absorbent, the wood particles stuck to most bunny butts so, in turn, the litter tracked all over the house. Not a great option - there's enough hay to clean up as it is! This litter is also recommended bedding for rats and guinea pigs. EcoFRESH: Made by Absorption Corporation, makers of CareFRESH, this litter looks and feels like clay, but it isn't. This litter is made from recycled paper. It is absorbent and virtually dust-free. One nice feature of this litter is that some rabbit droppings can be sifted out as you might do with cat litter. CareFRESH: Still one of the best paper-product litters available. Made from paper pulp and dust-free, this litter is non-toxic, very absorbent and flushable in small quantities. Along with hay and rabbit droppings, it makes great compost. Clay cat litter: Although inexpensive, clay litter can be dusty and may encourage digging in the litter box. There are also more absorbent litters on the market. Also, if bunny should ingest this litter, it could be fatal. DO NOT USE clumping cat litters with rabbits. This litter clumps when exposed to moisture, and it can't tell the difference between external and internal moisture. Rabbits tend to nibble on everything, and should they ingest clumping litter, they risk a potentially deadly intestinal blockage. Corn cob: Relatively absorbent, but very light and tends to get tracked and kicked out of the litter box easily. Cat Country: Made primarily from plant fibers, this pelleted litter is absorbent as well as compostable. Yesterday's News: This pelleted litter, made from recycled newspaper, is absorbent and can be flushed in small quantities. Feline Pine: Kiln-dried pine shavings, with no aromatic hydrocarbons. Liquid waste is absorbed by these pellets, which swell and become wet sawdust. Shredded paper: Layers of newspaper and shredded paper topped with hay can be used in the litter box, but we've found it may tempt rabbits to ingest large amounts of paper. Rabbits also love to get a grip on the paper and make a big mess. Economical and a good way to get second use out of the news, shredded paper may or may not work well, depending on your rabbit's habits. Selecting the right litter box and litter for your rabbit will depend on the products you can find, as well as your rabbit's activity level and special needs. Sometimes testing the different products is helpful, and we hope we've given you some "litter for thought!" To read the entire article, visit SanDiegoRabbits.org Rabbit Litter Training Guide - Part 2 (continued from yesterday)
5 - Make sure that you clean the rabbit litter pan each day to reduce odors and keep your rabbit hutch or rabbit cage clean and fresh! Rabbits are clean animals by nature and prefer to keep their homes clean. 6 - Purchase a Rabbit Litter Scoop, made to go in corners. Most cat litter scoops are too wide and will not allow you to scoop a corner litter pan. 7 - Always secure the corner litter pan to the rabbit hutch or rabbit cage as bunnies do like to grab these and move them around! Some corner litter pans come with clips for this purpose. If not, any clip that is larger enough to secure your litter pan should work, as long as their are no sharp edges that could potentially hurt you or your bunny. 8 - Avoid stressful times, such as holidays, to try and train your pet rabbit. Wait for a quieter time for the best success! Rabbit Litter Training Guide - Part 1
Many pet rabbits are able to learn to become litter pan trainined, similar to a cat. It is actually easier than you might expect. Try the following steps to start your pet rabbit off on a cleaner cage career!
How To Choose a Rabbit Hutch - Think Floor! If you plan to purchase a rabbit hutch or rabbit cage with a wire floor, which is quite common, then consider adding a solid area for your bunny to stand, walk and rest. Small sisal mats are sold that are made for this purpose, but you could also use a piece of wood (no sharp edges or splinters!) or better yet, a piece of cardboard that can be easily changed if it gets dirty. Adding a synthetic sheepskin pet bed or a bunny bed will add to your pet's comfort. These give your pet rabbit's feet a rest but are still washable for easy cleanup.
The wire floors are used above a dropping pan, or pull out tray that makes cleanup easier. You may want to put rabbit friendly bedding in the tray to help absorb moisture and reduce odors. This may be especially when keeping your rabbit hutch or rabbit home indoors. The best rabbit bedding, or rabbit litter as some call it, is material timportant hat is labeled for use with small animals. Packaged straw, Aspen Style (shredded) wood shavings or bedding made from wood pulp or recycled paper are the best choices for your bunny. Newer research indicates that you should not use Red Cedar Bedding, traditional pine shavings (such as used in horse stalls) or cat litter, due to health concerns! |
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