???What kind of litter should I use 4 my bunny???

[tikeyas_mom]

My rabbit pees in this one specific spot in my room so I though Id litter train her, What should I use to fill the trey up with? please HEEELLLPPPP!! thanks .. :eek:

[Karen]

We use Carefresh - it's recycled newspapers, you can get it at any petstore. Do not use cat litter. We use the carefresh and cover it with Timothy hay, which was recommended by http://rabbit.org all those years ago.

[tikeyas_mom]

I am using pine litter right now.. I would never use cat litter.. :???: that would be weired .. The bad thing about pine sheddings is that they get trailed all over the place AHHHHH!!!!What can I do for that?
And also I can get her to use her ltter box.. I put some of her dropping in it but still she just hopps out .. :???: what should I do?? HELP!!! :eek:

[Jessica12345]

actully cat litter works REALLY good:D

[tikeyas_mom]

I herd your not suppost to use clumping cat litter or corn litter because itll kill your rabbit if aten.. So I am not even going to attempt it :)

[wolfsoul]

im using timothy hay for the rats right now...i just bought it yesterday :) i didnt like yesterdays news or aspen or pinnicle pellets or clumping cat litter lol....i think im gonna stick with hay :)

[tikeyas_mom]

They hay is sooo expensive to use for bedding.. I use it for Angels *my angora dwarfs* food along with pellets.. I am using pine bedding in her litter trey .. SHE figured out how to use it by the way YAY!!! *sigh in relief* she poops and pees in it now :D she's soooooo smart :p

[Karen]

Originally posted by Jessica12345
actully cat litter works REALLY good:D

No, it does not, and it can kill a rabbit. Their mouths are close to the ground, and the dust from the cat litter, which is clay-based, will build up in their lungs and cause respiratory ploblems, and even death. Do NOT use cat litter for rabbits.

The recycled newspaper stuff is cheap, and is better also than pine shavings. And you might be able to get hay cheaper at a feed store than a pet store, if you live in a rural enough area.

[tikeyas_mom]

Maybe I could get a deal on hay from a farmer or something.. I duno it is &.00$ including tax for a little bag of timothy hat .. Not even enough to fill three litter treys..

I hat the pin shavings because after my bunny pees/poops she hops out and trail the shavings alll over my room :rolleyes: I think she does it on perpose.. lol :p

[tikeyas_mom]

It is just really messy .. Thats all ..

[Brie]

My bunny uses Critter Country. It's made from compressed plant fibers. I found it uite a bit easier to clean up than Carefresh. It also has better odor control (in my opinion). Other things on the market that are safe to use are Feline Pine, Yesterdays News, Worlds Best Cat Litter (corn based), Clump N' Flush Cat Litter (corn based), Swheat Scoop (wheat based), Cat Country (exactly the same as critter country, just don't use the scented one for rabbits).

I would never recommend using cedar or pine shavings (horrible for absorbing fluids and odor control). I would never use cat litter, not only causing respiratory damage, but, the clay will stick to the hair on their paws and then they'll lick it off as the clean themselves, causing the clay to be ingested. And what does clay do? It's absorbs fluid... Rabbits need tons of water!!<<< This is especially important to you, because you have an angora (i think I heard you right) not only will she ingest it, but, it will cause mats in her fur, so I'd even be cautious with the non-clay based clumpings, but, at least if she ingests it she'll be okay.

Hay is not bad, it just gets messy pretty quick, not to mention it isn't the best for fluid and odor absorbency. A friend of mine with numerous rabbits uses hay for litter, and she goes down to the local race track and haggles a decent price out of one of the hay vendors. The pets stores around her charge an arm and a leg for a bale of hay.

[Brie]

And also I can get her to use her ltter box.. I put some of her dropping in it but still she just hopps out .. :???: what should I do?? HELP!!!

This is just really a labor of love. It will take a few days to a few weeks to a few months even in the case of some rabbits. It's all about a new surrounding that she's not familiar with yet.
Don't give up, keep doing exactly what you're doin.
The only suggestion I'd have for you is to use paper towels to soak up any fluid from where she went to the bathroom and then wash the area down with nature's miracle. This will help to neutralize the odor so doesn't keep going back to that one spot.

The other suggestion is to get a second litter box or move the current one to where she is going now.

There might need to be some trial and error on your part to discover whats gonna work best for you and her. But, keep trying and don't give up!

[Daisylover]

Karen is right about the clay kitty litter being very bad for rabbits.

What I'm surprise that I haven't seen anyone mention is that Pine and Cedar shaving are also very bad..Recent studies have shown that the rabbits urine when combined with either type of shavings eventually causes liver cancer. It's something to do with the chemicals in the soft wood used to make the litter.

Please stop using pine/cedar shavings immediately.

See the House Rabbit Society web page, either under litter training or health www.rabbit.og.

[tikeyas_mom]

ok:???: if I cant use pine/cedar shavings and I cant use kitty litter! What CAN I use?? :???:

[Daisylover]

CareFresh, Yesterdays News


Corn based litters are ok but they do not have any odor control and the absorption is lousey

See www.rabbit.org and go to the litter training link for other brands of litter.

Also you are probably not going to be able to get away with only having one litter box. And the crucial thing to remember is that you don't get to choose where the litter box goes, the rabbit decides!!!!

All litter training literature for rabbits recommend starting out with 4 or 5 boxes scattered around the room(s) they are allowed to be in and then over the course of a week or two or even longer, you evaluate what boxes get used, which ones don't and remove boxes accordingly. Also- BIG clue, if the bunny is going is a spot where there isn't a litter box, you need to get a litter box in that location......even if it's in the middle of the floor!!!! ;) However most bunnies prefer to have their litter boxes in a corner. I am guessing you will end up having 2 litter boxes per room. Another litter training secret is to put a handful of timmy hay at one end of the litter boxes....buns like to hang out in their litter boxes and having some hay encourages them to use the litter box.

Also remember baby buns are hyper and energetic and don't particularly care where they go potty...they're like a toddler who doesn't want to stop playing and go use a toilet. As a bunny reaches maturity they do get more discriminating and figure out on their own that it's not really cool to have their poops and pee everywhere. And another very BIG hint about litter training is that once a bunny has been spayed or neutered their litter box habits will improve dramatically because they are no longer trying to attrack a mate. :eek:

Good luck!

[tikeyas_mom]

What I can use: corn based cat litter, and carfresh, and corn comb litter?? What I cant use: Kat clumpoing litter, Cedar/pine shavings, clay based litter?? PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong .. :)

[tikeyas_mom]

My rabbit Angel is now using her litter box.. Right away when she comes out of her kenal she hopps right to her litter box and poops and pees.. She hasnt pooped or peed on the floor in two days .. That sooo goood :) ... She is femal *obviously* and I dont want to risk her life getting her spayed.. :eek: So I rather just leave her.. I am taking Angel to the Vet todaY FOR A CHECKUP .. :p

[Brie]

:::eeekkk::: a female and you don't want to get her spayed.

Boy are you in for a challenge!


http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html

ALSO... these are the "safe" litters available on the market for rabbits:
My bunny uses Critter Country. It's made from compressed plant fibers. I found it quite a bit easier to clean up than Carefresh. It also has better odor control (in my opinion). Other things on the market that are safe to use are Feline Pine, Yesterdays News, Worlds Best Cat Litter (corn based), Clump N' Flush Cat Litter (corn based), Swheat Scoop (wheat based), Cat Country (exactly the same as critter country, just don't use the scented one for rabbits).

If your local pet store doesn't carry these ask them to special order it. And if they don't GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!

[Brie]

She is femal *obviously* and I dont want to risk her life getting her spayed..

Your risking her life if you don't spay her too!

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html

Thousand of bunnies have been spayed successfully each year. find a vet that knows what their doing (meaning they know about rabbits, not, just dogs and cats)

Choosing a vet: http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/vet.html

[wolfsoul]

tikeyas mom, we dont have carefrsh here, do we? ive looked everywhere for it! :confused: ive looked in petcetera, total pet, buckerfields, and purple seahorse...are there any stores in westbank that have it?
i dont like yesterdays news cuz its hard and uncomfortable for my ratties...i didnt like aspen cuz it started smelling the very next day...the clumping cat litter got stuck to the bottom of the cage and dried....im not sure about the hay im using right now either lol...it smells....im going to try corn cob next, and if i do, i will tell u if i like it....im very picky so chances r i wont lol...

[tikeyas_mom]

Your risking her life if you don't spay her too!

how am I risking her life by not spaying her? I think it is more risky to spay a rabbit then laeve it all natural.. I will not be getting any other rabbit for her to breed with.. Why is it soo bad? How much to the spaying usually coast?

[wolfsoul]

i did some research, and apparently spaying rabbits costs anywhere between $55 and $180 :eek:
also, i dont think u should spay her cuz u dont know how old she is...spaying a rabbit over 6 years is dangerous...they are prefered to be spayed between 4 and 6 months old, and any time before that is also risky...
the only thing i could find about being dangerous if the rabbit isnt spayed is the fact that it would be at a high risk of cancer....i also found that they make better companions as altered rabbits are calmer and less destructive...
if u do want to spay her, u should take her to a rabbit experienced vet who could tell u her approximate age...:)

[Karen]

We paid only around $35US to have Miss Hoppy spayed. Leaving your rabbit unspayed is bad because unspayed rabbits tend to get ovarian cancer. They can also tend to "mark" their territory more - peeing on various places, which isn't very pleasant, though this is more pften true of males than females. But it's the cancer that is more worrisome, and would be more costly to treat in the long run, IF it's even treatable. Spayed buns tend to be calmer, too. If your rabbit is only a year old, she should be fine getting spayed.

[Brie]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom


how am I risking her life by not spaying her? I think it is more risky to spay a rabbit then laeve it all natural.. I will not be getting any other rabbit for her to breed with.. Why is it soo bad? How much to the spaying usually coast?

Why spay and neuter rabbits?
* Altered rabbits are healthier and live longer than unaltered rabbits. The risk of reproductive cancers (ovarian, uterine, mammarian) for an unspayed female rabbit stands at is virtually eliminated by spaying your female rabbit. Your neutered male rabbit will live longer as well, given that he won't be tempted to fight with other animals (rabbits, cats, etc.) due to his sexual aggression.
* Altered rabbits make better companions. They are calmer, more loving, and dependable once the undeniable urge to mate has been removed. In addition, rabbits are less prone to destructive (chewing, digging) and aggressive (biting, lunging, circling, growling) behavior after surgery.

* Avoidance of obnoxious behavior. Unneutered male rabbits spray, and both males and females are much easier to litter train, and much more reliably trained, after they have been altered.

* Altered rabbits won't contribute to the problem of overpopulation of rabbits. Over 15 million adorable dogs, cats, and rabbits are killed in animal shelters in this country every year. In addition, unwanted rabbits are often abandoned in fields, parks, or on city streets to fend for themselves, where they suffer from starvation, sickness, and are easy prey to other animals or traffic accidents. Those rabbits who are sold to pet stores don't necessarily fare any better, as pet stores sell pets to anyone with the money to buy, and don't check on what kind of home they will go to. Many of these rabbits will be sold as snake food, or as a pet for a small child who will soon "outgrow" the rabbit.

* Altered rabbits can safely have a friend to play with. Rabbits are social animals and enjoy the company of other rabbits. But unless your rabbit is altered, he or she cannot have a friend, either of the opposite sex, or the same sex, due to sexual and aggressive behaviors triggered by hormones.

* Spaying and neutering for rabbits has become a safe procedure when performed by experienced rabbit veterinarians. The House Rabbit Society has had over 1000 rabbits spayed or neutered with approximately .1% mortality due to anesthesia. A knowledgeable rabbit veterinarian can spay or neuter your rabbit with very little risk to a healthy rabbit. Don't allow a veterinarian with little or no experience with rabbits to spay or neuter your rabbit.



Is surgery safe on rabbits?
Surgery can be as safe on rabbits as on any animal. Unfortunately, the vast majority of veterinarians aren't experienced with safe rabbit surgery techniques. Don't allow a veterinarian with little or no experience with rabbits spay or neuter your rabbit. Using isofluorene as the anesthetic and appropriate surgical and after-surgery techniques, spaying and neutering of rabbits is as safe as for any other animal.


At what age should rabbits be spayed or neutered?
Females can be spayed as soon as they sexually mature, usually around 4 months of age, but many veterinarians prefer to wait until they are 6 months old, as surgery is riskier on a younger rabbit.

Males can be neutered as soon as the testicles descend, usually around 3-1/2 months of age, but many veterinarians prefer to wait until they are 5 months old.


When is a rabbit too old to be spayed or neutered?
veterinarians will have their own opinions on this, but in general, after a rabbit is 6 years old, anesthetics and surgery become more risky.

It is always a good idea, in a rabbit over 2 years of age, to have a very thorough health check done, including full blood work. This may be more expensive than the surgery, but it will help detect any condition that could make the surgery more risky. This is especially important if anesthetics other than isofluorene are used.


This is quoted from www.rabbit.org

[Brie]

Just on a thought here... I'm very shocked that the SPCA released an animal with out having altered the rabbit first OR have made agreement with you for the tme frame of the altercation to be preformed... I'm shocked. And it kinda sickens me.

Just my opinions though.

[tikeyas_mom]

I have looked EVERYWHERE for carefresh and I cannot find it either..