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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A loose the smell, or loose the rabbit

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    • floppybunny123
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        hey guys its lilly’s slave here with some bad news, i either have to get rid of lilly’s smelly cage, or get rid of lilly! so does anybunny know any odor illiminators that are at a low price??? also my mom is allergic to her so i need a solution for that too. anything will help 


      • LBJ10
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          The litter shouldn’t smell that much. What kind are you using? I’m sorry, I don’t know, but is she spayed?


        • floppybunny123
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            she is too young and i use aspen shavings


          • Stickerbunny
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              The not being spayed yet is where most the smell comes from. How often do you change her litter ? Is she litter box trained? Litter training and changing the box frequently removes most odor. I use a litter screen and dump the solids daily and scoop the wet litter out every so often as needed. A layer of hay in the litter box helps a lot with smell as well.

              As for allergies.. an air purifier and not being in the main bun room all the time is all I can think of. Usually hay is the allergy causer not the rabbit itself so switching to orchard hay can help some people.


            • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                Change her liter more frequently and ensure any accidents are fully cleaned up-check carpets or walls for pee to ensure that isn’t what is causing the smell. If your smelling anything it means you are not cleaning the litter box frequently enough, or that there is pee somewhere that hasn’t been cleaned up-so try looking in corners maybe?
                Once she’s old enough spaying will help.
                For the allergies-most people aren’t allergic to bunnies, they are allergic to timothy hay. So try other hays That should help. Also your mom shouldn’t handle the litter, hay or bunny; and if she does must wash her hands, and ensure she doesn’t touch her face before doing so.

                Keep us posted on your progress with odours


              • TH004
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                  I’m highly allergic to all types of grass (ie hays) and was on three prescriptions at one point. Get a room “HEPA” air filter. That helps a ton. Also, timothy hay has more dust, so try less dusty hay. We also put hay in the litterbox, to keep the dust down. Now, I only have to take allergy meds when the outdoor ones get bad.

                  We use Carefresh litter. It helps absorb smells and the hay dust. I know others have said it, but getting her fixed will make a world of difference!!


                • LittlePuffyTail
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                    I have 3 bunnies and their room has no smell. I use Yesterday’s News litter and change their boxes every 2 days. Sometimes daily if there is a lot of pee.

                    I agree with the others, an unspayed bunny usually has a stronger, muskier smell than a fixed bunny.


                  • Sam and Lady's Human
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                      I wouldn’t use an odor eliminator. Just change her box more, I do every 3 days with a Flemmie and Lionhead pair. I use Wood Stove Pellets, they are super cheap and absorbent How old is she? When has her vet said he’s comfortable spaying her?


                    • RabbitPam
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                        The aspen shavings are the right kind as far as shavings go, but the Aspen pellets absorb odor much better and longer. (Aspen Supreme, available in Petco here.) I use a layer of aspen pellets, then cover that with a thicker layer of aspen shavings. The shavings seem to stay soft and dry for much longer when the pee goes down to the pellets layer underneath. I also sprinkle fresh shavings over a pile of poos so it absorbs the odor. Aspen is the wood that doesn’t give off any harmful chemicals, so it really does the job and is still healthy.

                        In general, if you light a match and blow it out quickly, the sulfer in the match will make a smoke that immediately absorbs odors. I am allergic to most scented room deodorizers and candles, so I’ve used matches for years in the bathroom.


                      • Sarita
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                          I think you just need to clean more often and change the litter box more often. You need to thoroughly clean the cage each and every day. Perhaps you are missing places where she urinated.


                        • Brandy
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                            How much longer until she can be spayed? Honestly when Sophie came home my house smelled like a barn for two weeks until she got into the vet. I could smell it from the time I walked in the back door downstairs all the way to her room upstairs, it just got worse. That was with cleaning the box every day. As soon as she was fixed the smell was gone.

                            I have six rabbits in the house, all altered, and no smell. I use horse stall bedding which is kiln dried pine pellets (kiln drying gets rid of the oils that cause respiratory issues). It soaks up the urine and any smell with it.


                          • Elrohwen
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                              I would recommend using Yesterday’s News or wood stove pellets as litter – they absorb more odor than shavings.

                              As the others said, altering will drastically reduce the smell. Other than that, just make sure you’re changing the litter box every couple of days.

                              What kind of material is the cage? Some people get wooden hutches (even for inside) but it’s impossible to clean wood fully and it can smell. Something with a hard surface like plastic will clean up easily.


                            • Deleted User
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                                I have tried several different types of litters. I really like Feline Pine. It helps save money and I can tell really easily what parts of the liter need to be changed. It also is a great smell absorber. I’m totally annal retentive about keeping the litter box clean and change it every day. Mainly because it’s really hot and muggy where I live and worry about fly strike. But changing the litter every day really helps with keeping smell down. Also, TH004 is right! You should look into getting a HEPA filter. My bf’s mom is highly allergic to Skipper. We have a HEPA filter in the house near her cage and she’s fine unless she decides to pick up the bun or touch anything that has her hair on it.


                              • floppybunny123
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                                  Lilly is old enough to get a spay (just turned 6 months today I think) but I just don’t have enough money yet and she is so stubborn about using the litterbox that when I put the litterbox where she usually goes, shell try to go under my bed and pee there. Luckily, I clean up all of her messes and spray purfume on it. Also the thing is that in my neighborhood, they don’t sell horse stall bedding or wood stove pellets and my pet stores don’t sell feline pine. But now what I really need is a cleaning solution that illiminates odor. Oh and I almost forgot to say, Lilly’s cage is made out of metal and I clean it every other day.


                                • Sam and Lady's Human
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                                    How big is her cage?Is the bottom covered with litter? Or does she have a specific box to use?


                                  • Deleted User
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                                      Hmmm…A vinegar/water solution works to get rid of smell.


                                    • Roberta
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                                        Perfume over pee is generally not a good solution, it can actually make matters worse and amplifiy the nasty odour.
                                        I would try rubbing some baking soda into the places Lily has pee’d, let it dry and then vaccum the spot.


                                      • Stickerbunny
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                                          Indeed, perfume will mask the smell for a little bit but then it will actually soak in with it, making it even worse. Yuck. It does nothing to rid your carpet of the ammonia in the urine which is one of the reasons it smells so bad, nor the extra smell from not being spayed. I find what works best on carpet is NATURES MIRACLE, meant for cats, it rids carpet of really bad urine stains and smells and it dries quickly. Vinegar/water (50/50) works well on wood/tile/metal. The important part is to make the smell go away, even to her nose, so she won’t want to remark the area. Also, I would recommend blocking off the underside of your bed at least until she is spayed, since the dark corners are a favorite litter spot for bunnies.

                                          PETCO should sell aspen fresh, if you have one near you. There is also walmarts version of feline pine, if you have one of those, it’s still pelleted so safe. Or you can order litter/food in larger quantities online like I do and get free shipping from some stores, even for over weight items.


                                        • mocha200
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                                            I understand what you are going through. After my parents let me keep the bunnies inside they threatened me all the time that they were going to put them back outside if I don’t keep the smell down. I don’t want you to have to get rid of your bunny so I am going to help you as much as I can!

                                            Litter: Feline pine is WONDERFUL for odor! It is just as good or better then Horse Stall Bedding. Although eventually if feline pine gets to expensive you could switch if you are able to find it. Wood stove pellets are the best I have found though! Even better then feline pine. It also helps a LOT to not store the litter in your room. Do you have a garage or shed you could keep it in instead? then after you clean your litter box just take it out in the garage to fill it up with litter. That’s what I do.

                                            Litter Boxes: How new is your litter box? Litter boxes can start to smell and need to be replaced often. With two rabbits I find I need to replace mine every 6months. Also clean them often, about every 1-2 days and when you clean them if you soak them in about 1/2 inch of vinegar for 10 minutes that helps.

                                            Hay: Hay can smell too. Of coarse you can’t not feed hay as it is the most important thing in a rabbits diet, but the less hay the better. I would store your hay in the garage (or shed) in a bin and only keep a day or two worth of hay in your room at a time.

                                            Carpet: Carpet can hold a lot of odors and smell since it is hard to clean. Any water spills, water from veggies, pee, etc. could have soaked into your carpet making it smell bad even if you didn’t know. If possible I would get rid of it. Any rugs or carpet as flooring and replace with linoleum or something. Linoleum is very easy to clean and you can get rid of the smell by wiping it with 50/50 vinegar and water or natures miracle.

                                            Sent Glands: Most of the time the smell from rabbits comes from the cage/litter box but, it can come from your rabbits sent glands if they have not been cleaned. Here is a link on how to clean them/where they are. Just scroll down to where it says: ANAL SCENT GLANDS (EEEYUCK!) Be aware, It will smell! YUCK!
                                            https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/MonthlyMaintenance/tabid/64/Default.aspx

                                            Cage: Make sure you clean your cage (and litter boxes) and wash fleece often. When I had problems with my parents I cleaned it every day. It is a lot of work but it paid off. Eventually you learn how to do it faster as you get into a routine.

                                            Air Fresheners: Most air fresheners are not good around rabbits but some are ok. You can use Ceder Magic. Ceder Magic doesn’t just cover odors it absorbs odors as well. A dish of coffee grounds, or a charcoal round or ground up will absorb odor, as will a box of baking soda.
                                            I have heard rosemary tapped onto a fan works too. Also fresh air. Fresh air is the best to making a room smell good. Opening the window and having a fan on to circulate air helps a LOT. I would also open your bedroom door as often as you can so it doesn’t get stuffy. There have been a few home made air freshener recipes on BB before that I could maybe find if you want.

                                            I hope you can reduce the smell! Believe me! I have tried this stuff and if you do all of it that you can, it WILL help! Also once she is fixed things will almost get 100% better! I have two baby foster bunnies right now that are not fixed that STINK! But my other bunnies (both fixed) Don’t smell!


                                          • BinkyBunny
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                                              I just wanted to double triple ditto — Everyone gave great advice! And Mocha – awesome!

                                              The only thing I was going to add is you can try some natural things — Not sure what kind of access you have to a rosemary bush. But fresh clippings have a wonderful scent and are pretty strong, but not in a bad way. We have two bushes in our yard and I just cut a few clippings and put them in a basket. I then just break the clippings up, wave them around a bit and put them back in the basket. (Rosemary is safe for bunnies to nibble on) You could also get a little mini fan, put it on low and put it near a basket of rosemary clippings. Of course this doesn’t replace being extra diligent with cleaning — it’s just in addition to.

                                              Good luck and keep us updated


                                            • Brandy
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                                                If you have access to lavender that is wonderful as well. I give some to my buns on a regular basis as a bed time snack, it has the bonus of making their blankets smell lovely.


                                              • tobyluv
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                                                  Lilly is old enough to get a spay (just turned 6 months today I think) but I just don’t have enough money yet and she is so stubborn about using the litterbox that when I put the litterbox where she usually goes, shell try to go under my bed and pee there. Luckily, I clean up all of her messes and spray purfume on it. Also the thing is that in my neighborhood, they don’t sell horse stall bedding or wood stove pellets and my pet stores don’t sell feline pine. But now what I really need is a cleaning solution that illiminates odor. Oh and I almost forgot to say, Lilly’s cage is made out of metal and I clean it every other day.

                                                  Feline Pine is sold in grocery stores and probably in discount stores such as Kmart and Walmart. I’ve seen it in a lot of different stores.


                                                • Monkeybun
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                                                    I like nature’s Miracle or just vinegar and water for cleaning up urine spots. Both work wonderfully

                                                    I would change out from the aspen shavings. Wood shavings in general I think just end up making things smell more strongly, adding the wet wood smell to the urine. Paper based are better for that I think. And frequent changes.

                                                    And I also agree with the perfume: it makes it worse.


                                                  • mcgarr423
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                                                      I used to have to really keep up on odor control with just my one rabbit but she’s about 4 weeks spayed now and the difference is very noticeable. I change the litter about every 2 days and its no problem.


                                                    • zoologist
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                                                        It’s ok that your bunny isn’t litter trained yet. She’s young and bunnies can be stubborn

                                                        I use this bedding for my hedgehog after trying half a dozen different things (fleece, aspen, corn cob bedding, care fresh, ugh!!) and it works the best out of anything ive used before for keeping down smell. I used to have to clean the cage every couple of days. Now I can let it go for a couple of weeks if I really wanted to with no problem. It’s a little on the pricey side but since I don’t have to clean as often i use less bedding than before.

                                                        http://m.petsmart.com/mt/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753648


                                                      • floppybunny123
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                                                          UPDATE: I’m going to start using vinigar/water mixture until I can get my hands on some natures miracle. And now I have to force Lilly to get in the litterbox and stay there until she goes and I only give her her daily rosepetal if she goes in there but I feel bad but I don’t want to lose her. WHAT DO I DO!!!


                                                        • TH004
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                                                            Once she gets old enough to spay, that will help with the litterbox training and smell (remind your family that those things will be fixed when she gets old enough). In the meantime, you can put her food bowl and/or hay in the litterbox. My buns loves to eat and poo in one place–it’s efficient


                                                          • Monkeybun
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                                                              yes, keep her food in the litter box. They eat and go at the same time.


                                                            • Deleted User
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                                                                I’m sure the vinegar/water mix will work. =] I hope you can keep her. I’m sure it will help.


                                                              • Beka27
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                                                                  How soon do you think you’ll have the money for the spay? A good litter and the vinegar mixture should help, but if the smell is from the urine (or urine spraying due to hormones), spaying is really the best option.


                                                                • floppybunny123
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                                                                    probably 3-4 months


                                                                  • Beka27
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                                                                      Does your mom recognize that there may still be some odor for the next few months then, despite your best efforts? What does her ultimatum consist of? How long do you have to get the odor under control?


                                                                    • skunklionshow
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                                                                        Pls be sure to check w/ your local animal shelter or House Rabbit Society to find resources for low cost/ no cost spay/neuter programs.  My local animal shelter did not do bunnies, but they were able to recommend several area vets that do low cost services.  I got my rabbit neutered from a vet w/ a cat/dog practice, but she had extensive speuter experience in animal welfare.  She is now my cat vet & I love her!  So check around. 

                                                                        I have my litterboxes down to a science.  I use cardboard on the very bottom (change when stinky or wet), newspapers on top, cover w/ pellets (yesterday’s news or pine pellets), cover w/ carefresh ultimate.  I love the carefresh ultimate rather than regular carefresh.  It costs more, but I think it’s worth it.  Other brands and types don’t seem to be as good.  I then put yummy hay on top.  We change the boxes every few days.  They have about 4 boxes in their pen, but have a preference for only 2.  Every since Jessi had head tilt, she’s never gotten as good w/ the litterbox as she used to be.  Also she’s getting older, so her bladder is getting a bit tired (not the medical term I know).  I use vinegar/water as my primary pee cleaner.


                                                                      • floppybunny123
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                                                                          ugg my mom has started puting her outside while I’m at school which is the hottest time of the day and whenever I try to talk to her she starts yelling so I can’t even communicate with her anymore. This is hopeless. I might as well start looking for good homes now. :,(


                                                                        • LittlePuffyTail
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                                                                            That’s so sad. Please try to let your Mom know how very important she is to you and that once spayed, the smell is likely to be reduced.


                                                                          • Beka27
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                                                                              Has she been seen by a rabbit vet already? (I’m sorry, you may have mentioned this but I can’t recall.) Do you know for a fact that she’s female?


                                                                            • floppybunny123
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                                                                                yes I know she is a female but I’m only 99.99% sure. And I have her first appointment scheduled at the vet on the 29th.
                                                                                update #: I put the litterbox in Lilly’s cage and she only goes in there now but I don’t know about outside of the cage I just put it in last night and she hasn’t had playtime yet.
                                                                                update #2: It isn’t her cage that smells really bad now. It is Lilly’s feet. They smell so bad walking on all of that pee that I can’t even get that close to her with those stinky feet

                                                                                THIS IS MY 100TH POST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                                                              • Stickerbunny
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                                                                                  Get a litter screen, like they sell in the BB store (or you can mkae your own out of hardare cloth) so she can’t stand in the urine


                                                                                • floppybunny123
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                                                                                    but shipping costs so too much and my mom doesn’t have a lot of money right now. Is there anything that can help that I can pick up at Target or Walmart?????


                                                                                  • Sam and Lady's Human
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                                                                                      Clean her litter box more often. It really will solve all your problems.


                                                                                    • Monkeybun
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                                                                                        If her feet are getting that stinky, her litter box needs to be cleaned more often.


                                                                                      • LittlePuffyTail
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                                                                                          Ditto the others. Litter box is probably the problem. You can try putting some corn starch on her feet and then dust if off. It will absorb the pee and freshen them up.


                                                                                        • floppybunny123
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                                                                                            but I clean it every day

                                                                                            LPT- I’ll try that IF Lilly lets me lol


                                                                                          • floppybunny123
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                                                                                              I only tried cleaning Lilly’s scent glands once and that was recently but she didn’t let me so I will let the vet do that on the 29th.


                                                                                            • FluffyBunny
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                                                                                                Her anal glands could definitely be contributing to the smell. My bunnies give off a disgusting poop/fish/burnt tortilla chip smell when they need a cleaning. Cleaning them isn’t too hard once you figure it out…if you really have a hard time, try trancing her with a “bunny burrito” and getting someone to help you restrain her.

                                                                                                I highly recommend wood stove pellets for litter. They’re incredibly cheap and they absorb the smell very well. The only smell I notice with them is a pleasant pine smell.

                                                                                                The only other tip I have is to check your house for any old pee spots. Sometimes the bunnies will pee in very strange places…behind furniture, under beds, on the wall, on their toys, on sofas, etc. Especially check any paper or cardboard that she might be able to pee on – I once had a terrible odor in my bunny room for weeks due to a pee-soaked cardboard box.


                                                                                              • BinkyBunny
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                                                                                                  I am confused — how is she getting the urine on her feet? Is it that she doesn’t use the box, urinates on the floor and then step on the floor? Or if she is using her litterbox, then what kind of litter is it? I am so sorry as I know you are trying your best and the pressure of possibly losing your bunny must be terribly difficult. Life can be unfair sometimes. I hope that somehow someway a solution will be found soon. We’re trying!

                                                                                                  Also, could she be spraying? Check the walls around her cage to see if you see any clearish residue. (It’s hard to spot sometimes).  Because even if you clean her cage, if there is urine on the walls, that could be making things smelly too.  IF you find out she is spraying, this should also get better after spaying. 


                                                                                                • floppybunny123
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                                                                                                    @BB- once I put Lilly’s litterbox in her cage, she started using it but only stops using it outside of her cage. Her feet smell by sitting in her litterbox.


                                                                                                  • BinkyBunny
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                                                                                                      What are you using for litter? Vivian loves to hang out in her litterbox and eat hay, and sometimes she’ll sleep in there. Even before I had the screen, I was able to prevent “icky” feet. You may need to get a better litter.


                                                                                                    • RabbitPam
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                                                                                                        The odor needs to be absorbed every day, and you know cleaning out the box totally that often is a lot of work. So, try putting a fresh layer of (aspen) shavings (or Carefresh) over the whole bed of litter, creating a top layer. It will absorb the odor underneath, and provide a clean surface for bunny to go into that day. Remember, cecals smell, so give her a chance to eat them when the smell will go away. If it’s definitely urine, then maybe you’re not making it thick enough, so the added layer should help.

                                                                                                        Definitely plain corn starch on her feet will absorb odor and clean her up a bit. If it’s old odor, you can put about 1/2 inch of warm water in the sink with a mild baby soap and gently hold her while lowering just her feet into the bath. Either in there, or if she struggles, on a towel in your lap, clean her paws with a washcloth then dry them. It sounds like she has residual odor that is keeping up the smell. The corn starch after a quick paw bath will dry and soak up the last of it. You can even sprinkle the corn starch outside the litter pan a bit to soak up the odor left there from prior urine. It won’t harm her to step in it.

                                                                                                        Now that I say it, try sprinkling some corn starch on the bottom of the cleaned litter pan, the add a full covering of litter. It may be harder to wash off later, but it may help get rid of the smell still in there. Are you washing out the pan with a 50/50 vinegar and water solution when you clean it out? That helps too.


                                                                                                      • Phyllis Routt
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                                                                                                          This is my first time on this site and I must say Thank You for it.

                                                                                                           

                                                                                                          My bunny is a French Mini Lop.  He has a swollen lip.  His vet gave me some Otic Ear Drops and examined him which cost $133.00  It’s been two weeks now, and his lip is still swollen.  I went to a website, http://www.peteducation.com and asked about swollen lip in rabbits.  Have you ever hear of Myxomatosis?  It is to have been caused by insects.  Now, my theory is this.  I had this awful smelly CareFresh Pet Bedding approximately two months ago.  I spoke with the CareFresh Bedding Company and they mailed me another large Carfresh Natural Pet Bedding which smelled just as bad if not worse than the one I mailed to them.  I had no idea there was some formula change.  I called again after having received this package of CareFresh bedding because of the smell.  They called the local Petco store in my town, and when I got there to return this 2nd package of bedding, the store refunded my money (I had the receipt from the first bag).  The clerk opened the bag so I could smell it before I took it from the store.  Also, CareFresh sent me a gift card to Petsmart for $50.  My bunny developed this swollen lip and an inner ear infection a few days later.  I knew something was wrong with him because, he mopped around and kept shaking his head and his lip was swollen on the left side.  I just read about this Myxomatosis.  I believe this CareFresh bedding had some insects in there that caused this infection in my bunny.  My bunny is hard core military like me.  He did not stop eating, drinking, but he hasn’t carried his favoriet pillow around since his illness.  Does anyone have any comments to give me about Myxomatosis?  I told CareFresh I believed their bedding made my bunny sick, but it was before I took him to the vet.  I thank God he is still living.  If this swollen lip and ear infection was caused by the bedding, I want CareFresh to pay his vet bill!  Please reply.  Thank you.


                                                                                                        • Sarita
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                                                                                                            Hi Phyllis, welcome.

                                                                                                            I do recommend that you read our Forum Guidelines prior to posting. I also recommend that you start your own post instead of piggybacking on others posts so that you can get a reply to your post and not take over another member’s post.

                                                                                                            I cannot comment about the Carefresh and bugs but I do believe that you need to get a proper diagnosis from a vet as to what could be the problem with your rabbit rather than diagnosing his problem yourself. Is that what the vet actually diagnosed?

                                                                                                            I also do not believe our members will be able to comment as to whether Carefresh should pay his vet bills either.

                                                                                                            I hope that your vet finds an answer and he gets better soon.


                                                                                                          • floppybunny123
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                                                                                                              wow! when I looked at Lilly’s feet today they were white again and I didn’t even try anything! they don’t smell as bad anymore I’m soooooo happy thank you so much for your help.

                                                                                                              I know that the cage is the thing that stinks because when I move it, the hallway stops smelling. Her cage is a wired bottom, store bought cage (I’m saving up for a two story used condo) and even though Lilly uses the litterbox, there are droppings everywhere. I clean the cage bottom every time I see a bunch of droppings which is about every week but after I clean it it still smells. I haven’t tried vinegar/water mixture yet on the cage bottom yet. I will heep you updated!

                                                                                                              – LDHB


                                                                                                            • RabbitPam
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                                                                                                                LDHB, I’m glad her feet are better and no longer smelly. I didn’t realize that you have a cage with a wire bottom, but I should caution you that it is not very healthy for her and will lead to a condition called sore hocks over time. That can be a red wound, or an infection and again, become smelly too. If you can get her a simple cage with a plastic bottom if you can’t afford a new 2 story condo, I would do that sooner. It needs to be wide and long, but one story with a good, fresh clean bottom is better than what she’s in. I think if you get rid of the wire-bottomed cage you will find the smell disappears also. It will be hard to scrub the wire floor, so soaking in vinegar and water may be the only way. I hope you can do that, and either add a covering to the wire floor, like a sheet of thick acrylic cut from the hardware store, or just start over with a new cage.

                                                                                                                I know this is an expensive suggestion, but the right size cage that is clean will save you a lot of expenses in health care treatments in the long run. Meanwhile, I’m very glad some of our suggestions have helped you already.


                                                                                                              • Beka27
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                                                                                                                  Or if you can’t get something new right now, can you remove the drop-thru tray (is that the part that smells?) and just put a solid scrap of linoleum over the wire?

                                                                                                                  Can you post a picture of her current set-up?

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                                                                                                              Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A loose the smell, or loose the rabbit