newspaper as litter??

[khrisangel]

I just got a flemish giant baby 2 weeks ago and now that makes 3 buns. I was thinking while shopping last night….my litter that I like is getting expensive as I change the boxes everyday. Has anyone ever used crinkled up newspaper ? 

[khrisangel]

P.S. I currently use Carefresh Natural from Petco. Its brown and soft and looks like a paper product. Some litters look soooo messy. Especially when my Flemmie’s big behind likes to dump litter on the floor! lol

[khrisangel]

Now that I think about it…maybe Ill just use hay as litter. Super cheap and I dont mind dumping it everyday

[I LOVE LOPS]

I use newspaper, i just put a few pages on the bottom of the litterbox and a few shredded. It works great for me but I dont have a flemish giant I have 2 little holland lops!!

[litheandgraphic]

I used to use the same Carefresh Natural, and then I made the switch to doing this: two sheets of paper towels, then two sheets of newspaper (free!), and then a little bit of hay. Works amazingly. Still have to clean the whole thing every few days, of course, but the newspaper and paper towels seem to absorb everything pretty well!

[Molls]

My bunny is angora and I just can’t seem to keep their coat clean! I give him haircuts and try to brush him out as much as possible, but I can’t get his hair to stop matting up

[Stickerbunny]

I used newspaper for a bit. It is cheap but it does not mask smell at all really. And the ink runs when wet in soy papers (most use soy inks since they are not toxic if kids or pets eat it) and can stain white feet. Hay is an OK cover of litter, but it doesn’t absorb much liquid at all. I use a thin layer of WSP under a light coating of hay for them to eat and scoop it every day (or other day if I get busy). Mine have litter screens so they can’t dig / kick the litter out of the box.

[litheandgraphic]

That’s a really good point about the smell — I can attest too that it doesn’t cover the smell really at all. I haven’t yet had a problem with the running ink myself, but now that I know this can happen, I may consider adding a different kind of litter.

[jerseygirl]

I use newspaper & hay. I don’t notice the smell tbh. If you do, try putting a bowl of vinegar in the room somewhere put of reach. It helps absorb odour.

khrisangel, if you already change litter daily, absolutely try newspaper hay combo. I put a lot of hay in and it doesnt feel wet on top. I use a whole newspaper and it make it easy for clean up. I just pick up the ends and roll the whole contents up. It all goes in my green waste bun that’s collected fortnightly.

The only thing with newspaper is if you have diggy buns, they’ll love to tear into it, wet or dry. hmmph.
I screen would remedy that.

[khrisangel]

Thank you guys so much for the info. I did do newspaper underneath and hay on top and its working beautifully I clean and mop daily so Ive probably got the cleanest bun cage around…lol so Im not concerned about smell as it never has time to get to that point

[Brandywine]

I got compressed paper kitty litter, but my buns hate it. They prefer newspaper laid flat, and a sprinkle of hay on top.

I have some big plastic storage bins laid on their side, with a little chock of wood underneath so there’s a slight angle backwards. That way the poohs roll backwards instead of out the opening. And because it’s enclosed on all other sides, no wee goes anywhere it shouldn’t.

I just roll up the newspaper, hay and pooh inside, and chuck it out. I change it every day or two.

[Deleted User]

I’ve already admitted this so I don’t mind admitting to it again, ha ha hah ha…… before I became a BBer and didn’t have a clue (gasp!) I used newspaper and shredded paper (I ‘shred’ my mail and after Henry pee’s and poop’s on it I know it’s super secure and ready to be thrown out! Lol!). I have since added cheap nasty hay that I bought that Henry WON’T eat into the mix for the sake of getting rid of it (if you read this Kate (Jersey) – yes, I’m still trying to get through that bale of hay! Lol!). Like Jersey, we clean Henry’s litter every second day and I even check with guests and either they are very polite or we can’t notice the smell at all. We spend so much on his food (Oxbow hay, pellets and fresh salad/veg) the last thing I want to do is pay for something to be peed on and thrown out, ha ha ha ha! If it works for you – go for it!

PS – and I often catch Henry ‘laying’ in his litter tray (before it gets changed – YUCK!). So it can’t be too bad??? LOL!

[litheandgraphic]

Awesome that it’s working out for you khrisangel!

If the smell ever does become a problem, or if you ever want to add something, I just recently added Green Pet Aspen Supreme pellets to Theodore’s litterbox and I am SUPER impressed. You don’t need to use that much and it keeps the bottom of the box (and the hay on top!) clean and dry for like a whole week. What’s more is that the pellets absorb the smell entirely. I’m crazy about this litter.

But otherwise, glad to hear it’s good for you so far! I’d think if you’re cleaning it every day, it should be no problem. Especially if your bun doesn’t hang out in her litterbox too much.

[LoveMyMoMo]

I just started using newspaper as well, I have 2 bunnies and now a foster and even wood stove pellets was getting expensive – veggies is expensive enough! So I made the decision to switch to newspaper and a new litter box ( picture attached )
It is a van ness cat sifting litter box, they suggest putting clumping litter on top of the sifting screen and then you can sift it daily… However! I have placed the news paper right on the bottom and tthen put the sifter on top with tons of hay! I can change the news paper daily ( it even comes with two bottoms so I can literally pick up the sifter, hay, and poop and put it into a fresh bottom so its changed really quickly, and just add fresh hay when needed. I love it!
It also keeps feet clean, and no shredding or eating of the paper. It also is framed for those who need higher sides – PS. The bottom of mine is a full grate, not just partial like in the picture/ attachment.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002ASCO4?pc_redir=1407356413&robot_redir=1

[LoveMyMoMo]

To absorb smell I also put some baking soda on the bottom pan, under the news paper and the grate, again, so no eating it!

[Stickerbunny]

Not sure how you guys have such non-smelly rabbits, share the secret with my two! lol I had to use regular paper for two days cause I ran out of litter this week and every time they peed the entire room they were in smelled like pure amonia based urine, even with the hay over the top. I kept changing it every time they  peed and washing the whole litter box out with dawn just to keep the smell down. Yeuck do my two stink without the WSP (yes, both are altered).

[LongEaredLions]

I tried using shredded paper for a week, I ended up cleaning boxes twice a day. So that doesn’t work for me, I am jealous of all you with non-smelly bunnies!

[JackRabbit]

LEL – what do you use and how often do you change it?

[Stickerbunny]

LEL – Yeah, me too haha my buns are stinky butts. I’ve used newspaper, paper towels and printer paper when I run out of litter and they reek, even with changing the litter box 3-4-5 times a day (including a rinse off in the shower with super hot water).

[LongEaredLions]

JR-I use a rather thick layer of wood-stove pellets, and I clean the boxes twice a week, as well as scooping out the soiled areas daily. Depending on the litter boxes you have, you should change it more/less, but I have three large boxes for two small bunnies so twice a week is fine for them.
SB-Yes, ha ha ha…That one week I must have used a gallon of vinegar just to clean the boxes. I was so glad when the shipment of wsp came in!

[JackRabbit]

We have to change ours every day not because of smell but because they’re *full*. Kieko’s could probably go 2 days but the lops poop so much. Are mine the only ones who pee and poop so much?

[manic_muncher]

Bumpy and Clyde pee and poop a lot. I used to change Bumpy’s box every 3 days when he had a regular-sized cat box. Now that everyone has bigger and DEEPER boxes, I can go 6-7 days without a change. At that point, you can’t smell it when you walk into the room, but at day 6 you don’t want to be sticking your nose near the top of the box! When I clean boxes, I use wood shavings about 2-3 inches thick for a base, then in the corner I put their pile of hay. By the next day, whatever hay they haven’t eaten is spread across the bottom. I continue adding hay, once or twice a day (depending on how much trampling they do with it).

I used to change them every 4 days because the boys’ got so heavy with pee, but had to add a community litterbox (sits beside Clyde) recently, because when Bonnie comes out for floor-time, she deliberately goes to that corner and will just poop piles right there. Now EVERYONE uses it, so that’s dumped more frequently and their personal boxes aren’t needing to be cleaned as often.

[Stickerbunny]

JR – I use litter screens, so I just dump the droppings into a garbage bag and toss it outside at night before bed. Keeps the boxes from getting full and saves me on litter, since I don’t have to dump the whole box (droppings don’t mix with litter). Then, I just scoop the wet spots out, since I use WSP. A full dump out I do once a week or so when the box starts to get empty of litter from the scooping. If I didn’t have the screens, I would need to dump it daily if I didn’t have the screens, they poop so much, Powder would refuse to use it if it was that full. lol

[JackRabbit]

Must be nice. The M&Ms have two xl cat litter boxes now and we put about 3 inches of Carefresh Natural in them when emptying them every day. Once the top in mostly covered with poop, Moshi “mixes” it in. Their hay feeders hang above the litterboxes. Takes me both hands to lift each of the litterboxrs out of the “kitchen/bathroom” crate because they’re so heavy with pee and poop every day! BTW, the larger boxes with higher sides did help with the mess from digging!

[Stickerbunny]

Mine have 3 of the cat litter boxes and one of the pet store cage bottoms as a litter box (for just two bunnies). I only put perhaps an inch of WSP on the bottom, then that gets covered with a litter screen, then that gets covered in hay. The hay + poop gets dumped nightly. Should look into screens if you’re having filling issues, way easier to grab the screen, dump into one of those wal-mart bags and tie it up than having to clean out the whole box!

[JackRabbit]

The screens don’t hurt their feet? I’ve always been afraid of sore hocks so never tried screens.

[Stickerbunny]

If they are a breed at risk of sore hocks (rex, etc) or spend a ton of time in their litter box, then you should put a thin layer of hay or something to cushion (litter, hay, whatever works) over the screen to avoid the risk of it hurting their feet. But, no, it doesn’t. BB sells them in the store here, or you can make your own. They’re good for those that like to dig in the litter, or to keep the poops from mixing with litter so you don’t waste so much.

[LongEaredLions]

I have always wanted to try screens, but am worried that it might not be very comfortable for them to stand on. My bunnies don’t have a history of sore hocks, but I am really picky about their flooring…. Maybe I whip some up and test them out for a few days to see what I think, since they seem to be so highly recommended on here.  

[Stickerbunny]

A good way to test for me, is I covered them with hay and then pressed my palm against it to see if I could hurt my own hand. It just feels like standing on hay once you add the hay to the box though. I couldn’t even get Powder to use pelleted litter until I got them, cause he refuses to stand on anything pelleted. He won’t even stand on his own poop if the box gets dirty (I used to have to clean his box out 2-3 times a day, the brat). lol

[JackRabbit]

Trying to picture this . . . if the pee is all that goes through the screen and mine poop like there’s no tomorrow, even with a thin layer of litter, wouldn’t they be standing in almost complete poop? (I know its normal to put hay as the flooring in a litterbox, but I just can’t stand the thought of Marlee’s creamy white feet being hay stained — when we got her, her feet were as yellow/green as can be from the hay in her cage and carrier at the breeder’s place)

[Stickerbunny]

If you don’t dump the litter screen, yes they would stand in poop. I like it cause I can just walk by, grab the screen, dump it into a small bag and walk off and the litter box is clean in about 10s. And with hay, the poop goes under the hay, hay stays on top, so it isn’t an issue and I only have to dump it once a day as it fills. But, without, you can just toss it (can even toss it out a window, given rabbit poop is good for those flower beds) as it fills up with the litter on top.

As for hay stains hrm, never knew that was an issue. Mine have white feet and have never stained. Powders feet were yellow when we first got him, but he is such a clean freak of a rabbit I think he would freak out if his feet got stained again. Lol He even has to give himself a bath if we pet him, cause human cooties. :p

[Beka27]

Posted By LongEaredLions on 8/10/2014 10:35 PM

I have always wanted to try screens, but am worried that it might not be very comfortable for them to stand on. My bunnies don’t have a history of sore hocks, but I am really picky about their flooring…. Maybe I whip some up and test them out for a few days to see what I think, since they seem to be so highly recommended on here.  

I’ve never considered using a screen, but I’m becoming more and more intrigued!  LOL!  I don’t put hay directly in the litterbox tho, so also not sure how well my little princess would fare with that!

[LongEaredLions]

Ok, so I am trying to make some screens here to test out. What should I put around the edges of the mesh?

[Stickerbunny]

You can either sew a piece of fabric around the edges, or fold the edges over and file the metal ends so they aren’t sharp. I just folded mine, filed the ends, folded again and ran my hand across it to make sure it wasn’t sharp anywhere.

For those wondering how the buns like it: I forgot to put the screens back on last night when I did their boxes (dumped em, washed them out and put new litter in). Woke up this morning to ALL the poop OUTSIDE the boxes lol they were all like “I am not touching the pelleted litter’

[LongEaredLions]

I think fabric would get way too gross. I will try filing them, thanks!

[Stickerbunny]

Well, you can use plastic fabric.. erm, latex maybe, which would be waterproof and let you wash it off. Just an issue with chewing, if they are chewers.. which Stickers is, so I didn’t bother.

[Kirsty]

Newspaper sounds like a good idea, but it seems some of you who have tried it haven’t had much luck.

I use Vitakraft Fresh World Bedding. It is made with recycled paper and has baking soda in it. It controls the smell pretty well. My bunny uses his litter box as well as the box I put his hay in. I clean both every 2-3 days whenever it starts to smell. The litter is pretty cheap. I think I end up using a bag every 3 months.

http://www.petsmart.com/supplies/bedding/vitakraft-earth-friendly-fresh-world-small-animal-bedding-zid36-3631/cat-36-catid-600027?var_id=36-3631&_t=pfm%3Dsearch

 

It’s about $10 for a big bag, so I think it’s a good deal.

 

 

Sorry about the sideways pictures. 

[Stickerbunny]

Yeah, I used to use yesterdays news, which that stuff looks similar to. The pelleted papers are my choice for paper litters. I prefer WSP because it holds smell better and my partner is a freak about the smell (seriously, I can clean it and literally 3 minutes later if the buns use it once he’s all like “OMG THE RABBIT ROOM STINKS!” … even if it’s just poop!), but I didn’t notice much of a smell with the pelleted recycled paper either.

[Kirsty]

Haha

Sometimes I wonder what other people think when they walk into the room where my bunny’s cage is. I wonder if they think the room stinks and I am just used to it, but it smells fine to me for at least a few days.

[jerseygirl]

Lol Stickerbunny, your partner sounds like someone I know. A hyper sensitive sense of smell or something.
Have them change a babies nappy for a week!

LEL, when I’ve made screens in the past, I just folded the ends a couple times over. I’ve also done a style like a shoe box lid.
I have a roll of mesh to make more but haaaavnt gotten round to it yet. It’s been to easy to just roll up the litter mess in the newspaper. I do have some buns tearing up the paper though so I’m going to have to get my act together.

JR, the screens don’t bear the bunnies full weight so it’s not the same as like wire cage floor would be. The mesh is finer and flexes. Hope that makes sense.

[Stickerbunny]

jersey – Ugh, yes he has a sensitive sense of smell… about some things. Think it’s mostly in his head. We had a rotted out piece of wood under the sink, I ripped it out by myself and threw it all away and cleaned it up (with bleach). Opened up the doors and stuff and turned on ceiling fans to ventilate the house. He says the house smells like rotted wood. *facepalm* But, he spritzes cologne on himself and he can’t smell it until it’s at the point I am gagging and have a headache and can’t even enter the room with him.

[khrisangel]

Im going to get this today! thank you for the idea!  

[Author]

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