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Forum BEHAVIOR Is using litter worth it?

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    • moonbunny
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        Hey everyone,

        I’m currently litter-box training my bun Nibbles (see my previous post) and would like to know if there is a significant difference between using newspapers and hay and using litter.

        I’m on the fence about using litter. On the one hand, it seems silly to waste money on something (a) that there is a much cheaper alternative for (newspapers and hay), and (b) that I’m going to go through very quickly (I currently change her litter box every day).

        On the other hand, I have to clean her litter box every day and perhaps using litter would allow me to clean it every other day/less frequently because it is more absorbent and it neutralises odour.

        What do you guys think? Does using litter make a big difference or is the difference negligible? Do you find that you have to clean the littler box less frequently if you use litter?

        P.S. I know cleaning out her litter box every day seems like overkill, but it becomes very full and a bit smelly after a day. I find that if I leave it for longer than a day, she starts going outside the litter box (even more than she already does) because it’s full.


      • Sirius&Luna
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          I find that litter is much better at absorbing the smell than paper/hay, and lasts much longer.

          I use a paper based litter. I buy it in 30 litre bags for £11, and it lasts me about 2 months I reckon for two bunnies, (now three so I probably will start to get through it quicker). I tried out a version that cost half that, but my bunnies had a sulk and refused to use it – that’s only because they were already spoiled though. If you start her off with a cheaper one there’s no reason that she wouldn’t like it.

          I change their litter trays every 3 days or so, and don’t find that they smell in between. They’re house bunnies that live in my living room (two) and bedroom (one), so I definitely would notice if it smelled.

          I use a very thin layer of the litter, and then have hay next to the trays. By day 3 the trays are basically full to the top where they’ve pulled hay in and where the litter has puffed up, but they definitely don’t fill up in a day!


        • Ellie from The Netherlands
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            Yes, I’d definitely go for litter instead of paper. It absorbs smells and fluids way better than paper. Rabbits are very cleanly animals and will quickly feel that their litter box is too messy.

            We use wooden kitty litter pellets which we can easily get at a supermarket. A €3 bag lasts us more than a month with 1 rabbit, because you only have to use a thin layer. We top the litter off with some hay to provide more comfort. Breintje lives in our small living room, and if his box is changed at least every 3-4 days there are no smells.

            Be wary of scented litter or pine shavings: rabbits have very sensitive respiratory systems and these types will make them ill. The type you want to look for looks something like this:

            An added bonus is that this type of litter is biodegradable and you can use it to make compost. In some areas organic waste is collected separately from non-organic waste, often at a lower tariff.


          • moonbunny
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              Thank you for all the insight, guys! I think I will definitely find a paper-based litter and give it a go.

              Nibbles seems to like her box nice and pristine (she has no problem peeing on my blankets, though :p), so I think it’ll help with that. It’d also be nicer not to have to clean so often.

              I’ve also read that cat litter works fine, as long as it’s unscented and preferably paper-based (stores tend to make rabbit things expensive for some reason). I’ve seen a bunny brand called “CareFresh” that looks like foam peanuts, but I’ll shop around for some paper-based litters. 

              Sirius and Luna: Nibbles is also spoiled in some ways. She uses her big blue eyes to lure me away from important tasks to come love her or sniffs around my fruit even after she’s had a treat. But mainly she follows you around asking for pets. There can never be enough head rubs.

              Ellie: I love that your litter is compostable! I often think that bunnies are very eco-friendly animals. Ever since I adopted my first bunny, no vegetable scraps have ended up in the bin. She helps me re-use.


            • Ellie from The Netherlands
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                Yes, wood-based cat litter works fine too.

                BTW, is Nibbles spayed? That may erase peeing behaviours.


              • sarahthegemini
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                  I used to use carefresh which is paper based and it works fine but is just too expensive! I change my rabbit’s litter trays every day too so I needed something a bit more budget friendly. I use a wood based cat litter – Non clumping and nothing added to it. It works a treat. It controls odour really well and soaks up so much pee. I don’t even have staining issues, yet when I used carefresh I would often have stains on the bottom of the trays.

                  I definitely think it’s worth it. Newspaper just doesn’t have the capacity to absorb as much or control odours and I hate the thought of pee making the ink run onto their little feet.


                • moonbunny
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                    Posted By Ellie from The Netherlands on 12/19/2017 2:16 PM

                    Yes, wood-based cat litter works fine too.

                    BTW, is Nibbles spayed? That may erase peeing behaviours.

                    Yep, she’s spayed She’s been difficult to litter box train but she’s getting better.


                  • moonbunny
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                      Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 2:39 PM

                      I used to use carefresh which is paper based and it works fine but is just too expensive! I change my rabbit’s litter trays every day too so I needed something a bit more budget friendly. I use a wood based cat litter – Non clumping and nothing added to it. It works a treat. It controls odour really well and soaks up so much pee. I don’t even have staining issues, yet when I used carefresh I would often have stains on the bottom of the trays.

                      I definitely think it’s worth it. Newspaper just doesn’t have the capacity to absorb as much or control odours and I hate the thought of pee making the ink run onto their little feet.

                      Nibbles never has direct contact with the newspaper because the litter box is filled with hay (both so that it’s comfy for her to be in and for munching), but thank you for the warning!

                      I would never have guessed that CareFresh is paper. It really looks like those polystyrene puffs that you use when packing. 


                    • sarahthegemini
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                        Posted By Laura on 12/19/2017 2:47 PM

                        Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/19/2017 2:39 PM

                        I used to use carefresh which is paper based and it works fine but is just too expensive! I change my rabbit’s litter trays every day too so I needed something a bit more budget friendly. I use a wood based cat litter – Non clumping and nothing added to it. It works a treat. It controls odour really well and soaks up so much pee. I don’t even have staining issues, yet when I used carefresh I would often have stains on the bottom of the trays.

                        I definitely think it’s worth it. Newspaper just doesn’t have the capacity to absorb as much or control odours and I hate the thought of pee making the ink run onto their little feet.

                        Nibbles never has direct contact with the newspaper because the litter box is filled with hay (both so that it’s comfy for her to be in and for munching), but thank you for the warning!

                        I would never have guessed that CareFresh is paper. It really looks like those polystyrene puffs that you use when packing. 

                        Ah fair enough Yeah it’s paper based, it’s nice and fluffy too  But £20 per bag where I am and I needed 2 bags a month 


                      • ponyobunny
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                          I love carefresh so much! Easy to scoop, super absorbent, no smell for a few days (I replace every 3 days). But its 30$ a 60L bag at my local pet stores (California USA), out of curiousity I looked at amazon and chewys prices… 10$ for the same size bag! If you find the same issue maybe they ship to you? It’s lovely stuff


                        • moonbunny
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                            Pretty much all the bunny products around where I live are imported from the UK (brands like Burgess), and the CareFresh here is around $20 or £15 for a large compressed bag (not sure how much exactly). It’s pretty much the only bunny litter available (my vet works at an exotic animal hospital and they basically import all of their stuff). I’ll see how much the cat litter is and decide from there

                            One of the blogs I follow uses Yesterday’s News for her buns. Does anyone have any cat litter brand suggestions that I should look out for?


                          • joea64
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                              Carefresh costs anywhere from $20 – $30 for a large (50L – 60L compressed) bag at the pet store I go to most often for pellets and litter (Pet Supplies Plus), depending on variety; it saves money if you just want the plain variety (I usually get the multicolored “confetti” and scored a great deal on two bags at Thanksgiving last month when they had a combo sale on Carefresh and a two-for-one deal on various products; it’d usually have cost me over $50 for that, but I got it for $20). I esteem it highly, but it does have a tendency to leave a residue at the bottom of the litterbox after several days of use.


                            • Sirius&Luna
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                                The brand I use is called Back2Nature by the way, and is made from recycled material and is compostable

                                I think its a UK brand, since that’s where I am, so you might be able to get hold of it.

                                With cat litter, you need to make sure that it is non-clumping, as if they eat a clumping type it can cause blockages. So basically any non-clumping, wood based cat litter pellets should be fine. Own brands normally do a version.


                              • Deleted User
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                                  Not sure what you guys have in the UK, but we have these farm supply stores around here and that’s where I get compressed pine pellets. $6 for a 40lb bag! I change Ophelia’s trays every 2-3 days. People say that it never smells in my apartment. And the stuff is super absorbent, so there’s no really wet spots that soak the hay in pee. I didn’t like paper Carefresh because it just turns into a big soppy pile of piss


                                • joea64
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                                    Posted By BunNoob on 12/20/2017 9:05 AM

                                    Not sure what you guys have in the UK, but we have these farm supply stores around here and that’s where I get compressed pine pellets. $6 for a 40lb bag! I change Ophelia’s trays every 2-3 days. People say that it never smells in my apartment. And the stuff is super absorbent, so there’s no really wet spots that soak the hay in pee. I didn’t like paper Carefresh because it just turns into a big soppy pile of piss

                                    I might do that myself (switch over to wood pellets) once my current Carefresh supply runs out in the new year. It’d save me something like $20 a month, aside from anything else.


                                  • Deleted User
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                                      Posted By joea64 on 12/20/2017 9:10 AM

                                      Posted By BunNoob on 12/20/2017 9:05 AM

                                      Not sure what you guys have in the UK, but we have these farm supply stores around here and that’s where I get compressed pine pellets. $6 for a 40lb bag! I change Ophelia’s trays every 2-3 days. People say that it never smells in my apartment. And the stuff is super absorbent, so there’s no really wet spots that soak the hay in pee. I didn’t like paper Carefresh because it just turns into a big soppy pile of piss

                                      I might do that myself (switch over to wood pellets) once my current Carefresh supply runs out in the new year. It’d save me something like $20 a month, aside from anything else.

                                      I definitely liked the savings, but it is also super easy to clean up! I just dump the tray out and it all comes out. Then just give it a quick wipe with vinegar and it’s all good to go. I recommend it for sure!


                                    • moonbunny
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                                        I’ve read that wood litters such as cedar or pine with aromatic phenols are not good for your bun’s liver. However, there are kinds that have had that removed. Is there a way to check if the wood is safe for you bun?


                                      • joea64
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                                          Posted By Laura on 12/20/2017 2:07 PM

                                          I’ve read that wood litters such as cedar or pine with aromatic phenols are not good for your bun’s liver. However, there are kinds that have had that removed. Is there a way to check if the wood is safe for you bun?

                                          Those are litters made from wood shavings. Wood-pellet litters don’t have that problem (maybe because they’re kiln-dried, which removes the phenols?) Aspen shavings are supposed to be safe, though when I asked my buns’ foster mother back in August about that, she recommended against any wood shavings, including aspen.


                                        • Deleted User
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                                            Wood SHAVINGS are not safe, but the compressed pellets are. Not sure why to be honest. Perhaps the way it is dried, as joe suggested.


                                          • moonbunny
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                                              I checked and it is indeed the kiln-drying that makes wood pellets safe


                                            • moonbunny
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                                                UPDATE: So I went to three stores today (two large pet stores and one large supermarket), but I was unable to find any paper-based cat litter. Pretty much all the cat litter was the crystal kind

                                                I managed to find two types of wood pellets, but I didn’t buy anything just yet because I’m unsure if they’re safe. I will check with my vet as soon as possible (after the Christmas period), but I was hoping that some of you could weigh in too.

                                                The first brand advertised their “Eco-Cat Wood-Based Pellets” as non-clumping and free of chemical additives, but it also said “natural pine fragrance” on the bag and that makes me wary.

                                                The second brand was basically the same thing (organic, wood-based, no chemical additives), just cheaper (the bag was 15kg). This one didn’t mention a fragrance or scent but didn’t specify if the pellets were clumping or not. Are all compressed wood pellets non-clumping?

                                                Both brands were local (the second looked like a knockoff brand—they even used very similar sentences on their packaging). I tried looking for any information about the processing of the wood, but couldn’t really find anything. Both brands said that the pellets were made from “compressed wood fibre” and that they were organic, natural and biodegradable.

                                                Thanks again for all your help, guys! It’s really comforting to be able to reach out on this forum.


                                              • 1and2bunns
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                                                  I use pine pellets for my two buns and I lay care fresh over it. The type of pine pellets I get is in a 40 lb bag and it costs about only $6.00 ( I will put link for pellets below. ) These pellets work great I only have one litter box for them and I only change it about every 2-3 days. And one of these bags lasts me about a month and a half so it’s a great bargain. And also I suggest you at least change your litter box 3-4 days depending on how dirty it is. Anyways here’s the link.

                                                  https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/tractor-supply-pine-pellet-stall-bedding-40-lb?cm_vc=-10005


                                                • 1and2bunns
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                                                    And by the way how full do you fill your litter box? And do you use a cat litter box or a small pet litter box?


                                                  • 1and2bunns
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                                                      And by the way how full do you fill your litter box? And do you use a cat litter box or a small pet litter box?


                                                    • moonbunny
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                                                        1and2bunns: At the moment I use a layer of newspaper and then put lots of hay on top for her to eat. I’ll probably use a thin layer of litter, since bunnies don’t bury their poops. I use a cat litter box; Nibbles can hop in and turn around in it comfortably.

                                                        My two main concerns with the brands I mentioned is that (a) the first brand says it has a “natural pine fragrance”, and (b) the second brand doesn’t say non-clumping.

                                                        I know that scented litters are bad for buns, but what about a “natural” fragrance? And are all pellet litters non-clumping?

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                                                    Forum BEHAVIOR Is using litter worth it?