I recently bought a new cage for my bun bun, to bring him inside. The bottom is all plastic, so I covered it with pine shavings. Now I am reading that pine is bad for him! Would he be ok without any bedding? What should I do??
Question about Bunnies & Bedding
- Thread starter countyroad1330
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- Oct 29, 2007
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pine and cedar shouldn't be a problem. I've used both with rabbits and have never seen an issue. Stay away from kitty litter especially the clumping kind if at all possible. Make sure he/she has something to chew on and plenty of timothy hay.
I don't keep my bunny in a cage (she's a free-roaming house rabbit), but this may be an idea for you.
Bunnies love to rearrange bedding. My bun's favorite hang-out spot is the futon in the TV room, and she was always scooching around and patting down the cover with her front paws. The cover was taking a beating, so I bought her some unbleached linen, and clipped a couple layers of that onto the futon with clothespins. Oh! You should have seen how happy she was, pushing it around and arranging and rearranging her cloths. It's one of her favorite activities! When the cloths get grungy, I pop them in the washing machine. I use unbleached linen because she will chew on them occasionally. I'm sure a caged bunny would really enjoy having that in her cage to work on.
I think the concern with shavings is that some buns may eat them. This is also why kitty litter is not good, and as FutureChickenMan says, NO CLUMPING CAT LITTER! That can be fatal if ingested.
Bunnies love to rearrange bedding. My bun's favorite hang-out spot is the futon in the TV room, and she was always scooching around and patting down the cover with her front paws. The cover was taking a beating, so I bought her some unbleached linen, and clipped a couple layers of that onto the futon with clothespins. Oh! You should have seen how happy she was, pushing it around and arranging and rearranging her cloths. It's one of her favorite activities! When the cloths get grungy, I pop them in the washing machine. I use unbleached linen because she will chew on them occasionally. I'm sure a caged bunny would really enjoy having that in her cage to work on.
I think the concern with shavings is that some buns may eat them. This is also why kitty litter is not good, and as FutureChickenMan says, NO CLUMPING CAT LITTER! That can be fatal if ingested.
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- #5
We have cats, so free-range house bunny is not an option.
He has been digging through the bedding, and trying to dig through the plastic! I did let him out on a blanket one day, and he immediately went to pushing it around. He's so much like the cats!
His little box actually has a grate on top of it, and the bedding is inside it. So there's no issues there. I have noticed that since I brought him inside, he's been going outside of the litter box! I'm wondering if its all the bedding confusing him.
His little box actually has a grate on top of it, and the bedding is inside it. So there's no issues there. I have noticed that since I brought him inside, he's been going outside of the litter box! I'm wondering if its all the bedding confusing him.
- Oct 29, 2007
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the change has him confused. don't be surprised if he sprays too. I never had problems with our rabbits eating the bedding. Bunnies will typically potty in the same spot, so once they pick the spot, put the litter box there. Problem solved.
About the clumping litter; not only is it problem with being injested but it can stick to their bum and give them pasty but like you wouldn't belive.
About the clumping litter; not only is it problem with being injested but it can stick to their bum and give them pasty but like you wouldn't belive.
The oils from cedar and pine can be bad if they are concentrated and inhaled... like if you kept your rabbit in a big fish tank or other cage without a lot of air circulation. (The way ppl usually house hamsters, mice and rats)
They do sell hardwood shavings at the pet store and corn cob bedding. They also have recycled pelletized newspaper. These are all safe
Personally I wouldn't use "soft" woods for my bunny
Better safe than sorry I say.
This is my mustacheod rabbit "Chubs"
They do sell hardwood shavings at the pet store and corn cob bedding. They also have recycled pelletized newspaper. These are all safe
Personally I wouldn't use "soft" woods for my bunny
This is my mustacheod rabbit "Chubs"
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I've read "no cedar" same as chickens for the same reasons (in A House Rabbit Primer). I think aspen is okay. The rescue I got my rabbit from recommended a sisal mat over part of the floor so the rabbit doesn't have to stand on the wire floor. For litter in the litter box I use wood stove pellets, also by their recommendation.
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DO NOT USE CEDAR! It can cause respiratory problems and death. I have seen it happen, especially if the animal is stressed, like moving them. Our fair banned any cedar because despite warnings, people didn't know or thought it wouldn't hurt theirs because they used them at home. However the stress of being at fair and the bunnies die in their arms. It is horrible to watch a child sobbing over their dying bunny. I have also seen it do the same to chickens.
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- #10
I know that the shavings I use are not cedar. It may actually be some kind of animal-safe bedding. Our Atwoods sells it, most people buy it to put in horse stalls, and it is what I used for my chickens.
His 'litter' box is completely safe, with a grate above the 'litter', and I actually use the same bedding in the box. Easy clean-up for me, and no contact for the bunny.
His 'litter' box is completely safe, with a grate above the 'litter', and I actually use the same bedding in the box. Easy clean-up for me, and no contact for the bunny.
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