Do you Smell Your Bunnies? cage

[kathybunny]

I am having trouble deciding if it’s my rabbits that I smell or my old dog and the carpet from him being on it.

My house smells just like a pet shop which makes me wonder if it’s the bunnies.  I use litter boxes and the pelletized pine (I think that’s what it is) made for horse stalls.  Get it at TSC in 40# bags.  Might have to go back to the other stuff I used to get there but it’s black, probably has some odor absorber in it.

I have 2 boxes (2 bunnies) in the cage and they mostly use the bigger one but I keep them both clean.  Maybe not clean enough?  I change about every 3 days.  To me, the boxes don’t smell if I get right down in them but I don’t know if it could be enough to make the house smell funky.  I’m really paranoid about a smelly house b/c I do have so many animals.  have cats too, and 2 extra kittens right now.  Too many!  I’d probably re-home the bunnies but I hate to do that and I would only trust very few people to give them a good life.  Plus they aren’t super tame so I wouldn’t want to upset them by moving them.  I love them, I’m just in over my head I think.  I’m not one to move my pets like that.  

How often do you change boxes?  I’m hoping it’s the dog, I’m going to try and get the carpet cleaned real soon which should help me figure it out.  Just wondered if you guys smell yours?  Mine are out in the front room so it’s not a good thing to smell, lol!  

[Elliriyanna]

My two boys room smells like hay

I usually change my boys boxes daily but I can go 3 days and not have any issues.

Also that pine has a very strong scent as well. I plan to switch off of it.

[Beka27]

I only smell hay and the pine pellets (sometimes). Depending on your cage set up, make sure they aren’t peeing over the side of the box or spraying urine. That can go unnoticed and contribute to smell if not cleaned up.

Are both of your bunnies fixed?

[JackRabbit]

My whole house smells like hay, but I kindof like it! Have you cleaned the litterboxes with vinegar/water?

[Little Lion Head]

Definitely smells like hay here. The only time it stinks is if someone misses the litter box.

[SmokeyBunnyRobinson]

It smells like Oat, Wheat and Barley around Smokey, but it’s not terrible since I do have a HEPA air purifier constantly running. Before the purifier, though, the hay smell was very strong. Not so much any urine smell since she is litter trained and I change it frequently.

[Bam]

My apt smell of hay, but it doesn’t bother me. I have sometimes been able to smell their litterboxes, but I generally scoop out wet litter several times a day to prevent odour. I use wood stove pellets, they are odourless so I don’t think they’re made of pine.

The sense of smell varies in people. Some are “super-tasters” which has a lot more to do with smell rather than the actual sense of taste. They can pick up on scents people in general won’t notice. There are other peculiarities such as inability to smell/taste bitter almond. So we don’t all perceive scents and odours the same way.

[kathybunny]

Both are fixed, yes. They are both small as well, one is a mini-rex and the other a jersey wooly.

I think I’ll try changing that big box at least every other day. I really am leaning towards it’s the dog and carpet. I had just changed the box Sunday night and I could smell funk yesterday.

If they ever pee outside the box, I clean with vinegar/water.

What kind of litter does everyone use? I don’t like anything I’ve tried except pellets. I think I will try the black ones though and see if it makes a difference. I love the smell of hay, that’s not what I smell.

[RabbitPam]

The absolute best odor controlling litter is aspen pellets. They sell it in the bird section, but they are super for absorbing odor and you don’t have to change the box as frequently. (Aspen Supreme) I also use aspen shavings on top to make it softer, because aspen is the only wood that does not give off the dangerous fumes in shavings form that the other woods like pine and cedar do. Aspen is still recommended by the HRS as safe to use as shavings. You can even put the pelleted form in a layer, then top it with something like soft paper litter if your bunnies don’t like pelleted litter.

I am betting it’s the dog. My house doesn’t smell of litter ever, and we keep my bunny in the family room attached to the kitchen where others would object if it ever smelled. When I buy supplies at a pet store on occasion, I come home smelling, and it’s the dogs and dog products that cause it. Also, cat litter can be more or less effective with your kitties.

By the way, lighting a match is a natural odor killer – we use them in the bathroom instead of scented sprays. It’s the smoke, not the flame, that absorbs odors short term.

[Deleted User]

Really RP? I thought lighting a match was an old joke – no?
Great! Now I have to teach Blair how to strike a match, lol! Gee, I may struggle…. I’m a lighter girl! Haha!

PS – I don’t smell Henry and always worry that I am used to him??? The last time I lit a candle next to him I almost burned his whisker’s off, so am not keen to light a match near him in case I set him on fire this time??? LOL!

[RabbitPam]

AH, NOT near him, you silly! I mean about 2 yards above him, possibly when he isn’t in the smelly room at the time. Then shake the match to put it out and let the smoke float in the air. By the way, don’t light it anywhere near the litter or hay. (In fact, maybe you should light it on the porch….lol).

[The Law Bun]

I have never really smelled Lilith. I use a huge litterbox with Yesterday’s News (the softer version for her Magesty’s paws), and clean it every 4-5 days. Even on the fifth day I never really smell it but feel terrible knowing I haven’t cleaned it out. When I do clean it, I empty all of the litter, do a very thorough water+vinegar soaking and the box smells like brand new. Then you add the litter and repeat. Honestly, I cannot even smell the hay, though I definitely could when I also stored the hay in my bed room. If the hay is in my dining/kitchen then I really don’t smell any of the rabbit.

[JackRabbit]

I’m with RabbitPam on the aspen pellets. My bunnies don’t like their litter to “move”, so I put Carefresh on top of the pellets. Just ordered screens from the BB store too.

[kathybunny]

i grabbed a bag of the grey/black pellets at TSC while I was buying chicken food. I’m starting to really suspect the dog too. Got my carpet cleaner and he’s getting a bath and everything getting cleaned tomorrow.

I’ll look for the aspen pellets (TSC??) – I used aspen bedding for my snakes and my chickens too. But I’ve never seen a pellet version.

[Deleted User]

LOL RabbitPam! My hubby is still surprised I haven’t burned the house down…. YET??? Hahaha!

[Megabunny]

Horse Pine pellet bedding for Gus’ box. No smell ever. He’s big and I clean it every 3 days. I’m voting for the carpet. Is it just hot and damp at your house right now? Seems sometimes my last house smelled when it got rainy and damp and icky…which was a lot back in NY. I can’t stand AC, though it’s a necessity for the animals here in the south. ANYWAY the smell really went away when we got rid of a lot of the carpeting on one level and a dehumidifier in the basement. Didn’t have to use an air cleaner

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