Seeking Clarification...

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 6sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by LabAgility.

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- 04/11/2013 at 12:57 PM
  LabAgility
  Participant
  50 posts
  I hope you folks can clarify a few things I am wrestling with.
  
  1. Kiln dried pine pellets are recommended while most folks suggest avoiding kiln dried shavings. Why is this? Kiln drying removes the phenols. Wood stove pellets actually dissolve into shavings when urinated on. While I am not using pine shavings as a bedding, I am really curious. There is a TON of conflicting information on this topic out there.
  
  2. Is Oxbow really that much better than the Fibre 3 food I have been feeding? Winston gets 1/4 c. of pellets a day. I looked and the first 5 ingredients are the same, save for the fact that Fibre 3 is alfalfa meal and Oxbow adult is Timothy meal. The protein percentages of Oxbow are 1% lower and it does have slightly more fiber. The Fibre 3 food seems to be refreshed often at the feed store while the Oxbow seems to sit longer… but they do have fairly long shelf dates.
  
  3. If rabbits thrive on routine and I am planning to leave town and hire a sitter should I start the sitter routine early? Winston eats veggies twice a day, but a sitter would only do it once a day.
  
  I cannot remember what else… but I am sure I will!
  
  Thank you!
- 04/11/2013 at 1:34 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Here is an excellent article on pellets from HRS Educator who is also a professor of Nutritional Science and her take on alfalfa vs. timothy and you may be surprised at what you read – alot is based on your question, good reading:
  
  http://www.wisconsinhrs.org/Articles/Pellet%20Types.htm
  
  I really don’t know the answer to kiln dried pellets vs. shavings….maybe someone else knows. I don’t like shavings (and have used Aspen in the past) and I know Aspen is safe. I do use the pelleted pine litter though.
- 04/11/2013 at 1:35 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  As for the routine, it might be a good idea to start now if there is going to be a change so that he can get used to it and I’m sure it will be fine to just do veggies once a day – that’s what I do and it may be an easier routine for you as well…that is as important as keeping a routine for Winston :~)
- 04/11/2013 at 1:49 PM
  LabAgility
  Participant
  50 posts
  Thanks for the link, I will certainly check it out. I was also thinking about Sherwood Forest pellets, but don’t like having to order something in advance. I am hoping to make a selection on the easiest to obtain.
  
  The shavings topic just interests me… I am a biology teacher so the arguments for and against on this topic blow my mind. The literature I have read actually refutes a lot of the internet argument. I get when people wish to avoid pine period, but there are a lot of people who staunchly argue that pine pellets are fine while pine shavings are horrible. That is the part I don’t understand. If kiln drying makes the pellets ok then it also stands to argument that it would make the shavings ok, too.
  
  I bed with Carefresh and lots of hay and change the bedding every other day. So far, Winston really likes hanging in his litter so I have opted for something soft.
  
  As far as veggies, I actually like giving him a handful twice a day. We only give leafy greens which are all prewashed so its easy to grab a leave of kale, a leaf or two of romaine, a grip of cilantro, etc.
- 04/11/2013 at 2:04 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  About the shaving vs pellet debate – I haven’t actually seen kiln dried shavings, so it could be that people recommend avoiding all pine shavings because most people aren’t going to look closely enough or be able to find the correct thing. I can’t imagine why kiln dried shavings would be bad while kiln dried pellets are fine. All arguments against shavings that I have read refer to the phenols, which is why aspen is safe, so it stands to reason that kiln dried pine would be fine as well. It’s possible that people don’t understand what phenols really are, so they don’t realize that kiln dried shavings could be safe and just cling to the fact that all pine shavings are bad.
- 04/11/2013 at 2:28 PM
  LabAgility
  Participant
  50 posts
  That is exactly my thought… that folks don’t realize exactly what is what. Those that avoid pine due to phenols of any type I get, but I cannot believe that kiln drying makes the pellets safe, but doesn’t do the same for the shavings. A few sites have even said that shavings are bad because the urine mixes with them, but pellets are fine. But, when pellets contact urine they turn into shavings which would also have the same problems…?
  
  Now, arguments of dust, odor control, etc… those are still completely valid, LOL. I only use kiln dried pine shavings in my horse stall, it seems those are the only shavings you can get around our area so its a common enough thing.
  
  These are the shavings we get for our horses.
  http://www.awf.com/american_wood_fi…ce_eco.htm
  
  ETA: I am not planning on using these with Winston. I just have been curious about the topic in general. Seems that it gets hashed and rehashed on just about every rabbit website, forum, etc. I am a bit of a dork about these things….
- 04/11/2013 at 2:48 PM
  LabAgility
  Participant
  50 posts
  Sarita,
  
  Can you tell me the name of the article? Your link doesn’t work.
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