Bedding

[zpipes]

So, I keep bunny in  a cage most of the time, he gets 2-4 hours of out time during the week and every now and then 5+ on 1 weekend day.  My question is for his bedding, I use the cedar shavings.  The gf said she read it was a natural fighter of fleas, not that we let bunny outside or anything though.  But he is a long-hair.  And he gets the stuff all in his coat, and its a pain to pick out.

Our question is about the bedding itself, is this stuff ok for him?  The cage has a plastic bottom and his bedding gets changed 2-3 times per week.  I like it because it smells decent and it is fairly inexpensive, but is it actually ok for him?  Thanks!

[LoveChaCha]

Do not use any bedding – it is only needed in the litter box. Otherwise, your rabbit will treat the entire cage as a potty box.

And cedar shavings do not help with fleas at all.

Using litter all over isn’t helpful and is a waste of money. It is good to use it in the litter box and throw in some hay so he will catch onto litter training Oh, is he litter trained at all?

[jerseygirl]

I like it because it smells decent and it is fairly inexpensive, but is it actually ok for him? Thanks!

No it isn’t. Softwood shavings and chips (like cedar, pine) cause liver damage. It’s the aromatic oils that make it smell nice that actually are harmful to them 
If you’re using this also in litterbox I suggest looking into something else.

As for bedding, as LoveChaCha has already said, it really isn’t necessary. Most rabbits push stuff out the way and lie on the bare floor anyway. Don’t know if you’ve noticed if your guy does this or not. You could always use old towel or a cotton mat on the cage floor if you prefer he be on something.

[RabbitPam]

I’m sorry, but cedar shavings are actually hazardous to bunnies, as are pine shavings. Please remove them immediately.

The good news is, if you still want shavings in the litter pan, Aspen shavings are safe. They are a completely different kind of wood and process, so those, along with aspen pellets, are fine for litter.

Bedding is not necessary for a bun, and may make litter training more difficult.

[zpipes]

Oh boy. Ok, well, 1st, no he isnt litter trained. Secondly I have noticed he moves the stuff out of the way in the cage. So, do I get a litter pan and put it in the corner? How do I set this up? There is a hay rack on the side of the cage, shout i set the littler next to it? Im open to ideas. His cage isn’t very big though, id say about 1 1\2ft x 3ft. I can get a closer measurement tonight. Its not small he has plenty of room to move just not hop all over.

[LoveChaCha]

I would suggest a cat sized litter box – put rabbit safe litter (I use wood stove pellets with no additives. It is cheap – 40 lbs for 5 dollars) and a handful of hay in the box. Rabbits love to eat and do their business at the same time. It may come across as gross at first, but, that is just how they do it, hehe.

I wouldn’t buy a rabbit litter box – those are way too small and rabbits grow quite fast.

You can put the litter box next to the hayrack

I would get a bigger cage. There are a lot of ideas on this forum, if you click on the “Galleries” icon at top and there are ideas under the habitat section. I have a neat idea cube condo for my rabbit and it cost a lot cheaper to make than a pet store cage. Rabbits need a lot of room

[zpipes]

Well, for now, he lives in a cage. Untill I come up with something different thats just how hes going to be, cage, with out time daily. I’ll look through and get some ideas, and I’ll look for a spot to set it up in the house. Untill then, I’ll be removing the cedar bedding, but what exactly do I do for his bathroom needs while he is in there? I dont want him walking in his own wet pee.

[jerseygirl]

Cages are good while they’re young and learning with the litterbox. It’s good you’re looking into a larger more permanent habitat though.

You might be surprised with his litter habits once you set things up differently. No bedding, and a litterbox under the hay rack is a great start. You may have to change type of litter until you find something he’s happy with. They can be fussy! He may pee on the cage floor at first but I’d try things with nothing on the floor for a week and if it becomes a problem, try using an old towel. The problem with putting down absorbant things though is they can begin to pee on that rather then in the box. Give bare floor a go first and go from there.
I’ve had a 4 week old rabbit use a litter box right from the start. Sometimes it’s just natural provided we set things up to their liking.

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