What size litterbox?

[Elrohwen]

I convinced my fiance to let me (us) get a bunny! Yay! So now I’m planning for supplies (I won’t have him for a few weeks).

What size litterbox is appropriate for a Holland Lop? I see everything from tiny to cat sized in the pet store. I want to get something large enough for him that doesn’t take up too much cage space (the cage is 46″ x 24″, for reference).

Also, what shape do you recommend? I’ve seen rectangular, triangular, oval … Which one fits best in your cage and works best with your bunny’s size and shape? Does it even matter?

I just don’t want to get something huge that takes up half the cage unneccessarily. Thanks for your help!

P.S. Does your bunny mind if you change his litter occasionally? I know that my PetCo tends to run out of things (they were out of aspen shavings for my gerbils for 3 weeks straight ). They seem to have a few good bunny litter options, so would it mess up litter training if I had to get a different litter sometimes? If it could mess up potty training, I could always order litter off the internet, but it would be easier to just buy whatever they have in stock if bunnies don’t care.

[skibunny8503]

Welcome to the board and congrats on getting (soon) a new bunny!  Is the rabbit you’re getting already litter trained?  If so, I don’t think changing litter would bother him too much (I know I tried…3 or 4 different litters and Archie didn’t care).  I think as long as you put some of their droppings in the litter and they know it’s their’s then I don’t think they’ll care to much about the change.  I’ve heard that some rabbits are particular over litter, they might not like certains kinds or something.

I have a mini lop and I think they’re about the same size as holland lops.  To me Archie is like a little dog (size and acts like it!)  I had about a 30 something by 24 (can’t remember) size cage and he was ok with it at first (I’m a house wife so I let him out all the time…if he’s doesn’t misbehave )  But he did get a little aggressive when you tried to get something in his cage and we hated leaving him a lone in that small cage, so we finally bought Organize-It cubes (found at bed bath and beyond for about $15) and built a pretty big cage for him…so much so I think he now owns my office/sewing room 

I did have a decent sized square litter box (from petsmart) but Archie loves to dig in his litter, so I eventually got tired of cleaning his cage every other day and bought a cat ltter box from petsmart that has sides around it.  Now he can dig but no mess!  I used a toliet paper holder that has a hook on it to hang on the side of the cat litter box. 

I really recommend either Yesterday’s News (it’s a little expensive though) or Wood Stove Pellets that can be found at Tractor Supply, Lowes or Home Depot.  I started using it and you get 40 lbs for about $6 and that lasts me about a month or so. 

I hope this helped you a little. 

[Elrohwen]

Hey skibunny, thanks for the info!  Our bunny is still little, so he’s not litter trained yet. I’ll try to keep the same litter until he’s a little more trained, but it’s good to know that he probably won’t mind if I have to change it up. I did see Yesterday’s News at the store, so that’ll be my primary litter. They also had Cell Sorb (sp?) which would be a good secondary choice. Or Carefresh, but I’ve used that with my gerbils and I find it really dusty.

Anyway, we’re not able to do the NIC cage set up because we’re in a rental townhouse and we’re a little tight on space (and our landlords would rather he have a real cage with a roof for property damage reasons). I’m getting an xpen and I’ll let him out in there whenever we’re home. Eventually I’d like to give him the cage and xpen as his primary home and let him have the run of the dining room and kitchen while we’re home (but he’ll have to earn that by not chewing the baseboards and cabinets!) The cage is by far the biggest I’ve found, so I hope he’s happy in there at first until he earns some more freedom.

For litterbox size, it sounds like bigger is better, and high sides are a must! I think once I get the cage I’ll be better able to imagine what a litterbox will look like inside and how much space it’ll take up. For now it’s kind of hard to imagine the size of things without seeing it.

[skibunny8503]

Your welcome!  Oh yes, Xpens are very good too.  Lots of people have Xpens here.  I don’t have much experience in younger buns and litter training.  The one I have now was already trained.  Yes definately train him first or he might go to the bathroom outside his cage and that wouldn’t be good.  Archie has pooped outside his cage a time or two but that’s an easy clean up.  I tried both yesterdays news and cell sorb.  They were both good, I liked yesterdays news better since it was more absorbant but we’re tight on money and one bag (about $13?) only lasted us about a week or so!  There’s also Equine Pine, which I’ve used too, but when wet, it turns into saw dust.  Right now I’m using a mixture of shredded paper (on the bottom) and Wood Stove Pellets.   Here’s the litter box I have right now but it might be a little big for you.  

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3119532#prodTab1

 

[Beka27]

Regarding the litter… Cell-sorb is a great litter. That is what I used for nearly 2 years with my bunnies. I recently found Woodstove Pellets locally and they have been a Godsend. A 40 pound bag is 20 dollars less than a 40 pound bag of cell-sorb… and they are BETTER at odor control! I am beyond pleased with them. Depending on where you live, if you can find either the pellets, or horse bedding pellets (basically the same thing, same price) I strongly recommend you give them a try. If I had started using them two years ago, I could have saved approximately $500 dollars in that time! The Yesterday’s News and Carefresh are great, many people use them, but it might benefit you to research other litter options.

That cage size is the smallest I recommend for a rabbit. He will require daily exercise time outside of the cage also. It’s recommended that they get 3 hours a day exercise time or 30 hours throughout the week. Bunny-proofing a room or a couple rooms, littertraining, and neutering will play a big part in your allowing him more freedom as he gets older. If you have any questions about anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.

[LilynJestersMama]

I have had really good luck with the Carefresh litter. I buy a really big bag and it lasts for a long time…. it is mashed together so tightly in the bag and you don’t have to use too much each time to refill the litter box (about 3 handfuls or so). I change it every few days as the urine soaks through and it can start to smell a little. I had to buy one of those plastic corner litter boxes that attaches to the cage as Lily would pick up the lip of her old litter box and fling litter (and its contents) all over. As far as litter box training her, it took about a week. Bunnies usually pick one corner to go the bathroom in. Once you determine which corner, you put the litter box in that corner and they continue to go in the box Her cage stays sooooo much cleaner now. She pees every time in her box and 95% of her poops make it in the box as well. Hopefully most bunnies take to it like Lily did.

Congrats on getting a new bunny! I bet you can’t wait!!!!

[Elrohwen]

 Thanks beka and lily! I hope litter training goes well because that will be the first step to allowing him more time outside his cage. Like I said, at the minimum he’ll have an xpen attached to the front of the cage, so once I can trust him in there alone he can have the whole cage plus the whole xpen during the day. And he’ll definitely get plenty of time out at night! I figure it’s kind of like a dog, right? They can stay in a crate while you’re at work, but need to get exercise and social time when you’re home.

I’m lucky in that I have a connected dining room and kitchen that’s already bunny proofed (no wires, no furniture other than a table and chairs, etc) so that will be his exercise area. I just hope he doesn’t try to destroy anything like the cabinets or baseboard

So it sounds like it doesn’t really matter which size/style of litterbox I get?

[LilynJestersMama]

Just make sure you put toys out that he can chew on (to minimize the desire to chew on the carpet or other parts of the house). There are lots of things you could give him like paper towel rolls, toilet paper rolls, a phonebook, willow toys, maybe a cardboard box to hide in, etc. And when he’s out, always have fresh water and hay available to him. Fresh veggies are important too- the Diet section of binkybunny.com is really useful as far as what is good to feed them.

As far as the litter box, I just have one. I take it out of her cage and put it in the same spot every time when she is roaming free. She is really good about using it!

As far as the type or size of litter box, I chose the corner one so that it wouldn’t take up too much space in her cage. Still serves its purpose but leaves her good room in her cage.

I am no bunny expert- I am learning as I go. Just passing on what I might think will be useful

Yay for getting a new bunny! Do you have any names in mind?

[Elrohwen]

Thanks for the tips. I’ve read a few of the more useful websites cover to cover, so I think I’m ready for him, but I know that owners always have those little tips that they’ve learned over the years that you won’t find in articles. That’s why this forum is great! I’ve had many pets in my life but never a rabbit, so I’m excited to learn about a new animal and interact with it. I love my gerbils, but they’re not extremely interactive (other than begging for treats) and they’re certainly not litter trained  I think a rabbit will be a great compromise for us because we’re not in the position to get a dog yet (I travel a lot for work and my fiance doesn’t want to have a dog if we can’t split the care more evenly … he is willing to care for a bunny while I’m gone though! and I think it’ll keep him company )

We have a huge list of names in mind, actually, and we can’t agree on most of them  My fiance came up with Leviathon (because he’s weird) so I said maybe I could be ok with Levi  We have no idea though. I tend to like people names (my gerbils are Rory, Sebastian, and Oliver) but ones that I wouldn’t necessarily name my kid. I’ll have to check out the baby names websites.

ETA: I had to laugh when you suggested giving toilet paper rolls because I though “The gerbils will be so mad if they have to give up some of their toilet paper tubes to a rabbit!” Haha. They love those things far more than anything else I’ve ever put in their cages.

[LilynJestersMama]

I agree with you on the names- I have three cats who are named Oliver, Phoebe and Freddie

I think you will thoroughly enjoy having a bunny! It takes some time/effort to take proper care of them but they are so worth it!! The love they give and the funny things they do- I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

And yes, I think it will keep your fiance good company when you are out of town.

The baby name sites would be great! I chose a common bunny name (now I realize that, at the time it seemed to fit her perfectly!)

[LilynJestersMama]

As far as the toilet paper rolls, you will just have to start using more toilet paper so you have more empty rolls for the gerbils AND bunnies! hehe

[jerseygirl]

Great news! Can’t wait to hear more about him. Is he already litter trained? Apparently with Yesterday’s New’s the cat one is cheaper yet it’s the same stuff.

Had to laugh at the toilet roll holder too. Was thinking Archie has toilet paper suspended on the outside of his litter box?!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yes I can’t wait! Welcome to BB by the way!!

*patiently waits for pictures*

[skibunny8503]

Posted By jerseygirl on 02/25/2009 4:48 PM
Great news! Can’t wait to hear more about him. Is he already litter trained? Apparently with Yesterday’s New’s the cat one is cheaper yet it’s the same stuff.

Had to laugh at the toilet roll holder too. Was thinking Archie has toilet paper suspended on the outside of his litter box?!

 

  It’s funny, his cat litter box is so big with the sides that it looks like he has his own little bathroom stall.  He pokes his head up and looks around.  All he needs is a little newspaper to read and he’d be all set!  He’ll eat his hay in there and put his paws on the wire rack of it….too cute! 

[Elrohwen]

 Thank you everyone else for your helpful replies!

Unfortunately, I got some potentially bad news last night. My landlord was initially ok with it, but now he’s having second thoughts because he thinks rabbits are “dirty”  I assured him that it would be litter trained and would live in a cage and wouldn’t be dirty at all. He said his brother owns more properties and has more experience, so he wants to talk to him first before letting me get the bunny. I’m so disappointed! I offered to pay an additional security deposit and even pay a small fee per month, and he seemed to perk up at that idea. He realizes that whether a pet is a problem depends completely on the owner, but I’m worried he’ll decide it’s just not worth the risk to let us have one. Hopefully I’ll hear back from him by this evening. Keep your fingers crossed for me! The more research I do the more I think a bunny would be a wonderful pet for us and I’m going to be so bummed out if he says we can’t get one. My fiance thinks we would’ve been better off not asking, but I would be so worried that he would find out and make us get rid of it (even though he never comes in our place without our permission). If it weren’t for our wedding this year I would suggest moving in June, but we can’t afford a move and a wedding, so we wouldn’t be able to go anywhere for a year and a half.

ETA: If he calls back and says no bunny, is there anything else I can say to change his mind? I thought of saying that the bunny would live in the basement (we have an unfinished storage room) or even the garage. It wouldn’t, of course, but he wouldn’t need to know that  Bunny could always be moved down there for a day if I knew our landlord needed to come over (which has been twice in two years). Is there anything else I could offer?

[Beka27]

I would never suggest being dishonest, but with landlords I tend to play up the “caged pet” part, and downplay the “runs around just like a cat or dog” part. “Yes, I have rabbits, they are caged.” If you make them seem more like hamsters or gerbils, it becomes less of an issue. I usually do not mention to landlords that they get free run all day long. ;o)

If he comes back with a no, I wonder if you can try to bluff. “Oh. Okay. I guess we will need to start looking for another place then.” This might NOT work with your landlord, but in this economy, who knows? If you’re a very good tenant, clean, quiet, on time with rent, he may be too worried to lose you and have a vacancy that might stay empty for months.

[Elrohwen]

Thanks Beka. He did ask about it being in a cage and I said “Oh yeah, it’ll stay in its cage all the time!” Hah. I also made sure he knew about the litter training part, because he probably thinks they just poop and pee all over the place

I’m really hoping he considers the economy. I know the value of our place has dropped (from an owner’s point of view) by about $40-50k in the past 6 months and rent prices have dropped a lot. I figure if he got a new tenant, he would probably have to lower rent. If he could even find someone else! I will definitely try bluffing because I’m sure he knows we could find cheaper places nearby quite easily.

[riibu]

I got my bunny after being in the same apartment for almost three years.  The owner is very hands off, so I rarely, if ever, see him.  I think pets are technically not allowed, but I’m really not concerned about being found out for having a rabbit because I’ve proven to be a good tennant (and there was a VERY bad tennant not too long ago, which was a nightmare for everyone).  I do worry about when it comes time to move into a new place, though.. I would probably play up the “caged pet” thing, too.

Because of the apartment technicalities, that was a key reason for me getting a pre-potty trained bunny from a rescue.  I have had maybe two accidents that ended up just outside the litter box and were easily wiped up.  It seems like you already have your bunny picked out, but if he/she isn’t potty trained yet you may want to reconsider.  Especially if they aren’t spayed/neutered yet, as this decreases the likelihood of spraying dramatically.  As cute as all the baby bunnies are, I’m so glad that I adopted a slightly older rabbit who was already set into his good habits.  And I didn’t have to worry about the cost of the neuter, which I’m especialy grateful for as I read people’s accounts of how much a spay/neuter can cost.
 

[Elrohwen]

Hey riibu. I’m definitely kind of wish I hadn’t asked him … because if he says no and I got one, I’m sure he’d be very unhappy. If I had just done it, he never would’ve known because the only time he comes over is when we specifically call him with a problem. If he had found out, I could’ve said I had the bun for years and never thought to mention it. But now he would obviously know that was a lie. I’ll just have to hope he says yes (he still hasn’t called me back about it). It’s hard to wait patiently.

I considered getting an already potty trained bun, but my fiance is so excited about this one that I think we’ll stick with it. He is young, but I found a cage that has very high plastic walls (for when we’re not home), so I’m hoping it will keep any messes within the cage at least, and off the walls/floor. And I’ll make sure to put protective floor coverings over the hard wood during his playtime and in his xpen until he’s fully litter trained. But I don’t know if explaining a bun was already litter trained would really make my landlord change his mind anyway … I could try suggesting that though! He thinks they’re dirty and probably didn’t quite believe me when I said they can be litter trained just like a cat. I will definitely be trying the “He will live in a cage just like a hamster and make no mess” tactic!  

I just figured he would be easy going about a pet so I didn’t really think much of asking him. If he says no, I think I will probably embarrass myself by begging … lol. I don’t see how he could say no to an additional security deposit!

[LilynJestersMama]

You could do some research online and print some information out for him to strengthen your argument as far as the litter training, etc. – I doubt he will take the time to do any research on his own. Sounds like he was going to ask one guy and then make his decision based on what that guy said.

Wishing you luck with all of this- I know you have your hearts set on this new little bunny!

[jerseygirl]

I ditto LilysMama, get some info from a rescue or online from House Rabbit Society to give him. His brother may not have good experiences to report and that may be due to owners not being diligent owners. If you demonstrate that you’ve researched this and “educate” your landlord a bit, he may be more willing. Plus, it’d educate him for future tenants that may want house buns too!

If he agreed initially you should let him know that after getting his “OK” you went ahead and found a rabbit you want. It’d be nice if he didn’t go back on his word but he could do this at any point – so protect yourselves and stand firm if he ever does change his mind on this. I think if he says it’s alright, that stands as a verbal agreement and should protect you somewhat. (NOT sure on this!)  

Can he be more specific than “they are dirty” ? I don’t really understand why he thinks that. Is it the droppings in a cage? Smell? Hay? Sort of laughable considering how often bunnies bath themselves.

Edit:  Does your lease agreement actually say no pets?  If it doesn’t specify…..

[Elrohwen]

Jersey, my lease agreement says “No pets without permission of landlord.” I had always assumed that if we were good tenants for a few years he wouldn’t have a problem with a caged pet like this. He also never specified what he meant by “dirty” … I’m not sure he even knew. I think he just had some general idea in his head that rabbits were dirty pets. Shame.

I didn’t hear back from him last night and if I don’t hear from him today by 5 I’ll give him a call. I think 48 hours is long enough to decide.

[Elrohwen]

I called my landlord back last night and he said we can get the rabbit! Yay! His terms are that we have to renew our lease now (fine, we were planning to do it anyway) and starting with the new lease, in June, we have to pay $25 more a month. He didn’t raise our rent last year, so I’m ok with it. And we can get a bunny! I can’t wait. I’ll absolutely post pics as soon as he comes home.

[Beka27]

That’s awesome!!!!!!!!! Whew! What a relief!

[jerseygirl]

Lol. Binkies all round!     Maybe you should name this bunny after your landlord to keep things sweet…

[Elrohwen]

Lol Jerseygirl. How does Ron the bunny sound?

[LilynJestersMama]

Yippee! That is wonderful news! The landlord is going to see that bunnies aren’t so dirty after all! Congrats! And yes, I can’t wait to see pics too!

[BinkyBunny]

I’m late on this, but i wanted to say congratulations! I know it’s a relief to have landlord approval. i have been lucky that at our past place, pets were allowed with a pet deposit, but then when we decided to rent a house, we knew that may be more of a challenge. We found a great place, but the landlord seemed concrete with his NO pets policy due to what past tenants had done.

But we were able to offer him reference from our last landlord, and we offered a pet deposit as well I had created a pet agreement that included a little paragraph that addressed many common misonceptions about rabbits as being messy animals. Well, all of that change the potential landlords mind and he checked out their set-up once we moved in. Fom that point on he has been very hands off and just collects a rent check or returns calls if we need address a repair etc.

We do take very good care of the place just because well we love it here, but also because it will always help to have another good reference if we have to move.

[Elrohwen]

BinkyBunny, that’s a great suggestion! I’m hoping that the next time we move it will be to our own house, but we might end up in another rental and I should be prepared with references and things. It’s great to know that even no pet landlords are willing to budge when they talk to a really responsible new tenant.

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