Wood pellet options for litterbox

[mango]

Hi everyone,

I found 2 options close to my home for wood stove pellets for litter box use.

Canawick Hardwood Pellets – Canadian Tire website states its safe for pet bedding but that doesn’t mean they know anything about rabbits. Hardwood (doesn’t specify what kind). Eco-friendly; no additives or chemicals.
http://www.canawick.com/en/produits.php?cat=Advantages&c=25

Unknown brand, may be Home Depot’s own – Spruce & pine. No bark, no additives.
http://www.homehardware.ca/en/rec/index.htm/Heating-Ventilation-Cooling-Home-Comfort/Heating/Stove-Fireplace-Supp/Fuel/40lb-Regular-Wood-Pellets/_/N-ntimd/R-I5515114

Can anyone confirm that these are safe? I used Carefresh when I had Peter but would like to go more economical this time.

[Troubledbunnymom]

I’m not sure about the Canawick Hardwood Pellets. It looks like something that won’t dissolve or can absorb pee. I’m not familiar with the other one. The two pellets you’ve mentioned are for adding fire to stoves I don’t think any of those can absorb pee.

Are there no kitty pine available?

[Bam]

The hardwood ones look like the ones I use, they absorb pee readily but they look hard and shiny until sb has peed on them.

The kinds I use doesn’t say what wood they’re made from. I always buy different brands because that’s how they tend to be sold here. People buy them on pallets (cold country). They are sold in smallish bags (40 lbs) because they leak carbonmonoxide and may spontaneously combust, but that’s only a problem if you handle large amounts like cubic meters. The ones I buy are just wood stove pellets, no additives. No apparent scent (they do smell like dry wood but not strongly). They’re made from sawdust and wood shavings. They are excellent as litter and I use the used litter in my garden as fertilizer/soil improvement.

[mango]

Carbon monoxide? That sounds scary. Even if it is not an issue in smaller quantities in terms of spontaneous combustion, that doesn’t mean small amounts aren’t still being released even if we can’t notice it. And we all know a bunny’s respiratory system is very sensitive.

Ok now I’m very confused. There are countless threads in this forum about using wood stove pellets as litter. Just make sure it contains no accelerants and that the type of wood is safe?

[Bam]

Ok, your confusion is my fault. When I switched to wood stove pellets I had concerns about the carbon monoxide, so I asked here on the forums, where nobody has had any respiratory issues with their buns from using wood stove pellets. My litterboxes are open and the amount of pellets that go in them is of course small. The problem arises when people keep wood stove pellets in very large containers in closed, poorly ventilated rooms or compartments. There have been fatalities on ships with cargos of loose pellets, but you can imagine the tons and tons of pellets in question.

The wood types to avoid I think are the types that smell strongly from aromatic oils (terpenes).

I’ve had no problems using wood stove pellets, I’ve been using them for years now, in fact I think they smell way less turpentine-ish than the normal wood shavings that people use for horses and small pets.

Sometimes I give to many facts about stuff, I’m sorry about that =/

[mango]

Thanks for the clarification. Having the devastating experience of losing one bunny in 2010 to a combination of respiratory issues + mishandling by a vet, I tend to be extra nervous about these things.

[Author]

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