Bedding

I know never to use pine or cedar for bedding. I use blankets and yesterdays news for my lil ones. Just a quick question though, I have my ratties on a pool tabel, so not one the floor, but I also have a bunny who lives in the same room as the ratties but on the floor, I usually have him on carefresh. But it sucks witih bunnies. I also used to have him on pine (before I new pine was bad, a few years ago). So my 2 questions are:

1. Is aspen okay to use?
2. Would havign pine shavings in another animals cage (like the bun) who is on the floor in the same room as the rats, effect teh rats, even tho it's not in thier cages? I'm thinking yes because of the smell maybe?

Any comments would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[lj]

I use aspen with some of my guys. Fleece with the rest. It depends on the cage they are in.

Why don't you use aspen for your bun too? Is your rabbit in a cage? Or is he a free range? If he's free range, you'll only need a litter box.

 

I use blankets for my ratties, I only use yesterdays news for the litter pan.

My bun has a cage (which has shavings in it), with a XL dog pin around it (tap underneth, no shavings), so the cage door is open all the time, so that he can hope around in the XL dog pin. I got my bun when he was about 4-5 months old, I attemped litter training him, but he used to either sleep in the litter pan, or eat it ..he does poop in one corner tho, but if I put a little pan there he will eat it, then poop there haha.
So I'm thinking maybe aspen would be the best choice for his cage? Would apsen be okay around the ratties (smell wise, as the bun is in the same room as the ratties)

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Yup aspen is safe to use for rats.

 

Yup aspen is safe to use for rats.

Thanks

 

[LA]

I heard that cedar and pine can be dangerous for rabbits as well? Is that true?

 

[victoria]

I heard that cedar and pine can be dangerous for rabbits as well? Is that true?

Yes, like rats, they have sensitive respiratory systems.

I have my bunnies in a cage (that's far too small for them) with a playpen attached, so I use Carefresh as bedding in the cage, fleece on our living room floor and Yesterday's News in their litter box, because it's the only litter I've found that neutralizes the odour with them.

I've never used aspen so I do not know how it is at neutralizing bunny pee.

Is your bunny eating the litter or the litter box? One of my early group of rats ate (shredded) their new corner pan in a matter of hours (and kept us up all night in the process) so I went to the store and bought ceramic baking dishes to use as litter boxes. They're non toxic, easy to clean, chew proof, and are heavy so they are hard to tip (impossible for my rats). It may be hard to find on big enough for bunnies, but it's worth a shot. Having them litter trained makes life so much easier.

 

[minnow]

I heard that cedar and pine can be dangerous for rabbits as well? Is that true?

Yes, like rats, they have sensitive respiratory systems.

In rabbits, cedar and pine have also been associated with increased liver values, which = decreased liver function. In a nutshell, studies show that cedar and pine are Really Bad for rabbits. Most buns will fairly consistently eliminate in one place, and that's the ideal place to put the litterbox. Paper based litter under hay (or even hay/straw alone) seems to be the best mix for most people.

ETA: It's also completely normal for rabbits to lounge around in their litterboxes. As long as the litter is appropriately moisture absorbing so they don't get urine scald, it's fine.

 

Is your bunny eating the litter or the litter box? One of my early group of rats ate (shredded) their new corner pan in a matter of hours (and kept us up all night in the process) so I went to the store and bought ceramic baking dishes to use as litter boxes. They're non toxic, easy to clean, chew proof, and are heavy so they are hard to tip (impossible for my rats). It may be hard to find on big enough for bunnies, but it's worth a shot. Having them litter trained makes life so much easier.

He is eating the litter pan, not the litter it's self. He is about 4 years old now, which is too old to train to use a litter pan, he poops in one corner, so that's good enough for me

& Yes Cedar & Pin are horrible for Bunnies.

 

[minnow]

Is your bunny eating the litter or the litter box? One of my early group of rats ate (shredded) their new corner pan in a matter of hours (and kept us up all night in the process) so I went to the store and bought ceramic baking dishes to use as litter boxes. They're non toxic, easy to clean, chew proof, and are heavy so they are hard to tip (impossible for my rats). It may be hard to find on big enough for bunnies, but it's worth a shot. Having them litter trained makes life so much easier.

He is eating the litter pan, not the litter it's self. He is about 4 years old now, which is too old to train to use a litter pan, he poops in one corner, so that's good enough for me

It's never too late to train a bun to use a litter pan, especially if they already poo in one place. You could try using a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish (slightly larger than the bun) in that corner. He wouldn't be able to eat it, and it would make cleanup lots easier/faster. You can also stretch the time between full cleanups by changing out the litter frequently. As far as urine, if you have them neutered, they tend to pee in one spot too.

 

Is your bunny eating the litter or the litter box? One of my early group of rats ate (shredded) their new corner pan in a matter of hours (and kept us up all night in the process) so I went to the store and bought ceramic baking dishes to use as litter boxes. They're non toxic, easy to clean, chew proof, and are heavy so they are hard to tip (impossible for my rats). It may be hard to find on big enough for bunnies, but it's worth a shot. Having them litter trained makes life so much easier.

He is eating the litter pan, not the litter it's self. He is about 4 years old now, which is too old to train to use a litter pan, he poops in one corner, so that's good enough for me

It's never too late to train a bun to use a litter pan, especially if they already poo in one place. You could try using a shallow glass or ceramic baking dish (slightly larger than the bun) in that corner. He wouldn't be able to eat it, and it would make cleanup lots easier/faster. You can also stretch the time between full cleanups by changing out the litter frequently. As far as urine, if you have them neutered, they tend to pee in one spot too.

Thanks for the advice, but I have tried using dishes, heavy items he can’t move or eat ..he just poops around them haha. He is a very stubborn bun and he is already 4, and the older the bunny the more risks of neutering ..because bunnies don’t do well under anesthesia. I have him on yesterdays news now, instead of care fresh (I just found care fresh never worked well with bunny pee. The yesterdays news is working great.

 

[minnow]

Thanks for the advice, but I have tried using dishes, heavy items he can’t move or eat ..he just poops around them haha. He is a very stubborn bun and he is already 4, and the older the bunny the more risks of neutering ..because bunnies don’t do well under anesthesia. I have him on yesterdays news now, instead of care fresh (I just found care fresh never worked well with bunny pee. The yesterdays news is working great.

Then a hard surface and a scoop will just have to do.

Neutering can still be safe (and *very* beneficial to the bun too - testicular cancer has a surprisingly high rate in buns) if his liver values are still okay - and then you could potentially get him a friend. Buns are about as social as rats are, and do best in pairs when possible. They're a little trickier to intro, but become very bonded once they are.

 

I don't think I want to risk it, I trust my vet 110 percent, but I am after hearing too many bunnies passing during surgery. I had a male bunny for tweleve years before he passed and he was never neutered (not saying nothing will happen with this one, but either way I look at it ..I neuter, I'm taking a risk, I dpn't neuter, I'm still taking a risk. As for havign a friend, my bun is quiet content being alone, he has play dates with my guniea pig, they get along quite well

 

[minnow]

I had liver values done 48 hours before surgery on all 3 of my girls and they came through brilliantly. It all depends on the vet, the anasthetic used (gas only ever) and the health of the rabbit. It's relatively low risk for a huge jump in quality of life for boy bunnies, and far lower risk than the 80% chance of dying painfully from uterine cancer in girl bunnies.

Buns and piggers can be bonded too, to the extent of living together, but it's a lot harder with the territorialism that comes with high testosterone levels. A lot of people say that their rats are perfectly happy alone too, but they're so much happier with a friend on their own level.

 

Oh yes, it deff does depend on the vet, my vet has had no issues with bunnies and neuters