Litter Types

Meadow hay/straw: This is one of the cheapest and most readily available litter, but you must line the bottom of the tray with a thick layer of newspaper. It can be used to encourage rabbits to eat more hay and straw, which is essential for a healthy digestive system. It is easy to clean as when the litter is soiled you can simply roll up the paper and throw it away. This type of litter tends to be a bit messy so should be used with a high sided litter box or a plastic dog bed/storage box to keep it contained. The sharp seed husks of barley straw can cause injury to the rabbit’s paws, so you need to shake them out before putting it in the litter box. Make sure the hay and straw are dust extracted so they do not contain mites or mould.

Dried grass: This can be used as a litter, it is more nutritious than straw and hay but it is also quite expensive.

Paper pulp bedding: This is a natural litter made from reclaimed wood fibres that are too short to be used in paper production. This litter is very absorbent and has good odour control. It is light weight and easy to carry. It does not contaminate wounds, therefore is ideal for post operative care, rabbits suffering from sore hocks, sensitive skin, etc. It is sanitised to kill bacteria, mould and fungus so it will not harm your rabbit if ingested. Its has no added inks, dyes or chemicals, unlike recycled paper litters. The paper wont scratch floors, it can be vacuumed up, flushed, composted and is biodegradable.

Softwood litters: Studies from as far back as 1967 have shown that softwood beddings (for example pine shavings) can cause liver disease in small animals. When you open a bag of soft wood shavings you can immediately smell their fragrance, and this is where the problem lies. The smell is from natural volatile chemicals in the wood called phenols. Phenols are caustic, poisonous, acidic compounds which are routinely diluted for use in disinfectants, such as Jeyes Fluid. Inhaling phenols over time can irritate the mucous membranes of the nose and respiratory tract, which in turn, predisposes the rabbit to bacterial infection. The risk of damage to the liver and kidneys however is more serious. As the principal organs for filtering blood and urine and eliminating toxins from them, the liver and kidneys are designed to process only a certain amount of toxic material. The most obvious consequence of regular exposure to large amounts of toxins such as phenols is that the body is working to its limit already and cannot cope with the added burden of anaesthetic. At lower levels however, however, there may still be damage to the liver which is not fatal in itself but which is sufficient to depress the immune system, leaving the rabbit vulnerable to infections, particularly of the respiratory tract. Fortunately this type of liver disease can be avoided by removing the soft wood bedding from the environment. For a safer use of soft wood litter, keep in a large, open, well-ventilated areas only and have your rabbits blood checked every few months. Finally the dust contained in soft wood litter (particularly sawdust and shavings) can irritate the bunnies eyes.