While rabbits do a great job of taking care of their personal hygiene, their environmental hygiene is entirely up to pet parents. A rabbit can’t stay clean if their space isn’t clean and dry.
You could say your hygiene rubs off on them!
Proper bedding goes a long way in making a rabbit's life clean and fresh as well as your life! You don’t want a smelly house and it’s a lot smellier down where your rabbit is sitting.
Let’s talk about how to choose proper bedding, what options you have, your cleaning routine, and how to use a litter box with your bun.
What To Look For When Shopping For Bedding For Your Rabbit
Before we get into the best options for natural bedding, let’s talk about what you want to avoid to keep your rabbit safe. In all categories of rabbit care, safety is always the first priority.
Now, if you find you have less-than-ideal bedding, don’t worry, it’s never too late to make your rabbit’s environment a little cleaner. Later, we’ll talk about how your choice of rabbit bedding can make the environment cleaner as well!
Sludge-Free
Paper-based bedding is a popular choice among rabbit owners, however, some of this type of bedding is made from the leftovers of reclaimed paper production. This material is called sludge and it has dioxin in it. It’s toxic for rabbits to breathe in!
Definitely something you want to avoid.
Make sure your bedding is labeled sludge-free so you know exactly what you’re buying.
Dust-Free
A rabbit is hopping around, kicking up their bedding and exploring it with their nose. Dust can get into their airway and lead to breathing problems.
Dust can be hard to completely eliminate but 99% dust-free is exactly what you’re looking for. Make sure the package is labeled as a low-dust product.
Avoid Artificial Scents
While quality bedding will eliminate odors, some manufacturers focus too much on covering up odors and add harmful chemicals to their bedding in order to cover up the smell of urine. Bedding with unnatural fragrances added can be harmful to your rabbit’s respiratory system.
While something may smell fine from where you’re standing, just imagine breathing in the smell all day every day from the perspective of a bun! Those chemicals become too much for their system.
If bedding is absorbing liquid, it’s more likely to absorb the smell as well. So quality bedding will leave your house fresh. There are some natural floral bedding options made for rabbits if you’re looking for bedding with a little fun added to it.
Rabbits Can’t Use Clumping Cat Litter
There are plenty of great options for rabbits when it comes to bedding. There’s no reason to use cat litter. In fact, the way cat litter clumps together is extremely dangerous for rabbits.
Rabbits love to explore with their mouths and if they swallow cat litter, it will clump together in their stomach and can cause a blockage. Only use bedding or litter specifically marketed for rabbits!
Different Types Of Safe Rabbit Bedding
Now it’s time to run through some of the best options when it comes to bedding for your rabbit. Some rabbit owners prefer to use a combination of two different types of bedding. Pelleted bedding on the bottom with soft bedding on top.
We will talk more about litter box training your rabbit in a minute, but keep in mind, in most situations, a rabbit only needs bedding in their litter box. This cuts back on the amount of bedding you need which makes it easier to afford the best!
Soft Paper Bedding
Soft paper bedding is one of the most popular choices for rabbit bedding. This type of bedding is very soft under your rabbit’s feet and makes a cozy spot for snacking on hay.
White Paper Bedding makes it easier to spot clean soiled bedding between deep cleanings. However, Small Pet Select’s White Paper Bedding isn’t 100% biodegradable so it’s not compatible with composting.
Soft Brown Paper Bedding is an excellent option if you're looking for bedding you can compost. When you have multiple bunnies spot cleaning is harder to accomplish, and you’re more likely to just dump the whole litter box and start fresh anyway.
Natural Floral Bedding
Floral Bedding adds dried flower buds to white paper bedding creating a lightly scented natural option for rabbits. While we talked about scented beddings being harmful, when the scents come straight from flowers, they’re a good option for pet owners looking for something extra in their bedding options.
They make a beautiful habitat too!
- Rose White Paper Bedding
- Marigold White Paper Bedding
- Lavender White Paper Bedding
Aspen Shavings Bedding
Small Pet Select’s Aspen Shavings Bedding is shaved from logs and heat-treated. It doesn't have any harmful aromatic oils and is also 100% biodegradable. Another great option for composters!
Aspen shavings may need to be changed more than soft paper bedding as they’re slightly less absorbent, but many pet owners love a natural wood option and this one ticks all the boxes!
- compostable
- low-dust
- sludge-free
- no chemicals or aromatic oils
Paper Pellet Bedding
Paper Pellet Bedding is a good option to use with spot cleaning. It’s easy to see where the bedding needs to be replaced. Just make sure there’s always at least 2 inches of bedding in the litter box.
At the very least, bedding should be completely replaced every ten days. Wipe down the litter box with a rabbit-safe solution such as white vinegar to disinfect.
Pine Pellet Litter
Pine Pellet Bedding is very dense and absorbent. It’s not a soft bedding and shouldn’t be used with pets who have sore or sensitive paws. Small Pet Select’s Pine Pellet Bedding helps with odor control without the addition of harmful chemicals. Some rabbit parents use this bedding with a softer bedding on top.
Hemp Pelleted Small Pet Litter
Hemp Bedding is the most absorbent option on this list and it also happens to be the most eco-friendly!
Small Pet Select’s Hemp Pelleted Litter is made from 100% all-natural pesticide-free hemp fibers. Hemp is naturally absorbent and neutralizes odors creating the perfect material for small pet bedding.
What To Consider When Choosing Bedding
With so many options it’s normal to get a pros and cons list going. Consider these factors when choosing bedding for your rabbit:
- absorbency
- odor control
- environmental impact
- safety
Absorbency
Rabbits need a dry environment! If their bedding isn’t absorbing their urine, moisture on their skin can lead to skin issues. It also breeds more bacteria in their enclosure. Absorbent bedding is a must for where your rabbit does their business!
If you use less absorbent bedding, you'll need to change the bedding more often in order to keep your rabbit’s space dry. So keep in mind how much bedding you need and how often you'll change the litter box when choosing bedding for your rabbit.
Odor Control
Urine that hasn’t been absorbed will have a strong odor. Absorbency and odor control go hand in hand. If people know you have rabbits as soon as they walk into your house, you don’t want it to be because of the smell!
Hopefully, it’s because you can’t stop talking about them!
Environmental Impact
Bedding is something that you throw away every week and continuously bring more into your house. Disposable products need to be created with their environmental impact in mind!
If you have a compost pile, you’ll want something that is compostable of course. If you don’t have a compost pile you should still be looking for something that is biodegradable (or mostly biodegradable).
You don’t want your many years of rabbit bedding taking up space in landfills!
Hemp Bedding is one of the most sustainable options for small pets. Not only is it biodegradable but farming hemp captures up to 10 tons of CO2 per acre. Growing hemp also doesn’t rely on pesticides so there’s more organic and pesticide-free hemp!
Safety
As we’ve discussed, not all materials are safe for rabbits to use as bedding. Small Pet Select takes safety seriously and provides bedding made with safe materials.
If you have a bedding product that checks the boxes for having excellent absorbency and odor control but the material is harmful for rabbits to breathe in every day then you’re missing the most important quality!
Maintaining Rabbit Bedding
Bedding is one product that you will buy over and over again. It’s also something that needs your attention throughout the week to make sure your rabbit's enclosure stays clean and dry. I mean, face it, you’ll be spending a lot of time with your rabbit’s bedding!
So let’s talk about how much bedding you need and how to use it properly to keep your buns space clean.
How Much Bedding Do Rabbits Need?
Your rabbit needs bedding that is two inches thick in their litter box or their enclosure. Most rabbits can use a litter box. Make sure the litter box is large enough for your bun to turn around in.
If you have multiple rabbits then you may need more than one litter box. If they have time outside of their enclosure regularly (and they should!) then you may want a litter box outside of their enclosure as well.
So, consider the size of the litter box, how many litter boxes you have, and how often you will be changing the bedding. You will likely want to change the bedding every few days but this depends on how many rabbits you have as well as how many litter boxes you have!
At the very least, if you can smell the litter box while sitting on your couch that means you’ve waited too long and you need to change the bedding!
Regular Cleaning Routine
After you've spent a few weeks with your rabbits, you’ll have a good idea of how often you need to change the bedding in the litter boxes. Some rabbit parents will spot clean day-to-day with a more thorough deep clean once a week.
To deep clean the litter box, you need to do more than change the bedding. Use a rabbit-safe solution to spray down the box and wipe it completely clean. A mixture of vinegar and water works well for this.
Watch for signs of issues with your rabbit bedding:
- noisy breathing
- nasal discharge
- sore paws
- enclosure doesn’t stay dry when you do frequent cleanings
If your rabbit shows signs of illness always contact your rabbit-savvy vet. Troubleshooting by changing the bedding can be done and may certainly help but it’s always best to keep your vet in the loop and get your rabbit checked out when they need it!
How To Litter Box Train A Rabbit
Rabbits are very easy to teach to use a litter box. If you’ve ever potty trained a toddler, trust me this is much easier. They practically teach themselves because, unlike toddlers, they want to live in a clean house!
How To Set Up Your Rabbit’s Litter Box
The interesting thing about rabbits (okay there are a lot of interesting things) is that they like to eat where they poop! While we talked about having two inches of bedding at the bottom of the litter box, you’ll also need a pile of hay at one side of the box. There should be enough room for them to sit facing the pile of hay, munching away!
Check out Sara’s video on YouTube where she talks about setting up a litter box for her buns!
Embed YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mt72wllL20&t=1s
Keep Your Buns Space Clean
The best way to reinforce that the litter box is where poo goes is by putting it there. When you see your rabbit pooped somewhere else, move it to the litter box. Rabbits want to poo in the same spot every day so if you can agree on the location, then this all becomes much easier!
Rabbits want to potty where it will be absorbed so it's often easiest to get them to want to pee in the litter box when the box contains fluffy absorbent bedding!
If your rabbit has chosen a corner to pee in, move the litter box to that corner!
When Can A Rabbit Learn To Use A Litter Box?
A rabbit may not have full control of their bladder and bowels until they’re four months old. You can definitely set up the litter box and promote good habits but don’t get frustrated if your young rabbit doesn’t seem to be catching on. Once they’re four months old, you’ll see their potty habits are much less random!
Spaying or neutering your rabbit can also help make potty habits more consistent.
Bedding For Your Rabbit Transforms Their Space
Having the right bedding for your bun gives them a clean enclosure to eat, sleep, and play in. Bedding is more than just a spot where they poo. It’s what keeps their house livable!
As well as yours if you know what I mean.
It’s also the material that they’ll kick up and scatter around as they hop in and out of their litter box. It’s what their feet stand on and their nose breathes in.
As well as creating a great home for your bun with proper bedding, bedding is also the most disposable product rabbit parents use. As animal lovers, it’s important we take care of the environment with our bedding choices!
