# House Rabbit Help!



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

We love our rabbit being indoors but the issue of bedding being trodden around the house is getting to be a real pain. Our bunny is bedded on wood chippings, we leave the hutch open all the time of course, so he can hop in, do his business, eat some hay, drink some water, when he hops out he tends to kick up some wood chippings. 

They get on the floor, then our 3 year old goes in there and tells Hippy about her day etc and brings some more out with her...it just goes on!

My other half is getting really annoyed with it now. Does anyone have any clever tricks? I've just cleaned the hutch today, it's once-a-week total clean, so scrubbed, disinfected etc. When I put the bedding back I used less as really, he moves it all and sits on the plastic anyway, and most of it tends to get stuffed under the litter tray! :confused2: So I don't think he's that fussed about bedding. Anyway, I obviously put some in there just used less. I'm thinking about maybe confining the bedding to a small box in his bed end. Is that a solution?

Thanks!


----------



## Ashley B (Nov 7, 2011)

I used to have that same problem! I've tried a few things but what seemed to work the best is to put a rug on the outside of the cage. Hope this helps!

-Ashley


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

Thanks Ashley. I do have a mat down where the door opens but it still gets everywhere!


----------



## Tarotknits (Nov 7, 2011)

You can always get rid of the chips and try fleece or if you have a picky bunny like me just get rid of everything all together and daily spot clean with a dustbuster or a broom and pan. I tried the fleece but my bunny just moved it aside and laid down on the bare floor so I've taken the fleece out for now and he's happy that way. Once, maybe twice a day I get out the dustbuster and get his poopies up and he pees in the litter pan. Then every couple days I spot clean any messy spots with paper towel and vinegar.


----------



## Watermelons (Nov 7, 2011)

Is he litter trained?
The easiest thing to do is get him fully litter trained to go in a litter box, put that in his hutch, dont use bedding in the rest of the cage. Any extra poops in the cage can just be swept up.
Most members dont use anything on the floor other then towels as their bunnys will go in a little box in the cage when they feel the need.


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

So just get a few cheap fleeces then? They're only about Â£2 each - I could have a few and wash every week? Would that work? He doesn't wee anywhere other than his tray so I doubt he'd get it too dirty.


----------



## Nancy McClelland (Nov 7, 2011)

We shop vac once a day. I put the litter box inside of a cardboard box--gives them a place to hang out and contains it a little better. rabbits are the cleanest animals we've been around, but nothing is perfect.


----------



## piperknitsRN (Nov 7, 2011)

I second what Watermelons said, but also want to say I use pelleted newpaper. It doesn't seem to track; sometimes the bunnies kick it out of their pan if they're extra exuberant, but for the most part, it stays where it's supposed to. Those stray poops, though... somehow don't.


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

*piperknitsRN wrote: *


> I second what Watermelons said, but also want to say I use pelleted newpaper. It doesn't seem to track; sometimes the bunnies kick it out of their pan if they're extra exuberant, but for the most part, it stays where it's supposed to. Those stray poops, though... somehow don't.


I use recycled litter that's made of paper if that's what you mean


----------



## Tarotknits (Nov 7, 2011)

That's what I do, its cheaper and you might find out he doesn't like the fleece and just wants a bare bottom cage like mine did. But try the fleece and see if he likes it. I change the fleece every three days unless he wees on it then I change it after a day or so.


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

*Tarotknits wrote: *


> That's what I do, its cheaper and you might find out he doesn't like the fleece and just wants a bare bottom cage like mine did. But try the fleece and see if he likes it. I change the fleece every three days unless he wees on it then I change it after a day or so.


That sounds completely fabulous  Happy me. He likes the bare base somehow! He'll like the fleece, our daughter has loads of them that often lay around when she's playing and he loves investigating those!

Good (fantastic) plan  It'll save on vacuuming!


----------



## piperknitsRN (Nov 7, 2011)

Oh, is the wooded chips just the bedding around the cage (not in the litterbox)? I'd get rid of that, then, and if the cage or pen doesn't is solid bottomed, you wouldn't really even need the fleece (although it's nice to have for the bunny, so long as s/he doesn't chew on it and ingest it).


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

Could you guys also help on a another related matter? We have a plastic 'scoop' style hay holder that just fits onto the outside of the cage. Hippy has a habit of knocking it off and getting hay everywhere! Is there a really good holder that contains it a little better?

Thanks again!

(shall start a new thread if necessary)


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

*piperknitsRN wrote: *


> Oh, is the wooded chips just the bedding around the cage (not in the litterbox)? I'd get rid of that, then, and if the cage or pen doesn't is solid bottomed, you wouldn't really even need the fleece (although it's nice to have for the bunny, so long as s/he doesn't chew on it and ingest it).


The wood shavings are around the base of the cage yes, as advised by the sales-person when we brought our bunny. I might use the ones I have up then, then go the fleece route.


----------



## piperknitsRN (Nov 7, 2011)

I just put the hay in the litterbox... it tends to get everywhere any way because I bring the hay from downstairs in the laundry room (in a box) to the upstairs where I house my bunnies, but now I'm using a basket for hay transport.


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

I want to contain the hay a bit, as it makes my other-half sneezy. So a good amount in a holder is okay but we can't have it getting everywhere!


----------



## Tarotknits (Nov 7, 2011)

I think I bought the same hay holder you have, it also kept getting knocked down and knocked around like yours and so I put it in the recycle bin lol.

I use these, done in a half tunnel shape.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHO26E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I bought it originally for a tunnel but he hardly ever used it so I flipped it and made it into a hay rack. Another economical route is to get a metal shower caddy from the store and hang it on the side of the cage and fill it with hay. Or even a untreated wicker basket. There are a few good metal hay racks at the pet stores I've seen too. Or if you make a C&C cage you can just attach another grid down at the floor of the cage like a tent and fill it with hay.


----------



## HipHoppy (Nov 7, 2011)

*Tarotknits wrote: *


> I think I bought the same hay holder you have, it also kept getting knocked down and knocked around like yours and so I put it in the recycle bin lol.
> 
> I use these, done in a half tunnel shape.
> http://www.amazon.com/Super-Pet-Rabbit-Tropical-Hideout/dp/B000HHO26E
> ...


Ah yes I have something like that, they're bendable. We have quite small ones but I have stuffed one with hay before for a change. I quite like the look of this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00422KYCG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 (Hadn't considered Amazon for this!)

What is a C&C cage?



EDIT: Just looked up C&C cage. I have one similar to this so don't think it's applicable: http://www.petsathome.com/shop/rabbit-100-guinea-pig-and-dwarf-rabbit-cage-by-ferplast-37559


----------



## funnybunnymummy (Nov 7, 2011)

I agree. Lose the shavings and either keep the bottom bare or lay down some fleece. Gus's cage is bare on the bottom, but we wrapped his upper levels in fleece. Gives him a bit more traction when jumping.

As for hay racks, try storage racks/shelves/holders made for kitchens or bathrooms from IKEA/dollar store/hardware store. The one Gus uses is a holder for tin foil and plastic wrap, though I don't know if it's carried anywhere anymore. But I've seen plenty of other stuff wire racks/shelves/holders that could work.

Get creative! 

Hope that helps!

Rue


----------



## Nancy McClelland (Nov 7, 2011)

We have a metal folding one that goes on the inside--you can bend the tabs to keep it from getting knocked loose. Saw the sam thing on the Drs. Foster and Smith site.


----------



## Tarotknits (Nov 7, 2011)

Oh that one is cute! Good find!


----------

