# wood pellets as bedding



## peppa and georgie (Jun 3, 2009)

So i use carefresh but it doesnt go far and was wondering if wood cat litter pellets would be better. Does anyone have any opions on this?


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## Saudade (Jun 3, 2009)

No, cat pellets clump, rabbits will eat the pellets (even if you don't see them doing it. When they eat the cat pellets they clump in their stomach and will kill them.


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## peppa and georgie (Jun 3, 2009)

oh thank you for telling me that x what are the alternative options xx


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## SOOOSKA (Jun 3, 2009)

Wood pellets are the best thing since sliced bread. I use them for all 6 of my bunnies. They are much cheaper too, I get a 40 ound bag for about $6.00. I just put a screen over the pelets, much easier to clean to.

Many people on here use them

Susan


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## peppa and georgie (Jun 3, 2009)

oh thank you sooska x x


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 3, 2009)

i use them i get them at t he tractor supply store, they are called Equine Pine, it last for a long time and for a fraction of the price. THe yesterdays news and care fresh kill me and i couldnt keep putting the money out for that. You can also use wood stove pellets as long as there are no accelerants in it and it is kiln dried, or kiln baked, which means that they cook out all the harmful oils.


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## degrassi (Jun 3, 2009)

I've tried to switch over to wood pellets 2 times now. Both times Gimpy hasn't liked them and has refused to go into his litter box when they are in there. As soon as I put back the yesterday's news(or other paper pellet) he is fine. 

2 days ago I tried again and so far he hasn't gone into his box and has been peeing right next to it  I think he doens' t like their stronger smell. I"m going to try airing them out a bit before using them.


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## SOOOSKA (Jun 3, 2009)

Degrassi, have you tried putting a plastic mesh screen over the pellets. much easier to clean up too.

Susan


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## Luvmyzoocrew (Jun 3, 2009)

Dgrassi try airing them out, what you can do too is put them in one of those pop up hampers that are made of a ting breathable material and leave it sit for a few days. You could also try mixing it with the yesterdays news until the rabbit gets use to it, he just might need a little adjustment time. It also could be he doesnt like the feeling and a screen might work too.


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## degrassi (Jun 3, 2009)

Yes, I already use a plastic screen over top of them. I think its the smell as it does smell woody.

I"ll try aerating them and see if that helps. I tired mixing them with paper litter last time and that didn't work either. 

I hope I can get him switched over. it would be much cheaper to use the wood pellets compared to YN.


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## tonyshuman (Jun 3, 2009)

I love wood pellets. They're cheap, very compostable, and I think they're good at odor control. They should be totally safe. Only clumping cat litter is unsafe, and wood pellets fall apart when they're wet. I use ones made for burning in stoves or putting in horse stalls.


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## peppa and georgie (Jun 3, 2009)

Thank you everyone that is great shall be trying those. 
I have prob whenever i try to switch cat litters for my cats and they pee and poop outside their tray if they are not happy. With the rabbits though degrassi have you tried hiding lots of raisins in the tray for awhile it might bribe them into liking it or at least spending time digging about in it..
You never know.


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## degrassi (Jun 3, 2009)

*peppa and georgie wrote: *


> Thank you everyone that is great shall be trying those.
> I have prob whenever i try to switch cat litters for my cats and they pee and poop outside their tray if they are not happy. With the rabbits though degrassi have you tried hiding lots of raisins in the tray for awhile it might bribe them into liking it or at least spending time digging about in it..
> You never know.


My litter box is covered with a plastic screen. My rabbit doesn't touch the pellets so its not a different texture thing. I've put some of his favorite hay and moved his food dish over the box in hopes to coax him over. 

I noticed him jump in and out of the box today so thats a bit of progress. 

I have to say I'm not too fond of the smell of the pellets, smells strongly of sawdust. It would be fine but my rabbit lives in my bedroom. So its a bit weird having my room smell like a wood shop. Hopefully aerating them out will help with the smell.


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## maherwoman (Jun 3, 2009)

Another thing you can try is going to a Feed store (you can find some near you in things like the MSN or Yahoo Yellow Pages), and asking for ABM. It's the same, and MUCH cheaper than anything you'd find at a store.

I think Saudade was thinking of _clay _kitty litter...which is indeed a very unhealthy thing to have around buns, as they will eat it, the clay will clump in their digestive system, and they might die due to the blockage.

WOOD, though, is wonderful! I buy big 35lb bags of ABM for about $8 in the states (here in Canada, the ones I've found are about $10, but still MUCH cheaper than buying regular commercial wood pellets like Feline Pine). It's wonderful on odor control, as it just breaks down when it absorbs the urine, and if they nibble on it, it's okay, as it's wood.


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## Pet_Bunny (Jun 3, 2009)

*maherwoman wrote: *


> WOOD, though, is wonderful! I buy big 35lb bags of ABM for about $8 in the states (here in Canada, the ones I've found are about $10, but still MUCH cheaper than buying regular commercial wood pellets like Feline Pine).


As a note, ABM (Advanced Bedding Management) is wood pellets for people who don't know what ABM is. 

*Rosie* - I am using Firemaster Wood Pellets from Revy Rona (building supply store) which costs about $6.00 for a 40 lb bag. That is something else I have to show you. 

*Degrassi* - I never tried it before, but you can add some water to the pellets and break it down to a semi sawdust mix, the smell might not be so strong. Then mix it with the paper litter until Gimpy gets used to it.


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## maherwoman (Jun 3, 2009)

*Pet_Bunny wrote: *


> *maherwoman wrote: *
> 
> 
> > WOOD, though, is wonderful! I buy big 35lb bags of ABM for about $8 in the states (here in Canada, the ones I've found are about $10, but still MUCH cheaper than buying regular commercial wood pellets like Feline Pine).
> ...


OH! Wonderful! I'll probably just get it there, then! Anything to save a little more money! 

And thanks for explaining what the abbreviation means. I didn't know that one, lol! :blushan:


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## jfreight (Jun 3, 2009)

I am so new to this, that this may seem like a silly question. Are wood pellets the same thing as pine bedding/litter (shavings) or are the pellets something different? I was using Care Fresh, which was much more expensive so I bought the pine shavings, but I am open to any new suggestions. I am currently mixing the last of the Care Fresh with the pine shavings in the litter box and lining the rest of the cage with newspaper. Does this seem like an okay setup? I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. Thanks


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## degrassi (Jun 3, 2009)

Pine shavings are different then wood pellets. 

Wood pellets are little pellets made from compressed sawdust/shavings.IF you wet wood pellets they puff up into fluffy shavings/sawdust.


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## jfreight (Jun 3, 2009)

Thanks for your response!! Are the pellets better than shavings?


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## maherwoman (Jun 3, 2009)

I would recommend against the shavings, as most of them have a natural aromatic quality that can cause respiratory problems in bunnies. As degrassi said, they are indeed different from pellets. Wood pellets look like rabbit food pellets, except they're made from compressed wood, and are usually slightly larger.

My recommendation: Put wood pellet litter in the litterbox, and top with a good layer of hay. I have yet to encounter a bun that doesn't automatically become litter-trained with this setup. They like to poop as they eat...so the hay serves to keep them in that spot (the litterbox), while they have a good litter to "go" in/on.

Don't worry about them eating soiled hay...they will avoid it.


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## jfreight (Jun 3, 2009)

I will definitely try that! Should the litter/hay be changed daily? I currently change it every morning.


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## jamesedwardwaller (Jun 3, 2009)

save that unnecessary trips to the dvm specialist ,save some money too!!.what ever you put in the poop box,-figure- its going to be consumed,..please use an ie..orchard grass,timothy grass,..no,alfalfa,no,pine,no cedar,there are alot of no-no,s with rabbits,these are some of them,..consult(google).rabbit secrets(glen livingston,).or-house of rabbits..sincerely james waller


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## Pet_Bunny (Jun 3, 2009)

Pine Shavingsis processed througha wood chipper thatturns the pine wood outlike corn flakes.

Wood Pellets is a combination of soft woods that is processed and squeezed into pellets and kiln dried to remove the oils that are harmful to rabbits.


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## Pet_Bunny (Jun 3, 2009)

*jfreight wrote: *


> I will definitely try that! Should the litter/hay be changed daily? I currently change it every morning.


You don't have to. Just change the hay daily, scoop out the soiled pellets and leave the good pellets in the litter box until they become soiled.


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## maherwoman (Jun 3, 2009)

*jfreight wrote: *


> I will definitely try that! Should the litter/hay be changed daily? I currently change it every morning.


We actually only need to change ours once a week. The wood pellet litter cuts down on the odor really well. Other people put a grid-type thing over the litter, so they only have to scoop out the used litter (I haven't yet figured out how to do this, lol). You can clean it more often, if you so desire.

When you clean, just toss out the hay with the litter. That way whatever of the hay they didn't want to consume goes, and they get a fresh batch. Also, you'll need to give them a fresh layer just about daily (depending on how much hay your bun eats...we have some that eat ALL of it daily, and some that don't...and we just eyeball it). They do need plenty of fresh hay available. 

Another helpful hint: add vanilla extract (can be either natural or imitation) to their water. We add 1cc (1ml) per 32oz of water. It cuts WAY down on the ammonia in their urine, which is what causes the most litter odor.


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## jfreight (Jun 3, 2009)

I like the tip about the vanilla, I'll give that a try. I am currently using Timothy Hay, is that okay, or is there something better? I think I'll go to the feed store tomorrow, so I'll need to make my list .


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## maherwoman (Jun 3, 2009)

As far as hay, that's really something that goes by age. I have an adult girl, Maisie, who cannot eat ANY alfalfa, so we just steer clear of it altogether. (Maisie gets lots of soft poops, cecals, when she eats things with too much protein or sugar. She has a really sensitive gut.)

If your bun is still growing, alfalfa is good. BUT...no harm in doing Timothy on a young bun, either. 

I recommend Timothy...because I like being on the safe side with everything concerning our buns. Not to mention the many times I've heard of buns getting spoiled with the flavor of alfalfa hay! LOL! 

Another benefit of Timothy...I think it's much easier to find.


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## tonyshuman (Jun 3, 2009)

Timothy hay is good, but any good quality grass hay mix for horses will be fine as well.


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## AngelnSnuffy (Jun 4, 2009)

I have recently switched litters too, to a cat litter called Feline Pine.and he actually quit digging! Another thing I think folks can use is when changing litter, put some of their own poos in the clean litter. It's their smell and it works.


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## maherwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

*AngelnSnuffy wrote: *


> Another thing I think folks can use is when changing litter, put some of their own poos in the clean litter. It's their smell and it works.


That's an excellent idea!


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## Maureen Las (Jun 4, 2009)

*Saudade wrote: *


> No, cat pellets clump, rabbits will eat the pellets (even if you don't see them doing it. When they eat the cat pellets they clump in their stomach and will kill them.



Do wood cat pellets clump? 
Yesterdays news doesn't clump 

Does feline pine?


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## maherwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> *Saudade wrote: *
> 
> 
> > No, cat pellets clump, rabbits will eat the pellets (even if you don't see them doing it. When they eat the cat pellets they clump in their stomach and will kill them.
> ...


Nope. Feline Pine is very much like the ABM you can buy for horses or buns. It's just compressed wood pellets. 

I think Saudade was thinking of clay kitty litter.


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## Maureen Las (Jun 4, 2009)

Thank You Rosie


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## maherwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

*angieluv wrote: *


> Thank You Rosie


Always and always. 

Give the furkids love from me!


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