# Tips on keeping smell down?



## TurtleShark (Oct 22, 2014)

I've had my bunny, who I think I'll call Cookies and Cream (Cookie for short). She has her own small room that is fenced off with some old shelving, blankets on the floor, a large hard sided cat carrier in one corner, and a covered section in another corner as well as a small litter box I bought. 

Today she seems to have finally chosen her bathroom area, although it wasn't in her litter box but in the cat carrier. So I got that all cleaned and put down some fresh CareFresh bedding inside both the box and the carrier and some fresh hay both. 

So, anyway, I have put some air fresheners and some Baking Powder (or is it soda... I can never remember...) in a bowl in the room as well to help with the smell. I'm changing the bedding and the hay everyday and cleaning up the blankets as much as I can. 

What else can I do? If I can't keep the smell down, my mom will certainly decide that my rabbit needs to be outside. And the winters in Michigan are not exactly warm...


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## Blue eyes (Oct 22, 2014)

How consistent is she in urinating in the one spot? Usually, granting too much space at once (a whole room) makes litter training difficult. I always recommend limiting the area greatly until potty habits are established.
So if she is only partially consistent, I would recommend limiting her area. But if she is doing ok, then we'll start with the basics. 

Personally I find Carefresh only marginally effective for odor control. I much prefer the wood pellets (used for wood stoves). They look just like Yesterday's News unscented (which is another good option). I top the wood pellets with hay at least twice per day. By refreshing with new hay (directly on top) there is no smell. (BTW, I do not take out old hay, I just add new directly on top.)

Having a large litter box is also important for odor control. Those little ones are useless IMHO. She probably chose the carrier for its size and seclusion. 

I honestly have no odor from my rabbits. I have two sharing one litter box. I only change it twice per week. I actually explain this whole odor-free concept on my *site*. It has photos to help show how to do this. Just click on that site link and it will bring you to it.


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## whiskylollipop (Oct 22, 2014)

Agree with BlueEyes. Carefresh bedding sucks at odor control, absorbency, everything... I don't even know how they're still in business. Nobody on the rabbit, hamster or cat forums I go on is a fan of Carefresh. Back when I first got the bunnies I used it, and it would start stinking and be sopping wet in just 1 day. It feels nice and soft, but that's about it. Way too expensive for its worth.

I use wood stove/woodfire pellets now. You may be able to find them as "horse stall pellets" in agricultural feed stores. They are cheap as chips, and completely bun-safe (except the type with fire accelerant in them, don't get that), and last a week in the litterbox before I can even smell anything.

Is Cookie spayed? Another reason pee can be stinky is in unspayed rabbits trying to mark their territory.


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## kenna219 (Oct 23, 2014)

This may not help but i have an outdoor hutch on concrete and i cover the floor with these wood chips. (Hint: buy the buggest bag u find because bulk is cheaper) i get them at petco but they sell them at any other farm store really and I never have any smell even in the hot sticky summers. I also Find it very easy to clean up and it lasts forever so i only have to clean the cage where he goes to the bathroom or like once every weak in a half. Unless the rain comes in a soaks everything.


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## TurtleShark (Oct 23, 2014)

I plan on switching over to wood pellets. We bought the carefresh because it was pretty cheap ($4 for a smaller bag). And as far as I can tell the only place she has urinated is inside of the carrier. It's better that she has chosen the carrier over the box as the carrier is covered which makes it harder for her to make a mess out of things. I'll probably end up just using the box as a place where she can go to find some extra hay or to store her toys when I'm cleaning once I finally get some. 

Hey, speaking of which, what do you guys recommend as toys for her?


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## Blue eyes (Oct 23, 2014)

The wood pellets are good for odor control, but by themselves you will still have smell. It is the continual adding of hay that will produce the odor-free box. 
The wood pellets are typically $4-7 for a 40lb bag! It can last a couple months!

Home made toys seem to be the favored ones. Empty tp or paper towel tubes (or stuff them tight with hay), cardboard boxes, tunnels, wicker balls, hard plastic baby keys (for tossing).


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## kenna219 (Oct 24, 2014)

I babysat this cat once ad the owner used this litter that is hat i call "hippy" litter and so its all environment friendly and stuff.. Anyways it is shaped like pellets but when the animal potties on it it turns to powder. Some people like the smell.. I for one do not it is kinda strong but maybe thats just my nose. Just thought i would add that in.


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## Channahs (Oct 24, 2014)

I 100% agree with Blue Eyes. Barry's litterbox is set up just like hers* and I also have no odor. I scoop it once daily. The wood pellets break down into wet sawdust once they become urine soaked. He always uses the back side, mostly one corner, of his litterbox. I have a slotted spoon that I purchased from the dollar store that I use to remove the wet litter and poos, I spread the unused litter back to his poo area or add more as needed, and then I just take the used litter out to the composting bunny poo pile. 

*except Barry thinks that hay only comes in toilet paper rolls


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## TurtleShark (Oct 24, 2014)

I'll start putting some hay in her carrier then. Hopefully that will help for now until the carefresh is gone then I'll switch over to the wood pellets for sure. Thank you everyone!


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## grandmom2muffin (Oct 27, 2014)

Could ya'll post a pic of the bag of wood pellets?


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## Channahs (Oct 27, 2014)

Here you go. Of course there are different brands but I get these from my local farmers co-op. We're also really lucky to have a stove store here. PS. I paid $2.48 for this 28 lb bag. It will last me about 3 weeks.


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## Channahs (Oct 27, 2014)

And Barry decided this morning that he would pose for you on his litter box.


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## Blue eyes (Oct 29, 2014)

I love Barry's ears! So adorable! :heartbeat:

The wood stove pellets can usually be found in hardware stores-- especially if you live somewhere that has cold winters. 
I happen to live in the desert and wood stove pellets are hard to find. Instead I use wood pellets that are used for horse stalls. I get them at a feed store.


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## Channahs (Oct 29, 2014)

True! I didn't even think about places that wouldn't typically have wood stoves. All through the summer, the guys at the Farmers Coop could get a little irritated with me because these pellets were stored and they would have to go get them. They would try to talk me into the stall pellets but I was a jerk and insisted on these wood pellets. The stall pellets cost more. LoL I spend so much on this bun, three bucks is like a nice coupon for me!


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## Azerane (Nov 2, 2014)

I wish we could get the wood pellets that cheap here! The pellet heaters are pretty uncommon, and are winters aren't all that cold so while you can get them for pellet heaters, you have to buy them through the company and get regular shipments as opposed to just going to a store and buying them. Unless you buy the ones sold for pet litter (which I do) in which case I pay about $25 for a 15kg bag. It's absurd, but it's the best option I've got. He doesn't cost much to feed etc otherwise, so it's no big deal. I think a bag lasts me up to two months.


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## bunnylovin1093 (Nov 2, 2014)

I know what you mean. I get breeders choice pine shavings at my local farm store for $20 for a big bag. ( doesn't say how much Is in it ). It's very expensive and not great at all. There's not many options around here.


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## sungura (Nov 2, 2014)

I also use wood pellets, for pellet stoves, for my rabbits and people comment all the time how they didn't even know I had rabbits because they couldn't smell them, LOL. Closing up the house for the winter I definitely need something that controls odor. I get mine from the hardware store.


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## Channahs (Nov 2, 2014)

In addition to the wood stove pellets, I will say that having Barry neutered was the biggest advantage to cutting down the smell. Before when opened his door in the morning, the Bucky skunk smell would knock you down. Now everything is wonderful and you'll smell my stinky old weinie dogs before you ever smell him.


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