What To Put In The Rabbit Litter Box?

The choice of litter material for the rabbit litter box determines their litter habits, so chose it carefully. Poor choice of the material can lead to health issues and disturbs their litter habits. Look for the safe, economical, or pet-friendly material and maintain clean environment in the box that will help create a cozy and inviting space for your rabbit.

You can put aspen shavings, recycled paper, compressed wood or sawdust pellets, or shredded papers in the rabbit litter box or fill it with paper pellets. These materials have good absorption capacity. Also, add hay to litter box because rabbits like to munch during urination. Do not use scented litter, newspaper, pine/cedar shaving, or clumsy clay to keep them safe.

Rabbits reach litter boxes when they want to urinate or defecate. Also, these playful animals dig the material with their feet. In this article, you will get to know about the type of litter material that can be put inside the box. Also, it is essential to get information about the type of litter and its amount that is suitable for use as it helps avoid the health problems.

What can you put in the rabbit litter box?

Different types of materials are available in the market for pet animals. It is challenging for beginners to choose an appropriate type of material because some are not ideal to use.

Look for the paper-based or natural fiber options that are good absorbents, non-toxic, and help avoid bad odor.

1- Aspen shavings

Aspen shavings are made of aspen wood that is kiln-dried. It seems suitable because it is safe due to absence of harmful aromatic oils. Also, these hardwood shavings are an economical option to consider for the rabbit litter box.

You can get a bag of aspen shavings at around $20 to $25 that contains no additives and irritants. Moreover, it is an environment-friendly material that turns into compost quickly.

These are commonly used due to low cost and easier availability. It poses no health issues to pet rabbits and makes them feel comfortable due to its soft texture.

There is nothing to worry about if your pet bunny eats a few of these shavings because it does not cause much harm to their health. The aspen shavings help control the bad odor of urine but can easily get wet quickly.

You have to add it in a bulk quantity for better absorption, but low cost makes it feasible for people to put a large amount of aspen shavings in the litter box.

2- Recycled paper

Recycled papers are suitable material for the rabbit litter box, and they can be used in the form of compressed pellets, making them a suitable rabbit litter.

It is one of the reliable materials that is commonly used for cats, but it can be used for bunnies. Papers have a good absorption rate and are good at controlling odors.

Moreover, these are available at different online and physical stores at a cost of around $9 to $22. It means you do not have to spend much on the litter material and choose a cost-effective option.

I prefer to use recycled paper in the box because these do not require frequent replacements. I usually put 2 inches of recycled paper in the box after spreading the newspaper at the bottom. This setup works great and retains moisture effectively.

 3-Shredded paper

Shredded papers are an excellent choice for litter material because they are soft and easily available in the market at affordable prices.

You can also shred the paper by yourself or let your pets do the task by themselves. They are not harmful to use unless there is no ink or print on it.

The pet bunnies chew and eat the paper while urinating, so avoid using printed paper because ink can cause harm to it. Cheap inks are usually used in magazines and pamphlets, so do not use them.

However, you can use paper if vegetable-based ink is used on the paper. These are great to use in pet litter areas due to their high absorbency. But, there is one problem: they are hard to clean and stick to the bottom of the box after getting wet.

4- Compressed wood or sawdust pellets

The sawdust pellets are made of sawdust compressed into pellets that can efficiently absorb urine. They can soak up liquids effectively, but their absorption capacity is less than that of paper pellets.

The sawdust contains dust that causes respiratory issues in them, but pellets have little or no dust. Moreover, these pellets are easy to clean and replace with the new material.

Lighter and sticky materials get attached to their furry bodies and create a mess when they get out of the box, but these pellets are heavier and less likely to be tracked outside the box.

So, you can provide a clean and odor-free litter box environment to your pet bunny by placing sawdust pellets at the bottom.

5- Paper-based pellets

It is a great option to consider for bunnies due to its soft texture and ease of availability. Paper-based pellets have no negative impact on environment because they break down naturally over a period of time.

These pellets produce minimal dust, and the pets feel comfortable walking on the soft pellets of paper, as wooden pellets usually make it hard for them to walk easily.

However, these pellets are thinner and get wet with urine quickly. So, it is essential to clean and replace them with new pellets regularly, especially if your bunny urinates more frequently.

6- Hay

Adding hay to the litter box is a strategy to attract them; otherwise, they will make your home dirty. They munch on hay during urination, unlike cats reaching inside the box for urination.

It is their favorite snack because they are active grazers, and it makes the box an inviting space for them. You should fill the corners with a layer of 1-inch hay.

Spread pet litter material in the bottom and add a pile of hay to prepare a rabbit litter box. They urinate in the corners, so put clean hay in the corners to fulfill their nutritional requirements.

Clean it before adding as they do not eat soiled hay. Put hay racks near it if you have a large group of pet rabbits.

Things to consider while choosing material for a rabbit litter box

A few things should be considered before choosing materials for the rabbit litter box.

• Avoid scented litter because rabbit’s nose is extremely sensitive. The chemicals used in the scented material are not safe and cause respiratory issues in them.
• Avoid pine/cedar shavings, which are commonly used wooden pellets by beginners, but these are not good to use due to the risk of digestive and liver issues in rabbits.
• Avoid newspapers as they contain chemicals and inks that are harmful to rabbits. They like to chew the material while urinating, so there is an increased likelihood of munching on newspapers.
• Avoid clay, clumsy, and dusty litter, as these will accumulate in their gut, eventually blocking their digestive system. These can causes respiratory issues, so you should avoid using them.

How much litter can I put in the rabbit litter box?

There is no need to put a large amount of litter in the box for rabbits because they do not cover their poop with the litter material, unlike cats.

Keep the thickness of material around 0.5 to 2 inches, which is sufficient to absorb urine. It also depends on the type of bunnies and litter because a few pellets have less thickness than others.

A bigger rabbit pees more than the smaller one, so you will need to add it in bulk amounts that can absorb the urine. Using less material for bigger species requires frequent replacement, as it gets wet quickly.

However, choosing a litter with good absorption capacity helps reduce the total amount and maintenance efforts as these do not need frequent cleaning and maintenance, like paper pellets.

Aspen shavings are thin and soft with a little absorption capacity, so you have to add them in large amounts regularly. You have to make a thicker layer of aspen shavings for better absorption.

Can I use cat litter for the rabbit litter box?

It is one of the common questions asked by pet owners who have pet cats, and rabbits at home. They ask about using the cat litter for their pet rabbits to avoid getting a new one for them.

However, their eating habits are different from cats’, as they eat the litter when urinating, so you should be careful when choosing any material for them.

In most cases, the litter for cats is clumsy/clay, which makes it easier to clean cat poop. It is not safe for rabbits because they chew litter that can accumulate in their digestive system.

It is not considered ideal to use clumping and clay-based litter for the rabbit because these can block the intestines and lead to death. Using cat litter usually deters bunnies due to bad odor.

Some paper-based material that is soft, thin, and unscented can be used, as it is safe even if they eat it in small amounts.

So, it is better to use litter that is specifically prepared for rabbits to ensure good health and safety. Recycled paper and aspen shavings are the most commonly used materials for them.

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