Eco-Friendly Uses for Used Rabbit Bedding

Since I first started keeping rabbits, they have grown on me more and more as an all-purpose eco-friendly pet. Among the other ecological benefits of rabbits as pets, these snuggly critters provide and endless supply of used rabbit litter-- which, to a gardener, is worth its weight in gold.

The bedding from a rabbit's cage or enclosure can be used in several earth-friendly manners. Here are a few eco-friendly uses for rabbit litter in your garden.

Mulch

This is, by far, the easiest and quickest use for rabbit litter. Many rabbit litters are made from pine and cedar chips, which are excellent mulch products, as well. This tecnique requires absolutely no time investment for composting, because the litter does not need to biodegrade or decompose to act as an effective much.

To use rabbit bedding as mulch, simply spread all of your extra litter around any area that needs mulch-- such as the bases of trees and dormant winter flower-beds. As long as your bunny produces a steady supply of poopy litter, you'll have limitless mulch for all of your gardening needs.

Compost

When allowed to decompose, rabbit bedding becomes an excellent compost material. It is very rich in nitrates and low in ammonia compared to other animal waste products. And, unlike cat poop and dog poop, it does not require years of decomposition before it's safe to use on food crops. You can use all forms of rabbit bedding as compost, including paper pellets, pine and shredded cardboard.

If you are interested in this eco-friendly use for rabbit litter, you can either add it to your base compost pile or use it separately from composted food. Allow it to decompose for 4-24 weeks (depending on the type of bedding material) and then use it as you would use any other form of compost. You shouldn't need additional fertilizer.

Fertilizer

If you need a natural, earth-friendly fertilizer that you can pour or spray directly on your garden plants, rabbit bedding is an ideal base material. Put several scoops of rabbit litter into a one-gallon bucket, then fill it with water and leave it to sit for a few hours or overnight. After this compost "tea" has steeped, it is extremely rich in nutrients such as nitrates and can be poured on your plants.

As a pet guardian, you should take responsibility for your bunny's ecological paw-print. If you are conscientious of your pets' impact on the environment, you can help to ensure that your rabbit helps, rather than harms, the planet that we all share.

Housing Rabbits Outdoors in Winter

It's less than ideal to house rabbits outside. However, the image of a rabbit in an outdoor hutch is every bit as pervasive-- and potentially inhumane-- as the popular idea of a goldfish in a bowl. However, if circumstances dictate that you must house your rabbits outside, there are several things that you may need to know about keeping rabbits outdoors during the winter time.

If you've decided to house your rabbits outside during winter, know these important facts.

1. They won't freeze to death-- usually. Most healthy rabbits are hardy and resilient enough to withstand winter's chill. Unless you live in an extremely cold climate, your rabbits are likely to fare better in winter than they would during the summer months-- heat stroke is a far more common problem in rabbits housed outdoors. Note that most domesticated rabbit breeds originate in the cold regions of Europe, where they have withstood exceptionally harsh winters outdoors for centuries.

2. Dehydration is a greater concern. Outdoor rabbits are more likely to die of dehydration than hypothermia. The reason? Water-bottles freeze quickly in the winter. If the water stays frozen solid for an entire day, your rabbits may perish. Prevent this problem by refilling your water bottles every few hours during the winter. Don't worry about middle-of-the-night refills, though. As long as you attend your rabbits' water needs early in the morning, they should be fine for the night.

3. Some rabbits are at a greater risk. If your rabbit is very old, very young or pregnant, she may be at a greater risk of problems from harsh winter temperatures if she is kept outdoors. These sensitive rabbits should not be kept outdoors during the winter unless you live in an area with exceptionally mild climate, such as the subtropical regions of the U.S. Newborn rabbits kits are at the greatest risk for hypothermia because they have no natural fur and very little body-fat.

4. Don't forget cuddles. Perhaps the most significant problem associated with housing rabbits outdoors during the winter is that the animals suffer from some degree of neglect. Rabbits are extremely social animals, and the isolation of an outdoor cage an be painfully confining. If you do house your rabbits outdoors during the winter time, take at least half an hour per day to cuddle, talk to, and play with your pet. A rabbit is much more harmed by emotional neglect than by an overnight chill.

5. Some stay-warm tips. Several items can help you to maintain a reasonably warm temperature in your rabbit's outdoor cage or hutch. Line your rabbit's home with a generous amount of hay and litter; he can burrow into them at night to stay warm. A heat lamp, such as those used in reptile cages, can also be helpful, as can commercial heating pads advertised for human use. If your local forecast warns of a very hard freeze, take your animals indoors if at all possible.

Do Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Get Along?

When I first adopted my rabbit Nimbus, I noticed that he had several significant bite marks on him. I asked the rescue group where these marks came from, and the worker explained that Nimbus had lived with an aggressive guinea pig, who had fought with him frequently. Nimbus's original owner surrendered him to end the conflicts. Guinea pigs and rabbits don't always get along, but some do. The ability of rabbits and guinea pigs to get along depends largely on the temperament of each individual animal.

Animals are Individuals.

The common question, "Do rabbits and guinea pigs get along?" is as fluid and answerless as the question, "Do cats and dogs get along?" or "Do dogs and people get along?" Animals, like human beings, are individuals and can't always be lumped into assumptions based on their species. Some rabbits are incredibly docile, while others are intensely aggressive. Likewise, many guinea pigs are sweet and social, but others bite, scratch and otherwise engage in territorial and dominant behavior.

Guinea Pigs and Rabbits are Social Animals.

Both guinea pigs and rabbits naturally live in social groups, and they do best when interacting with other animals. Due to their similarity in temperament and social structure, guinea pigs and rabbits may get along very well in a captive environment, helping to keep each other calm and occupied. However, rabbits and guinea pigs also both engage in somewhat aggressive behaviors to establish dominance and determine territory. The tendency toward both bonding and aggression can be at once both helpful and problematic.

Rabbits and Guinea Pigs Need Extra Territory.

A standard-sized cage isn't big enough to be a full-time habitat for even one animal-- and especially not two. Some guinea pig and rabbit owners make the horrible mistake of keeping both animals penned up inside one tiny cage. This will inevitably lead to territorial disputes between the animals, and they may hurt or kill each other in an attempt to claim enough space for both creatures. To keep guinea pigs and rabbits peacefully, maintain separate cages for both animals, and supervise their interactions when they are both loose in the house.

Remember Each Animal's Own Requirements. 
Although it won't hurt your bunny to occasionally nibble guinea pig food, and won't hurt your guinea pig to chow down on bunny food, it's important to remember and maintain the individual needs of both animals. Separate food, bedding, shelter, and roaming space are critical for enabling each animal to thrive. Remember that those broad "small animal foods" usually provide inadequate nutrition and aren't appropriate for feeding both cats and guinea pigs.

Neuter your Males.

It's a good idea to spay and neuter your pet no matter what, but this is particularly true when it comes to cohabitating rabbits and guinea pigs. Male rabbits mark their territory with intense skunky-smelling spray, as do male guinea pigs. When two in-tact males share the same home, they can quickly begin engaging in a spray-war, which will stink up your house and ruin your carpet. For the sake of your own sanity and hygeine, get your male animals snipped at your local vet's office.

How to Rabbit-Proof Your Home

I thought that childproofing my home was one of the most difficult tasks I'd ever undertaken. It was nothing, though, compared to the challenge of bunny-proofing a house. One single, unsupervised rabbit can quickly wreak havoc on an unprepared room, leaving it pulverized within just a few hours. Although dog and cats get a bad rap for renters and pet care experts, a dog's damage to a house pales in comparison to a single on-the-move bunny.

As a responsible pet owner, you have a responsibility to keep at least one portion of your house safe from your rabbit. No pet should be confined to a cage all day, every day. My own rabbits are allowed to run free in one room of my house, which I have carefully rabbit-proofed to maximize the safety of both my pets and my property.

Here are the minimum steps that rabbit guardians must take to adequately rabbit-proof a home or room.

1. Protect Electrical Cords

Rabbits love to chew electrical cords-- and easy-to-reach cords will be destroyed within minutes in the presence of an untrained rabbit. I learned this the hard way when my first rabbit, Nimbus, destroyed over $100 in appliances in the first week I owned him. I was lucky, though. Many rabbits die of electric shock while chewing on cords. To prevent this common, expensive, and potentially tragic problem, buy spiral cable wrap (available at Radio Shack and online retailers) and use it to thoroughly protect all cords in you rabbit-proof home.

2. Keep House Plants Out of Reach 
House plants are generally not appropriate fodder for a pet rabbit. Many are poisonous and can cause serious illness or death when your bunny accidentally ingests them. If the plant is edible, your bunny's likely to destroy it if it's within his reach. Keep all of your house plants on raised planters or hanging from ceiling hooks. If any leaves shed onto the ground, clean them up immediately to protect your pet.

3. Raise Upholstered Furniture 

A rabbit-proof room can not contain any furniture within bunny-reach if there is any chance that the rabbit can burrow into it. A rabbit will often dig a hole in a sofa, then make a nest inside. Many bunnies will do the same with mattresses. Keep all upholstered furniture in your rabbit-proof room at least six inches off the ground. You might also consider placing boards under and alongside the furniture to deter the rabbit from entering from underneath.

4. Provide Chew Toys

Bunnies are far less likely to resort to destructive chewing behavior if they are given safe, healthy, inexpensive objects to tear and bite. Give your bunny toys, wood chips, plastic toys, old phone books and toilet paper rolls. With these chew-worthy gizmos available, he'll probably ignore your furniture and baseboards. Keep chewable objects in a specific corner of the rabbit-proof room so that your pet associates the area with safety and acceptability.

5. Have a Litterbox 
Keep a litterbox in your rabbit-proof room, so that your bunny has a safe, sanitary place to relieve himself. Most rabbits will litter-train themselves fairly naturally, with little encouragement, but others will have to be constantly supervised until they get the hang of using the litterbox. Place the box in the area of the rabbit-proof room where your bunny tends to gravitate the most. Clean the box regularly so that it looks and smells more inviting (and is less unpleasant to be around.

Rabbit-proofing is no easy task, and I've found that it's nearly impossible to rabbit-proof an entire home. However, by providing just one safe, welcoming environment in which your pet can freely roam, you help to protect not only your own property, but your pet's health, as well.

Can You Use Cat Litter for Rabbits?

When I first got my rabbit, Frodo, his former owner surrendered a large container of perfumed, clumping cat litter laced with tiny blue crystals. She explained that she used this litter instead of standard rabbit bedding because it absorbed odors better and was less expensive. I discovered, after talking to several other rabbit owners, that it's not unusual to favor cat litter over ordinary bedding materials. I've even used some types of cat litter for my own bunnies on occasion. But is it really safe to use cat litter for rabbits? Here are some points to consider.

1. Natural, non-clumping litters are fine. Some cat litters are not just acceptable, but ideal, as rabbit bedding. For example, Yesterday's News, a product made from recycled newspaper, safely and sustainably aborbs odor and moisture. Non-clumping bedding and litter made made from alfalfa, wheat, oat, and citrus are equally acceptable. Use these "cat litters" whenever possible as alternatives for your bunny pal.

2. Avoid cat litters with fragrance or deodorant crystals at all cost. They are toxic to rabbits. Most bunnies will nibble on their bedding material. This is just fine when the material is safe and natural, but it's a huge problem if your bunny's bedding is a perfumed cat litter. Fragrances and deodorizers aren't just irritating to a bunny's sensitive respiratory tract; they can be acutely poisonous if eaten.

3. Clumping cat litters can cause fatal blockages. If your bunny eats a clumping cat litter, it can form a large clump in his digestive tract, preventing the passage of gas or feces. If this happens, your rabbit will either experience intense pain for several hours, followed by a difficult, traumatic, life-threatening surgery-- or, worse, he'll die. This does happen to many rabbits who are exposed to clumping litters.

4. Non-clumping clay litters are still a potential danger. Many clay litters are exceptionally dusty. If your bunny likes to dig, he may kick large amounts of fine particulate matter into the air. When this enters his respiratory tract, it can cause intense irritation, leading to coughing, bronchitis, and even pneumonia. Prolonged exposure to dusty clay litters can cause your bunny to experience life-threatening respiratory damage.

5. Pine- and cedar-based litters can damage the liver. The jury's still out on whether pine and cedar litters are harmful to rabbits. We do know that rabbits exposed to these potentially harmful tree oils often demonstrate elevated liver enzymes, and they may make bunnies more vulnerable to the effects of anesthesia. Although they're affordable and popular, shy away from cat litters and bedding material made from these trees if any reasonable alternatives are available.