can a rabbit have something other then messy straw or hay to sleep on?

Answer 1

There are several alternatives to using straw for bedding (hay shouldn't be used as a bedding...you want them to eat that). You can use paper-based products (such as CareFresh), Aspen shavings (or chips), plain newsprint paper (no ink-it's toxic to rabbits, and you don't have to shred it first...just put it in the cage and watch your bunny go to work!). You can use Pine bedding, but you don't want to use Cedar. Pine bedding these days has had a lot of the natural oils removed during the process of making it, so that it's no longer a health threat to rabbits. Cedar chips on the other hand, still have their oils in them (you can tell by the smell. If the chips have that "Cedar" smell, then they have the oils that are dangerous to bunnies), and thus are not safe to use. You can use an old towel (just make sure that your bunny doesn't start scratching and trying to eat the towel...some will never stop, and will end up with a blocked intestine as a result). You can use shredded paper towels (again, just plain white ones...the ink used is toxic). I hope this helps!

Answer 2

You don't want to use hay to bed your rabbits with. Hay normally contains a lot of bugs and can make it prone to getting mites, etc. Too much of the wrong kind of hay could also give the rabbit diahrrea. (ie - alfalfa, clover or any broadleafed hay)

Some commonly used beddings for rabbits:
1) Straw - for the most part good, can contain bugs, not very absorbant, not much smell, best nestbox bedding, watch out for moldy straw especially for nestboxes
2) Wood chips - a little harsh on the feet, pretty good absorbancy, bad for nestbox bedding due to smell
3) Ground up corn cobs - very absorbant, keeps the rabbit very clean, lasts for a long time, not the best nestbox bedding but will work
4) Shredded newspaper - very absorbant, ok at keeping rabbit clean, might work as nestbox bedding, difficult to work with. Most newspapers use soybean based ink that is non-toxic.

Rabbits only need bedding if they are a heavier breed of rabbit (full adult weight of about 10 pounds or more). Otherwise, I'd recommend keeping them in a wire bottom cage. Wire bottom cages are much easier to clean and keep the rabbit much cleaner. Larger rabbit breeds need solid bottom flooring because wire flooring is too hard on their feet due to their higher weight.

I've been raising and showing rabbits professionally for over 24 years and have used many different kinds of bedding. I have also raised small breeds and large breeds. I also learned off of several breeders that had over 40 years of experience raising rabbits including a couple rabbit veterinarians.

Answer 3

hay isnt for sleeping on - its for eating
straw is for sleeping on
pine shavings work ok too - NEVER CEDAR
or you can do like me... put a towel in a smaller box for them - some will use it as a litter and others will use it for a bed but you can try it... really they are ok with the shavings or straw, there are other products but all are somewhat messy

Answer 4

I made my bunny a bed out of either cedar shavings or pine straw. He seemed happy with it. He loved to wallow around in it.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

they make a bedding for small animals, i dont remember what its called but its all natural and better than most cedar or pine...its also ok for them to eat or chew on, it actually looks like grey fuzz(they make other colors now), it also helps reduce the smell unbelieveable well!

Answer 7

they really need it to chew on,it aids their digestion