Choosing Pet Rabbit bedding / Rabbit Litter

The first thing a new pet rabbit owner must think about is what type of pet rabbit bedding and rabbit litter they will use to create a secure living environment for their animal. Rabbit hutches need to give your rabbit space to move, stretch, play, eat and go to the toilet. They need to be safe, provide warmth and shelter and above all be comfortable. So when you choose rabbit litter and pet rabbit bedding for your hutch, you need to think about the specific requirements rabbits have.

Rabbits are reasonably large animals who spend a lot of their day and all night in their hutch. This means they are in constant contact with their rabbit litter and pet rabbit bedding.  Therefore your rabbit litter and pet rabbit bedding need to fulfil a number of important functions:

• They require a high level of absorbency to soak up the amount of waste liquid a rabbit will produce.
• They must also have very low dust content to avoid irritations to the eyes and respiratory problems which can be common in rabbits. 
• They must be non-toxic and gentle on the rabbit's stomach, as rabbits are inclined to chew their bedding / litter.

SmartBedz is the perfect product for your rabbit litter and bedding needs. This natural, organic product will create a comfortable and healthy environment for your pet rabbit to live in. It is free from dust so will not irritate your rabbit’s eyes and nose and is made from straw, which is completely healthy to eat.

Pet Rabbit Bedding - click here to buy SmartBedz from our online shop

Why Do Rabbits Need Bedding?

Rabbits need bedding/litter for 3 reasons.

Firstly rabbit litter is required to keep the hutch dry, by absorbing urine and drinking water spills. Rabbit urine can be very strong smelling so something that reduces odors is advisable.

The second use is to give insulation to the base of the hutch and to provide shelter from the weather. As outdoor rabbits remain in their hutches all year round the bedding needs to be warm and dry and keep out the cold. 

Nesting material is the third reason rabbits need bedding. This needs to keep the rabbit warm while sleeping and be made of a pliable material, which the rabbit finds easy to burrow with. Rabbits find bedding comforting and like to move it around themselves. They can push it to the corners of their hutches to snuggle up in winter or to keep it out of the way when they are too hot in summer.

The perfect pet rabbit bedding is made from two layers, something absorbent on the bottom of the hutch like an organic, dust free litter, with soft nesting material on top. SmartBedz is highly absorbent so odors are covered up and locked away naturally from the air which stops ammonia forming. This means that it lasts longer than other types of rabbit bedding / litter before it starts to smell. Also soiled areas can be removed easily without changing the entire cage, which makes SmartBedz a cost effective choice.

Another benefit of SmartBedz is that rabbits can be cleaned out very quickly, by just removing the soiled areas. This avoids them sitting in their own urine and faeces, which can lead to soiled areas on the rabbit causing fly strike.

Rabbit Bedding - click here to buy SmartBedz from our online shop

Do Rabbits Need Separate Bedding and Litter?

Often rabbits will have different bedding and litter, and litter is sometimes kept in a separate litter tray in the hutch. Pellets are the most commonly used type of rabbit litter but sawdust or newspaper are also used. It is important to note however that the ink on newspaper can be a problem and is best avoided. Rabbits need a separate area for their toilet away from their food and bed, and hutches need to be cleaned every couple of days.

Hay, woodchips, barley straw, pine shavings and woven mats are all commercially available as rabbit bedding. If your rabbit doesn’t always use their litter tray or isn’t trained to, then these items act as litter as well and so need to be changed very regularly. In the case of special matting, this should be regularly washed and dried. Sawdust is often placed underneath the bedding in case of accidents to absorb moisture. Rabbits like to burrow and sleep in little corners of their hutch where it is dark.  A separate, shaded bedding area, divided off from the other parts of the hutch will persuade the rabbit to use that space for sleeping.

To eliminate the need for buying and using two different rabbit litter and pet rabbit bedding products, Smartbedz universal pet bedding can fulfil the function of both. However you will need a nesting material such as hay in addition to this. To use Smartbedz, place a 1-3cm layer of the pellets in the hutch with thicker layers in the litter and sleeping areas. Add hay on top of the pellets for nesting. Dispose of soiled SmartBedz pellets frequently and refill as needed and when required, empty and fully clean out the hutch.

Rabbit Litter - click here to buy SmartBedz from our online shop

Why Choose SmartBedz - Summary of Benefits

• SmartBedz rabbit litter has been specifically produced to absorb liquid and smells, quickly and efficiently which means it needs changing less frequently so costs less.
• Time spent cleaning out the hutch is reduced as Smartbedz rabbit litter is longer lasting than straw alone and doesn’t form clumps when wet, which makes cleaning and maintenance much easier. Only very soiled areas will require removal and replacing.
• Smartbedz is also used as pet rabbit bedding so you will not require 2 separate products. By using SmartBedz litter as bedding base, your rabbit will always have plenty of insulation and comfort underneath it.
• SmartBedz Universal Bedding & Litter is manufactured under rigorous conditions from 100% naturally pressed straw with no additives added and all the dust is removed.
• The straw used for our pellets is completely natural and a by-product of farming that is available continuously throughout the year, so causes no detriment to the environment.