Topic: New Pet Rabbit

[southernsteve]

Hi all

In a few weeks my daughter is going to get her first pet. Can anybody recommend the best bedding to use, straw or hay, and weather or not this can be added to a composter when the hutch is cleaned out?

Thanks

[manicscousers]

we used to use straw for our bunnies and oh, yes, their bedding is great for the compost, good activator  ;D

[kenkew]

Straw is best, it keeps dry longer and gives more insulation. Change it often.

[tin can]

We had bunnies for years and used shavings ( dust free ) and hay ( treated so it was mite-free) away from the area they chose to wee and poo in. The toilet area was cleaned out everyday and only took a few seconds to do.

Ours lived in the summerhouse with a view outside and an outdoor run.

We did use the soiled shavings in the compost, but the wood part does take a while to rot down.
Are you having it as a house bunny? We are looking after our adult daughter's house bunny at the moment and it's so lovely to interact with him. Even the cats like him!

[southernsteve]

Thanks for the advice. We are planning to keep the rabbit in a hutch outside in the garden. No doubt it will come into the house from time to time if my daughter has anything to do with it.

From what you say re the toilet, are they a creature of habit and therefore do their toilet in the same place. My wife has mentioned that her dad trained hers to do the loo over a hole in the floor of the hutch, which meant that cleaning out was much easier.

[donlottie]

I have 2 mini lops, very cute and very trained to the call of the food bowl, but they mess everywhere!!!
I have a double layer hutch and it is sat on some paving slabs.

Our rabbits are let out for most of the day to have the run of the garden, they lead a very happy life but at the expense of my once beautiful garden. Now it is stripped bare of any plants and Rabbit droppings are all over the place. How do I potty train them????

I have always used hay as it isnt sharp and wont cause injury to eyes etc especially if they are babies. Also give them plenty of wood to knaw on or else your hutch will become the victim of teething!