Diet
General Diet Info
Hay intro
Hay types new!
Vegetables
Pellets
Treats

Care
Bunny-Proofing
Housing
Grooming
Long-haired rabbits new!
Unwanted Litters: know the facts
Short distance traveling
Long distance traveling
Losing a loved one new!

Behaviour
Get to Know Your
Rabbit
Bonding
Bonding: Trios new!
Bonding Stories new!
Chewing/Digging
Litter Training
Types of litter
Spaying/Neutering
Toys

Have questions or comments?
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or email us.

What type of litter should I use?

Since bunnies spend a lot of time in their litterboxes, finding a safe litter is important. The following types of litter are acceptable for use in your rabbit's litterbox:

1. Litters made of aspen bark.
   
2. Woodstove pellets (compressed hardwood). Woodstove pellets are available at stores that sell wood stoves or some Home Depots, but only during the fall and winter months.
   
3. Newspaper with food pellets or just plain hay over top. Using pellets or hay and newspaper in your rabbit's box can be very economical. Don't worry: your bunny knows better than to eat the soiled parts. If you choose this option, the litterbox will need to be cleaned every day to prevent odours. Don't use food pellets as litter if your rabbit is overweight or uses the litterbox as a food trough.
   
4. Products made from recycled, shredded or compressed newspaper, such as Yesterday's News or Carefresh, are an excellent choice. These litters are dust-free, nontoxic and absorbent. They also control odours well.
   
5. Dust-free, unscented clay cat litter. Make sure it's dust-free and doesn't contain any deodorant crystals. Choose another litter if your rabbit is a digger. No clay litter is 100% dust-free, and the dust from digging may cause respiratory problems.

Things to consider when choosing a litter:

1. Corn cob bedding or litter may cause a blockage if ingested. Rabbits can't easily digest pieces of corn.
   
2. Clumping cat litter may also cause blockages if ingested.
   
3. Cedar and pine wood shavings do not control odours well, and may lead to liver damage or respiratory problems. In addition, these litters are messy.
   
4. CatWorks Litter (by the makers of CareFresh) contains zinc oxide, which may cause zinc poisioning if ingested. This product is not intended for use as rabbit litter.
   
5. Do not use any litter that your rabbit enjoys feasting on (with the exception of hay over top of newspaper).

TIP:
To increase the absorbency of your litter, line the litter box with newspaper, and add your favourite litter over top. Or, try what Heccubus refers to as the 'ultimate in recycling': Many bunnies (Heccubus included) just adore ripping up old phone books. After the binding has been removed, and the pages are loose, they can be used as litter box liners. They are the perfect size for use in many traditional plastic litter boxes.