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Straw

Elena

Wise Old Thumper
I was just wondering... those of you who use straw to keep heat in the hutch, do your bunnies tend to use it as a toilet area? When I gets a shed I'll be putting an old barely used 4 foot hutch in it as a cosey area and I can't decide what to put in it. It needs to be something relatively easy to get in and out as the main opening is on top but I want to use on top as a storage area so am going to take the mesh out at the front and probably attach a ramp this side. I'm currently swaying to laying an old duvet down and folding it up the back and sides (and possibly the top too) but I wondered on people's opinions on straw.
 
I use straw but im thinking about changing to hay since they prefer to eat their bed, i wasnt sure if they could eat straw?

But yes, its very warm and cosy, i slept in the horses stable one night with straw and a few rugs, nice and toasty! :D
 
i have hutches inside the shed of which i shut them in at night, then in the daytime i let them out. because i have them in hutches at night they do tend to use the straw bed bit as a toilet area, i have to clean them everyday :roll:
 
i have hutches inside the shed of which i shut them in at night, then in the daytime i let them out. because i have them in hutches at night they do tend to use the straw bed bit as a toilet area, i have to clean them everyday :roll:

Ah, mine won't be shut in the hutch as it's too small, only the shed which the hutch will be inside.
 
Some of ours eat the barley straw and end up with no bed left :roll: But yes others do use it as a insulated loo seat!

I use vetbed.. and take it to our launderette to wash out the poops :lol::oops:

I would be wary of using a duvet as the filling could block tums up or do you mean the duvet cover? I have used these folded before.. but noticed that the open end to be hidden well otherwise you would end up with a bun inside the duvet cover :shock::lol: Oh and remove any buttons or poppers! (Our housebuns chewed buttons off duvet covers.. so they all get removed now.. glamorous :lol:)
 
For info. Hay is more insulating than straw and no, you wouldn't feed straw to buns ideally :D
 
I use towels as bedding, then add straw for extra warmth, it is easy because you can just bung them in the washing machine!
 
For info. Hay is more insulating than straw and no, you wouldn't feed straw to buns ideally :D

Will have to check that one out in FHB's book.. My buns have always had straw for bedding in winter.. Barley straw that is.. not tatty brown stuff!

Hmmm 5 years of having Buns and I never heard that they shouldn't have straw before... (can't wait to get home to check my books now :D)
 
Some of ours eat the barley straw and end up with no bed left :roll: But yes others do use it as a insulated loo seat!

I use vetbed.. and take it to our launderette to wash out the poops :lol::oops:

I would be wary of using a duvet as the filling could block tums up or do you mean the duvet cover? I have used these folded before.. but noticed that the open end to be hidden well otherwise you would end up with a bun inside the duvet cover :shock::lol: Oh and remove any buttons or poppers! (Our housebuns chewed buttons off duvet covers.. so they all get removed now.. glamorous :lol:)

Oh mine have had duvets before and they don't chew them. Just wee on them which is why if they don't wee on straw I'd prefer to use it. But if they are likely to wee on it I'll have to change it often which is easier to do with a duvet and then bung it in the washing machine.

For info. Hay is more insulating than straw and no, you wouldn't feed straw to buns ideally :D

Fluffers I'm confused. I've seen it said a few times on here that straw is more insulating cos hay gets trampled down but straw doesn't. I know if I put hay in they will definitely pee on it cos they associate hay with bathroom activities. :lol: I've heard they shouldn't eat straw before too. I was hoping they'd ignore it. :lol:
 
Barley straw (not wheat, as it's too coarse) is the best insulator for outdoor rabbits. Hay retains more moisture than straw, which makes it less suitable as winter bedding. Straw has little or no nutritional value, and while the rabbits are quite likely to sit and chop the straw up, they are far more likely to still use a litter tray filled with hay.
 
Barley straw (not wheat, as it's too coarse) is the best insulator for outdoor rabbits. Hay retains more moisture than straw, which makes it less suitable as winter bedding. Straw has little or no nutritional value, and while the rabbits are quite likely to sit and chop the straw up, they are far more likely to still use a litter tray filled with hay.

Ta! I think I'll so how much a small bag is next time I go to my supplies place. And get a bag nearer the time. It's worth a try. Least Mum might stop moaning about fur in the mashing machine then. ;):lol:
 
I think Mudgy answered the question re. feeding straw - there's just very little in it that's of much nutritional value. I should have been clearer and said that whilst buns CAN have straw i.e. it won't do them any harm (as far as I'm aware), it just isn't ideal and hay is far better.

In terms of bedding, personally I wouldn't want to mess about with straw AND hay but find sticking to just hay much easier but yes there is the risk of it being used as a loo :roll: In your case Schuette I would go for: cardboard(great insulater), then old carpet, then towels on top. Layering is good :) If they didn't show an interest in chewing you could even put a sheet of insulating board down first. We did this with our last bun and he was warm as toast :D

I've always understood hay to be much warmer than straw (farming friends all tell me this). It's generally softer and therefore easier for buns to make a deep nest in. Assuming there's a good layer of hay with newspaper underneath and this is cleaned out daily (ideally in a litter bowl/tray) the bun should never be sitting in wet.
 
I don't know any farmers who bed their animals on hay, but the hollow stems of straw traps warm air, which is what makes it a good insulator compared to hay. My concern about using carpet, towels and duvets, in an outdoor hutch (not shed) during the winter, would be that no matter how clean the rabbits were with their litter habits, the moisture from them breathing could create mould/spores.
 
I don't know any farmers who bed their animals on hay, but the hollow stems of straw traps warm air, which is what makes it a good insulator compared to hay. My concern about using carpet, towels and duvets, in an outdoor hutch (not shed) during the winter, would be that no matter how clean the rabbits were with their litter habits, the moisture from them breathing could create mould/spores.

:lol::lol: No that's not what I said (or meant). Of course they don't bed their animals on hay (except new born/poorly lambs) but they all tell me that it has better insulating properties.

I think Schuettes hutch would be within a shed and so probably not shut?? Towels etc would need to be washed regularly of course.

Ultimately it's what ever works for you. One size doesn't fit all ;)
 
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Ive always been told never to use straw because it can cause serious injuries to buns or piggies eyes :shock: xxx
 
:lol::lol: No that's not what I said (or meant). Of course they don't bed their animals on hay (except new born/poorly lambs) but they all tell me that it has better insulating properties.

I think Schuettes hutch would be within a shed and so probably not shut?? Towels etc would need to be washed regularly of course.

Ultimately it's what ever works for you. One size doesn't fit all ;)

Oh yes, it will be within a shed and the mesh on the door will be removed. The actual part doesn't open, the top opens but I want to use the top for storage. Their litter tray will be on the floor under the hutch.
 
I don't know any farmers who bed their animals on hay, but the hollow stems of straw traps warm air, which is what makes it a good insulator compared to hay. My concern about using carpet, towels and duvets, in an outdoor hutch (not shed) during the winter, would be that no matter how clean the rabbits were with their litter habits, the moisture from them breathing could create mould/spores.

I completely agree - straw is a much better insulator than hay because it has pockets of air inside each piece which traps the heat and warms up the bun in much the same way that the pockets of air in bubble wrap work.

Another reason I don't like carpet etc for outdoor buns is that they don't heat up the area immediately around the rabbits. I'm sure you can imagine that if you're cold you don't sit on the carpet, you grab a duvet and wrap it right round you. Straw/hay allows the bun to snuggle right down into it, trapping the warm air around them and keeping them cosier. Carpet just keeps their feet warmer but does nothing for the surrounding air.
 
Ive always been told never to use straw because it can cause serious injuries to buns or piggies eyes :shock: xxx

I've known hay to be much stalkier than straw especially if you select the stalkier stuff! I think it's just common sense on making sure you get nice soft straw in much the same way as most of us are picky about the hay we choose! The Dust Free Hay barley straw is awesome, so soft and lovely.
 
Another reason I don't like carpet etc for outdoor buns is that they don't heat up the area immediately around the rabbits. I'm sure you can imagine that if you're cold you don't sit on the carpet, you grab a duvet and wrap it right round you. Straw/hay allows the bun to snuggle right down into it, trapping the warm air around them and keeping them cosier. Carpet just keeps their feet warmer but does nothing for the surrounding air.

Yeah that's why if I use I duvet I was going to fold it up the sides and back and secure it under the lid so it's all around them on 3 or 4 sides.
 
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