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My dad says the rabbits stink up the house...

courtneydayle

Alpha Buck
sure they have their accidents, but they are in MY room, so I clean them when they happen. He's got a dog that is not potty trained at all and makes messes all over the house (not my room, I won't let the thing in here). My question is, do you all notice a smell (urine or feces) from your rabbits? I use vinegar/water mixture to clean the carpet, then before I vacuum I sprinkle baking soda over the carpet and then vacuum that up. They're just babies so they don't always make it to the litter box, but they do most of the time. What would you say to someone who said your rabbits stunk?
 
That's the problem with unneutered rabbits I'm afraid, they do tend to stink a LOT more. Even if they are very tidy they still have a smell about them due to hormones. Smudge was ever so tidy before his neuter but stunk, bless him.

As for whether my rabbits smell, no they don't, the only smell is the smell of fresh, sweet hay.
 
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That's the problem with unneutered rabbits I'm afraid, they do tend to stink a LOT more. Even if they are very tidy they still have a smell about them due to hormones. Smudge was ever so tidy before his neuter but stunk, bless him.

As for whether my rabbits smell, no they don't, the only smell is the smell of fresh, sweet hay.

I don't smell anything from them though, never have. But dad swears he can smell it all the way across the house. These are females, so I know they won't smell as bad as males do. I think he just wants an excuse to throw them outside.
 
Maybe you are used to it or your dad has a very sensitive nose. I have a friend with a very sensitive nose, she would tactfully say if they smelt, but never has.
 
Maybe you are used to it or your dad has a very sensitive nose. I have a friend with a very sensitive nose, she would tactfully say if they smelt, but never has.

If he can live with that dog's stink, then he shouldn't even be able to smell anything the rabbits do...
 
If he can live with that dog's stink, then he shouldn't even be able to smell anything the rabbits do...

Yes but you get used to your own smells. You're in there everyday, you've stopped noticing it. He's with the dog everyday, he's stopped noticing it.
 
I havn't had any issues so far, I clean her litter out twice daily and thats only where she does her business. I think she smells beautiful, but I'm going to have her spayed for obvious reasons. I get my housemates to smell my room whenever they're near and they've all said they can't smell anything!
 
I havn't had any issues so far, I clean her litter out twice daily and thats only where she does her business. I think she smells beautiful, but I'm going to have her spayed for obvious reasons. I get my housemates to smell my room whenever they're near and they've all said they can't smell anything!

I clean mine daily and same thing, no complaint from my landlady except the comment my room smells like hay (which she likes) and sometimes vegetables!
 
You might consider changing to every day. I feel like a smell develops on the second day if I don't change the litter.
 
You might consider changing to every day. I feel like a smell develops on the second day if I don't change the litter.

I don't have enough hay for that. If they've soiled the litter too badly I'll change it, but usually I just do it every other day.
 
Thanks everyone. I'm clean everything out once a week and change the litter every other day.

Few questions coming.

Do you use anything to protect the floor while they're out? I use a waterproof sheet with towels on top, I either wash or change the towel for a new one every day, no smells there. How often are you cleaning the carpet with the vinegar? It could be that the mixture isn't strong or long lasting enough - they're still smelling themselves and peeing on top of it. I also don't understand what you mean about not having enough hay. Are you using hay as litter? It's not very absorbent or odour reducing, if you are. I use short cut straw (huge bale for £12, not expensive at all) and place hay for eating on top of that to encourage them to sit in the litter tray. If you're just using hay as food, you should be replacing it every day anyway so why does it matter if the litter is new as well when you do it? Also what do you mean by 'change everything' once a week? Do they have an enclosure, and you're referring to bedding? What type of bedding is it?
 
Few questions coming.

Do you use anything to protect the floor while they're out? I use a waterproof sheet with towels on top, I either wash or change the towel for a new one every day, no smells there. How often are you cleaning the carpet with the vinegar? It could be that the mixture isn't strong or long lasting enough - they're still smelling themselves and peeing on top of it. I also don't understand what you mean about not having enough hay. Are you using hay as litter? It's not very absorbent or odour reducing, if you are. I use short cut straw (huge bale for £12, not expensive at all) and place hay for eating on top of that to encourage them to sit in the litter tray. If you're just using hay as food, you should be replacing it every day anyway so why does it matter if the litter is new as well when you do it? Also what do you mean by 'change everything' once a week? Do they have an enclosure, and you're referring to bedding? What type of bedding is it?

I have a carpet on top of my normal carpet that they use. I put newspaper in the litter box then hay on top of that. I rotate the hay. After it's been in there for them to eat then I put it in for them to use as a litter. Once a week I'll change the newspaper and everything, new hay to eat, new hay for litter and I wash everything (bowls, toys, etc). I thought straw wasn't okay for rabbits? If it is then I'll start using that. I can get it for free from my grandparents/uncle. I use a mixture of half vinegar/half water. Should I increase the amount of vinegar? I tried using kitty litter but they just dug around in it and never used that box. Should I try again with hay on top?
 
I have a carpet on top of my normal carpet that they use. I put newspaper in the litter box then hay on top of that. I rotate the hay. After it's been in there for them to eat then I put it in for them to use as a litter. Once a week I'll change the newspaper and everything, new hay to eat, new hay for litter and I wash everything (bowls, toys, etc). I thought straw wasn't okay for rabbits? If it is then I'll start using that. I can get it for free from my grandparents/uncle. I use a mixture of half vinegar/half water. Should I increase the amount of vinegar? I tried using kitty litter but they just dug around in it and never used that box. Should I try again with hay on top?

How big is the litter tray? Most of us use under bed storage boxes, they're big and deep so they can dig without getting everything everywhere. Straw is perfectly safe for rabbits, you can put it in their bed area and they'll happily snuggle into it. If you're using it for litter, though, make sure it's short-cut as it's more dense than normal straw and therefore more absorbent. The wee sinks to the bottom and the smell gets trapped down there with it, I find. I change mine every second day and it doesn't smell at all.

If it's just regular straw you have access to, you could use that too as long as you don't mind emptying it once or twice a day.

Other options: yes you could try kitty litter again as long as it's dust free, non clumping and all that good stuff. I have used the wooden pellets before and it was actually brilliant. I only stopped because it's heavy and we don't drive and with three rabbits and two guinea pigs, one bag didn't last very long. Or you could stick with your newspaper, but I would definitely advise to change that more than once a week. It is absorbent, but with only hay on top, there's nothing keeping the smell from escaping. Whatever you use as a litter, always keep the hay nearby and make sure the tray is big enough for them to sit/lie in it comfortably. They're cute but they're also gross, they like to 'go' where they eat. Just make it a nice place to be for them to be and they'll naturally want to spend a lot of time there.

As for the vinegar, I would increase the amount of it. I personally use pet-safe disinfectant spray on the litter boxes, I'm comfortable with that because I make sure to do it away from the animals, I keep the window open clear the air/get rid of any fumes and I rinse with lots and lots of water. They don't suffer for it. With regards to carpet stains I simply use soapy water. But it's up to you. How do you dry it? It may be that some of the smell is old water. If you can move that bit of carpet around I would hang it outside, let it sun-dry.

Oh and I can't tell if you mean you're refreshing hay once a week? You should be giving fresh hay every day. It would save you time and money if you just used normal litter (straw, newspaper, kitty litter etc) and put a handful of hay on top for eating, topping it up when it's low. That way it's always fresh and they'll eat it instead of weeing on it.

ETA: it is true what people are saying about intact rabbits being smellier than fixed rabbits, though. It's just a fact, I'm afraid, male or female.
 
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Surely if you have rabbits for meat you have plenty of hay? Buy it in bales and then you won't have to worry about how much you give them, it's SO much cheaper.

Honestly I don't think it matters what you do, while they are unneutered they are going to smell stronger. Their wee smells stronger when they are hormonal because it's to mark their territory. Stronger wee smell, stronger marking of territory. So while they are unneutered you'll have to change it every day.
 
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This is their litter box, with Polka in it for size reference.

PICT0198.jpg
 
Surely if you have rabbits for meat you have plenty of hay? Buy it in bales and then you won't have to worry about how much you give them, it's SO much cheaper.

Honestly I don't think it matters what you do, while they are unneutered they are going to smell stronger. Their wee smells stronger when they are hormonal because it's to mark their territory. Stronger wee smell, stronger marking of territory. So while they are unneutered you'll have to change it every day.

I get hay separately from my dad who does the meat rabbits. I don't really have much to do with them anymore.

I don't think they smell, he does. I change it when it's soiled, so I'm going to continue with that really.
 
How big is the litter tray? Most of us use under bed storage boxes, they're big and deep so they can dig without getting everything everywhere. Straw is perfectly safe for rabbits, you can put it in their bed area and they'll happily snuggle into it. If you're using it for litter, though, make sure it's short-cut as it's more dense than normal straw and therefore more absorbent. The wee sinks to the bottom and the smell gets trapped down there with it, I find. I change mine every second day and it doesn't smell at all.

If it's just regular straw you have access to, you could use that too as long as you don't mind emptying it once or twice a day.

Other options: yes you could try kitty litter again as long as it's dust free, non clumping and all that good stuff. I have used the wooden pellets before and it was actually brilliant. I only stopped because it's heavy and we don't drive and with three rabbits and two guinea pigs, one bag didn't last very long. Or you could stick with your newspaper, but I would definitely advise to change that more than once a week. It is absorbent, but with only hay on top, there's nothing keeping the smell from escaping. Whatever you use as a litter, always keep the hay nearby and make sure the tray is big enough for them to sit/lie in it comfortably. They're cute but they're also gross, they like to 'go' where they eat. Just make it a nice place to be for them to be and they'll naturally want to spend a lot of time there.

As for the vinegar, I would increase the amount of it. I personally use pet-safe disinfectant spray on the litter boxes, I'm comfortable with that because I make sure to do it away from the animals, I keep the window open clear the air/get rid of any fumes and I rinse with lots and lots of water. They don't suffer for it. With regards to carpet stains I simply use soapy water. But it's up to you. How do you dry it? It may be that some of the smell is old water. If you can move that bit of carpet around I would hang it outside, let it sun-dry.

Oh and I can't tell if you mean you're refreshing hay once a week? You should be giving fresh hay every day. It would save you time and money if you just used normal litter (straw, newspaper, kitty litter etc) and put a handful of hay on top for eating, topping it up when it's low. That way it's always fresh and they'll eat it instead of weeing on it.

ETA: it is true what people are saying about intact rabbits being smellier than fixed rabbits, though. It's just a fact, I'm afraid, male or female.

I'm changing the hay from eating to litter every day, giving them fresh. I have a separate container for their eating hay. Do I not need to do that? I'll try kitty litter again then... But it'll be a couple days since I don't work tomorrow so I won't be going to town.
 
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