Affordable litter options?

[a reader of books]

So, Casper has been having sneezing fits for quite a while now, and despite having been to the vets for it several times, we haven't been able to find a cause. The vet suspected it was the hemp bedding I used in the litter trays, as it can be a bit dusty, so I replaced it with something else, and it's made a big, big difference. He still sneezes, but has barely any sneezing fits anymore, and when he does, they don't last minutes like they used to. The stuff I'm currently using, though, is cotton bedding (it's made from cotton seeds or something?), and it's really nice and soft, but it also costs €38 per bag, and a bag lasts about 8 days, so it's quite expensive! I've been trying a lot of different things to find something cheaper, but none of them have worked out. So, I was wondering if anybody knows of anything that's:

- not paper-based or newspaper, as Sophie eats paper like it's candy. I'm pretty sure she'd eat puppy pads, too.

- soft, because they both have sore hocks, so no wood pellets or anything like that. Putting hay on top isn't an option, either, as they both like pushing things around in their litter trays, so they'll end up sitting on the pellets anyway.

- dust free.

- cheaper than €38 a week.

If anybody has any ideas, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Graciee]

I'm not sure I'll have a think tho, but I can't use hemp bedding either for my lot, I'm a sneezing mess, so I know how Casper feels [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

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[joey&boo]

They haven't left you many options have they:lol: The only other thing I can think of would be lining their litter trays with washable puppy liners - but I wouldn't envy you having to get them washing machine ready :evil:

 

[a reader of books]

I'm not sure I'll have a think tho, but I can't use hemp bedding either for my lot, I'm a sneezing mess, so I know how Casper feels [emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

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Oh, no! You're in Casper's hemp haters club, too! :lol:

They haven't left you many options have they:lol: The only other thing I can think of would be lining their litter trays with washable puppy liners - but I wouldn't envy you having to get them washing machine ready :evil:

Not really, no. :lol: I had no idea washable puppy liners existed, but I took a look on Google, and that would actually solve another problem (on top of saving me €38 a week, I mean :lol, because Casper likes to push the bedding away before he goes, so he just sits on the bare surface of the litter tray when he pees and gets dirty feet sometimes, which is really not helpful with his sore hocks... Getting them ready for the washing machine would not be pleasant, though, you're right. :lol: And I suspect Sophie would chew them to pieces... I think it could be worth a try, though... I might order one or two and see how it goes.

 

[Graciee]

Oh, no! You're in Casper's hemp haters club, too! [emoji38]



Not really, no. [emoji38] I had no idea washable puppy liners existed, but I took a look on Google, and that would actually solve another problem (on top of saving me €38 a week, I mean [emoji38]), because Casper likes to push the bedding away before he goes, so he just sits on the bare surface of the litter tray when he pees and gets dirty feet sometimes, which is really not helpful with his sore hocks... Getting them ready for the washing machine would not be pleasant, though, you're right. [emoji38] And I suspect Sophie would chew them to pieces... I think it could be worth a try, though... I might order one or two and see how it goes.

Look for guinea pig bedding! Like fleece pee liners? If you're okay with washing! Loads of washable and waterproofs liners out there and easy to make yourself too tbh.

And a horse wash bag to save your washing machine [emoji38][emoji38]
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[a reader of books]

Look for guinea pig bedding! Like fleece pee liners? If you're okay with washing! Loads of washable and waterproofs liners out there and easy to make yourself too tbh.

And a horse wash bag to save your washing machine [emoji38][emoji38]
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I'm okay with washing, I think. Though those wash bags sound like a good idea. :lol: I wonder how the puppy ones compare to the guinea pig ones... I'm guessing puppy ones would be sturdier and absorb more? Rabbits do pee more than guinea pigs, I'm assuming? So, I wonder if guinea pig ones would absorb enough? I do notice that the guinea pig ones look more cheerful and colourful than the puppy ones, which I like. :lol:

 

[bunny momma]

Washable puppy pads seem like a good idea. My late CX, my avatar, was allergic to some bedding and ate others, so I used old towels which I washed regularly, though they were not very absorbent, plus the bits of hay did not come off easily.
Is it the hemp, or the dusty bits that causes him to sneeze? Could it be put in a mesh laundry bag and shaken outside to remove the dusty bits?
I am glad you found a way to minimize hos sneezing.

 

[a reader of books]

Washable puppy pads seem like a good idea. My late CX, my avatar, was allergic to some bedding and ate others, so I used old towels which I washed regularly, though they were not very absorbent, plus the bits of hay did not come off easily.
Is it the hemp, or the dusty bits that causes him to sneeze? Could it be put in a mesh laundry bag and shaken outside to remove the dusty bits?
I am glad you found a way to minimize hos sneezing.

I'm glad you think they seem like a good idea, too. I've ordered two to try them out! CX looks adorable in your avatar. I'm glad towels worked for CX when other bedding wasn't an option, though I can imagine getting the bits of hay off required some effort!
I think it's the hemp itself that bothers Casper rather than the dust. A few days ago I was getting rid of some hemp mats I found, which aren't dusty, and Casper spent some time sniffing them and had bad sneezing fits for the rest of the day. So, maybe he's allergic to hemp? Which is ironic, because apparently the hemp bedding is "suitable for allergic animals".

 

[Orenoko]

I use washable puppy pads that I got from ebay for my two, topped with a layer of megazorb (the horse stuff). I think it's made of wood so may work? I've ordered it online and it was about £20 a bag but if you have a horsey shop near you it's probably half the price, I got some for £10 in one recently. It lasts well over a month for my two.

I don't find the pads too onerous to clean, I just brush them down with a dustpan brush over a black bag to get rid of anything that's stuck on them. The only downside is they don't absorb the smell quite as well as a disposable pad (hence the megazorb).

 

[a reader of books]

I use washable puppy pads that I got from ebay for my two, topped with a layer of megazorb (the horse stuff). I think it's made of wood so may work? I've ordered it online and it was about £20 a bag but if you have a horsey shop near you it's probably half the price, I got some for £10 in one recently. It lasts well over a month for my two.

I don't find the pads too onerous to clean, I just brush them down with a dustpan brush over a black bag to get rid of anything that's stuck on them. The only downside is they don't absorb the smell quite as well as a disposable pad (hence the megazorb).

Ooh, I looked up megazorb but it looks like it's not sold here. It looks like great stuff that would work for Sophie and Casper, so that's really too bad...

That's really good to hear that you don't find the pads too onerous to clean. Not too great about it not absorbing the smell quite as well as the disposable ones, though... The reviews for the ones I got mostly said the smell was all right, so I hope it won't be that bad... Do you change the pads every day? I read somewhere that they can last a few days with rabbits, but I was thinking I'd do it every day?

 

[a reader of books]

A little update: We've been using the washable puppy pads in their biggest litter tray for almost a week now, and Sophie hasn't chewed them yet! They're still getting the cotton litter on top of it, but we're (I saw "we", but my mum cleans the litter trays for me every day because it's too exhausting) decreasing the amount each day so it's not a huge change going from the litter to the puppy pads all of a sudden. I still worry that when there's no litter on top of it at all Sophie will start chewing the puppy pad, so I think I'll keep a layer of hay on top of it. But so far it's going really well, and according to my mum it's much easier to clean the litter tray this way, too, so if this works out I hope I can do it myself so my poor mum doesn't have to come over each day to do it for me.

 

[bunny momma]

I am glad they ate working so well. Your mom is so wonderful to do so much for you and your bunnies, though I understand your wanting to do it yourself if you are able.
It is remarkable they are not bring chewed.
What brand are yours in case I want to see if I can get something here.

 

[a reader of books]

I am glad they ate working so well. Your mom is so wonderful to do so much for you and your bunnies, though I understand your wanting to do it yourself if you are able.
It is remarkable they are not bring chewed.
What brand are yours in case I want to see if I can get something here.

Thank you. Yeah, I'm so grateful for all my mum does, and I appreciate her willingness to help me and Sophie and Casper so much. She's the absolute best. I just feel bad about her having to come over every day, so I'd like to do it myself again if I can.
I'm surprised they haven't been chewed, too! They're by Trixie, which is a German brand, so I'm not sure if they're sold in the US? They're these: https://www.trixie.de/en/dog/health.../hygiene-pad-nappy-wash-1001101791-1001101793

 

[joey&boo]

This is a very encouraging update (although I appreciate I'm really late to the party:lol Are the washable pads still going well?
I think I might try doing similar for mine. We spend a lot on litter & its inconvenient cos of the size & weight. Previously I've been put off by the washing but your mum's feedback has inspired me.

 

[a reader of books]

This is a very encouraging update (although I appreciate I'm really late to the party:lol Are the washable pads still going well?
I think I might try doing similar for mine. We spend a lot on litter & its inconvenient cos of the size & weight. Previously I've been put off by the washing but your mum's feedback has inspired me.

That's okay, the party is still going. :lol: I'm still really pleased with how it's been working out! Somehow they still haven't been destroyed. I did the litter trays myself the other days to give my mum a break, and it was just a matter of shaking off the poops and hay, and replacing the puppy pad with a clean one. It was so easy! And I'm not finding the pads very smelly or anything, either, unless I'm right on top of them while cleaning the litter trays. We bought a couple more of them so I don't have to wash them as often, so now I just wash them with their regular rugs and blankets, so the washing isn't really any extra work, either. So, it might be worth a try if you're finding the litter inconvenient and expensive?

 

[joey&boo]

That's okay, the party is still going. :lol: I'm still really pleased with how it's been working out! Somehow they still haven't been destroyed. I did the litter trays myself the other days to give my mum a break, and it was just a matter of shaking off the poops and hay, and replacing the puppy pad with a clean one. It was so easy! And I'm not finding the pads very smelly or anything, either, unless I'm right on top of them while cleaning the litter trays. We bought a couple more of them so I don't have to wash them as often, so now I just wash them with their regular rugs and blankets, so the washing isn't really any extra work, either. So, it might be worth a try if you're finding the litter inconvenient and expensive?

that is great that you're still happy with the new litter system .. that you don't have to get your mum round is brilliant...though I bet she loves such regular contact with you and your bunnies. Ive sown some double fleece in to a pillowcase as an experiment :lol: Yeah i reckoned I have bunny washing anyway so the extra won't have much impact

 

[a reader of books]

She does really enjoy seeing Casper and Sophie, and they like seeing her, too. I hope your fleece-in-pillowcase experiment goes well! :lol:

 

[joey&boo]

She does really enjoy seeing Casper and Sophie, and they like seeing her, too. I hope your fleece-in-pillowcase experiment goes well! :lol:

they are going amazing I am converted and super happy. I was spending a lot less than you on litter but it was still enough so now I'm saving money. The environmental impact is positive too as their litter was in plastic or non recyclable bags. I didn't use any litter, just shook them off in to the garden waste bin - super easy & I noticed no smell at all

 

[a reader of books]

they are going amazing I am converted and super happy. I was spending a lot less than you on litter but it was still enough so now I'm saving money. The environmental impact is positive too as their litter was in plastic or non recyclable bags. I didn't use any litter, just shook them off in to the garden waste bin - super easy & I noticed no smell at all

Yay, that's awesome! I was wondering how it was going! I'm so glad you're so happy with it and finding it so easy! I think it definitely saves money in the long run, even if you weren't paying €35 per week like me. I agree with the environmental aspect of not needing the plastic bags, too. Sounds like Boo and Eddy don't have a problem with it, then?

 

[uniquefat]

Have you thought about the products you use? Maybe some of them are too strong and that's why he's sneezing that much.