Caring for rabbits when disabled

[a reader of books]

A lot of days I struggle caring for Casper and Sophie because I don't have enough energy, or because it hurts, and I wondered if anyone here has come up with ways of doing things that make it easier on disabilities?

The thing I struggle most with is the cleaning, which is very tiring and also painful. Some days I don't feel well enough to clean the litter tray and I feel bad. They have two litter trays now, and one is quite big, so they don't get dirty super quickly, but I'd prefer to clean them every day, but often I don't manage. Cleaning the floor is hard, too, because most of the hay is too big for the hoover, so I have to sweep, and that hurts my hands and is again very, very tiring, so while I try to sweep up most of the poops every day, sometimes I can go for weeks being too exhausted to properly sweep their room and inside all the houses and behind their tent and everywhere, and it gets very messy with hay and hair and poops. The other day one of them had peed over the edge of the litter tray in the evening, but I was too unwell to clean it, so I had to leave it for the next day, which is obviously not ideal... Some days I'm too unwell to properly wash their water bowl, so I just quickly rinse it out and put clean water in it, but I'd rather wash it with soap every day. I have a collection of food bowls, so they do get clean ones every day if I haven't managed to wash the ones from the day before (they need to be washed because often little traces of medicine from their medicine pellets stick to the bowls). Maybe I should just get some extra water bowls as well...

Some weeks I'm too unwell to do their weekly brushing, too, as that's painful and tiring to do.

So, I just wondered if anyone has found ways to do things that make it easier, or if anyone has any ideas?

 

[Graciee]

A lot of days I struggle caring for Casper and Sophie because I don't have enough energy, or because it hurts, and I wondered if anyone here has come up with ways of doing things that make it easier on disabilities?

The thing I struggle most with is the cleaning, which is very tiring and also painful. Some days I don't feel well enough to clean the litter tray and I feel bad. They have two litter trays now, and one is quite big, so they don't get dirty super quickly, but I'd prefer to clean them every day, but often I don't manage. Cleaning the floor is hard, too, because most of the hay is too big for the hoover, so I have to sweep, and that hurts my hands and is again very, very tiring, so while I try to sweep up most of the poops every day, sometimes I can go for weeks being too exhausted to properly sweep their room and inside all the houses and behind their tent and everywhere, and it gets very messy with hay and hair and poops. The other day one of them had peed over the edge of the litter tray in the evening, but I was too unwell to clean it, so I had to leave it for the next day, which is obviously not ideal... Some days I'm too unwell to properly wash their water bowl, so I just quickly rinse it out and put clean water in it, but I'd rather wash it with soap every day. I have a collection of food bowls, so they do get clean ones every day if I haven't managed to wash the ones from the day before (they need to be washed because often little traces of medicine from their medicine pellets stick to the bowls). Maybe I should just get some extra water bowls as well...

Some weeks I'm too unwell to do their weekly brushing, too, as that's painful and tiring to do.

So, I just wondered if anyone has found ways to do things that make it easier, or if anyone has any ideas?

Are they chewers? For litter trays I like to line it with a puppy pad which I have to tuck the edges away coz my lot are a pain.. But yea I dump litter on top and when it comes to changing the tray every evening I just literally tip the contents into the black sack, and then unless there's been a disaster... I don't even clean the tray coz it's clean coz puppy pad catches any wee that escapes through the pellets! Then I just refill it, we do clean trays properly, but often have managed to do it just once a week!

Water dish I honestly don't wash it with soap most days [emoji51][emoji51] I dump water and refill [emoji51]

We don't do food bowls I feed by hand but I get why you need them and I think having extras is a good idea.

What hoover do you have? What about getting a wet and dry vac? still keep your normal hoover obviously tho. They aren't very expensive and they're for like building work, and suck up basically anything without blocking [emoji38] maybe you could whizz round with one of them to collect poop, hay, whatever else and not have to worry too much! Might make things easier? Idk if it's bending then it will, I often hoover up hay [emoji38] or use a long handled dustpan and brush, but hoover is wayyyy easier!


Idk if any of that's helpful really, I don't brush mine either unless they're moulting [emoji51] my standards did use to be higher but once we had Evelyn we had to compromise where we could [emoji38]


Your buns get fantastic care though, we've all had to leave a litter tray longer than we'd like before
Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[bunny momma]

Sorry you are struggling.
I keep litter trays much cleaner than I did when I worked long hours, though my prior bunnies lived very long lives and were cleaned every two/three days, adding litter if needed.. Do you need two litterboxes? Perhaps have clean one ready when you feel ok and alternate them. I do not wash mine every cleaning since litter material next to bunny and not litterbox.
Shop vacs meant for building materials may help. Some may require tipping to empty since some do not all have bags, yet they hold lots of debris before that is needed.
If some hay is not collecting, leave it. It does not matter if you miss some because bunnies will soon add more.
Do not feel bad about not cleaning urine if timing poor. I had bunny pee on bed and spot cleaned and slept on towel until cleaned next day.

 

[joey&boo]

I've started only cleaning Boo's tray every 2 days, it felt like a waste of materials and energy doing it daily & not at all necessary. I've also recently adopted similar method to Graicee but just use several sheets of newspaper with a minimal scoop of litter. I find it rolls up easy ready for disposal. My litter trays only get washed if they get poo or wee directly on them - so rarely. I swill water bowls daily when topped up & clean weekly (dishwash). I think I'm trying to say you have super high standards & I don't see S&C health being affected if you were to lower them. In a natural habitat bunnies must have lots of hair & debris which is in a enclosed space. Most of my bunny cleaning is for my benefit so things look nicer. For big cleans would you accept help from a friend or family member. They really are exhausting without health issues so I can appreciate for you it must be overwhelming

 

[Shimmer]

I spot clean trays daily and fully clean out once a week, sometimes twice a week if they need it (that's mainly the guinea pigs). Water bowls are rinsed and refilled daily, with a weekly wash. Food bowls cleaned weekly. Basically, everything gets a daily check and a weekly disinfect. I keep a brush & dustpan at each hutch, and carry the waste bag around to each one as I go along. Hay and litter are stored in bulk, but I refill a bag for daily use and take that to use where it's needed.

Indoors, my Dyson cylinder vacuum cleaner will 'eat' quite a lot of debris, so I tend to use it to its limit and empty it daily.

To keep hay from wandering as much, maybe put trays inside a box or larger tray, or newspaper to catch the stray bits.

 

[a reader of books]

Are they chewers? For litter trays I like to line it with a puppy pad which I have to tuck the edges away coz my lot are a pain.. But yea I dump litter on top and when it comes to changing the tray every evening I just literally tip the contents into the black sack, and then unless there's been a disaster... I don't even clean the tray coz it's clean coz puppy pad catches any wee that escapes through the pellets! Then I just refill it, we do clean trays properly, but often have managed to do it just once a week!

Water dish I honestly don't wash it with soap most days [emoji51][emoji51] I dump water and refill [emoji51]

We don't do food bowls I feed by hand but I get why you need them and I think having extras is a good idea.

What hoover do you have? What about getting a wet and dry vac? still keep your normal hoover obviously tho. They aren't very expensive and they're for like building work, and suck up basically anything without blocking [emoji38] maybe you could whizz round with one of them to collect poop, hay, whatever else and not have to worry too much! Might make things easier? Idk if it's bending then it will, I often hoover up hay [emoji38] or use a long handled dustpan and brush, but hoover is wayyyy easier!


Idk if any of that's helpful really, I don't brush mine either unless they're moulting [emoji51] my standards did use to be higher but once we had Evelyn we had to compromise where we could [emoji38]


Your buns get fantastic care though, we've all had to leave a litter tray longer than we'd like before
Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

Thank you, Graciee. What you've said is definitely helpful!

I'm not sure I'd trust Sophie with puppy pads as she likes to shred and sometimes eat the newspaper they currently have in their litter trays and I think she might try to do the same with puppy pads. They do sound really practical, though! I don't always clean the litter trays, either; only when they're wet or there are stains, but it's still hard cleaning the biggest litter tray, because I need to carry it to my storage room where the bin is and the litter and hay, and the litter tray is heavy, and then when I put the stuff in the bin litter and hay and poops normally fall on the floor because it's so big and there's so much litter and hay, and so then I have to sweep the floor and... It's a lot of work. :lol: The smaller litter tray is much easier.

Ooh, you don't think it's necessary to wash the water dish with soap every day? That's reassuring to hear.

I had no idea there were hoovers that suck up hay! Those wet and dry vacs sound great! That would make cleaning a lot easier, if I could just suck up the hay and everything. I'll definitely look into those!

That definitely makes sense that you've had to compromise on your bunny care standards where you could since you have Evelyn now. Evelyn must be like the equivalent of caring for 100 rabbits or something. :lol:

That's really kind of you to say, that you think Sophie and Casper get good care.

 

[a reader of books]

Sorry you are struggling.
I keep litter trays much cleaner than I did when I worked long hours, though my prior bunnies lived very long lives and were cleaned every two/three days, adding litter if needed.. Do you need two litterboxes? Perhaps have clean one ready when you feel ok and alternate them. I do not wash mine every cleaning since litter material next to bunny and not litterbox.
Shop vacs meant for building materials may help. Some may require tipping to empty since some do not all have bags, yet they hold lots of debris before that is needed.
If some hay is not collecting, leave it. It does not matter if you miss some because bunnies will soon add more.
Do not feel bad about not cleaning urine if timing poor. I had bunny pee on bed and spot cleaned and slept on towel until cleaned next day.

Thank you, bunny momma.

So you think it's okay to clean litter trays only every other day, or every three days? I always worry that they'll get sick if I don't clean them every day, but that clearly wasn't the case with your long-lived bunnies, so it must be okay, then... I do need two litter trays unfortunately, since Casper doesn't like sharing the hay and will chase Sophie out of the litter tray when he's eating. Having a clean one ready when I feel okay sounds like a very good idea, though. I could get an extra litter tray and just have it ready for days that I don't feel well enough to clean the used ones.

It looks like shop vacs are the same thing as the wet and dry vacs Graciee mentioned? That sounds like a great idea! I'll definitely see if I can get one.

And thank you for saying I don't have to feel bad for not cleaning urine right away, and that you've done the same yourself. That helps to hear.

 

[a reader of books]

I've started only cleaning Boo's tray every 2 days, it felt like a waste of materials and energy doing it daily & not at all necessary. I've also recently adopted similar method to Graicee but just use several sheets of newspaper with a minimal scoop of litter. I find it rolls up easy ready for disposal. My litter trays only get washed if they get poo or wee directly on them - so rarely. I swill water bowls daily when topped up & clean weekly (dishwash). I think I'm trying to say you have super high standards & I don't see S&C health being affected if you were to lower them. In a natural habitat bunnies must have lots of hair & debris which is in a enclosed space. Most of my bunny cleaning is for my benefit so things look nicer. For big cleans would you accept help from a friend or family member. They really are exhausting without health issues so I can appreciate for you it must be overwhelming

Thank you for your reply, too, j&b, and telling me how you do things, that you don't clean things every day, either. I hadn't considered that my standards might be really high. Reading about how you and the others do things, it seems like you're right... It's really good to hear that you don't think Sophie and Casper's health would be affected if I lowered my standards. It's helpful to know that it'll be okay if I have to skip a day cleaning if I don't feel well enough. You're right, too, that in their natural habitat things aren't exactly spotless, either... About asking for help, I do ask my parents sometimes to clean their room if things have gotten really bad and I don't feel up to cleaning myself, but I feel bad about it as I feel Casper and Sophie are my responsibility, so I try not to ask unless it's absolutely necessary. They always say I can always ask them for help with anything, though, so maybe it'd be okay to ask more often... That would help, if somebody else could do the really exhausting cleaning.

 

[a reader of books]

I spot clean trays daily and fully clean out once a week, sometimes twice a week if they need it (that's mainly the guinea pigs). Water bowls are rinsed and refilled daily, with a weekly wash. Food bowls cleaned weekly. Basically, everything gets a daily check and a weekly disinfect. I keep a brush & dustpan at each hutch, and carry the waste bag around to each one as I go along. Hay and litter are stored in bulk, but I refill a bag for daily use and take that to use where it's needed.

Indoors, my Dyson cylinder vacuum cleaner will 'eat' quite a lot of debris, so I tend to use it to its limit and empty it daily.

To keep hay from wandering as much, maybe put trays inside a box or larger tray, or newspaper to catch the stray bits.

Thank you for telling me how you take care of things, too, Shimmer. The way you do things sounds very practical! Sounds like washing the water bowl once a week, instead of every day, would be enough, then.

Your Dyson sounds great and very helpful! I clearly need something like that!

I hadn't thought of doing something to keep the hay from wandering as much. Their litter trays have low fronts because of Sophie's arthritis, so hay gets everywhere. Putting the trays inside something else would help, though I suppose those things should then have low edges as well, for Sophie, hmm... I'll give it some thought!

 

[Zoobec]

I’m sorry you are struggling when I had bunnies I used a basket for a hay rack over the litter tray and that meant it cut down on mess a little, sometimes I would put the hay in a box or something too, it just contained it a bit. I used wood pellet cat litter which is very absorbent but heavy, so it was good for not getting kicked out of the tray but heavy for tipping out, so maybe thinking about the litter you use might help. Actually it might be a really good litter because you could perhaps spot clean when you could and maybe ask for help to do a full change? I used to spot clean daily and just change it fully when it needed it which was infrequent.
Photo of rack to show you what I mean

It was similar to an IKEA basket drawer and held a lot of hay. I used a long handled dustpan and brush for sweeping. Sophie and Casper get looked after so well, you can definitely change things to make it easier for you without it affecting them at all.

 

[joey&boo]

I’m sorry you are struggling when I had bunnies I used a basket for a hay rack over the litter tray and that meant it cut down on mess a little, sometimes I would put the hay in a box or something too, it just contained it a bit. I used wood pellet cat litter which is very absorbent but heavy, so it was good for not getting kicked out of the tray but heavy for tipping out, so maybe thinking about the litter you use might help. Actually it might be a really good litter because you could perhaps spot clean when you could and maybe ask for help to do a full change? I used to spot clean daily and just change it fully when it needed it which was infrequent.
Photo of rack to show you what I mean

It was similar to an IKEA basket drawer and held a lot of hay. I used a long handled dustpan and brush for sweeping. Sophie and Casper get looked after so well, you can definitely change things to make it easier for you without it affecting them at all.

I can't help but giggle cos on the photo there is poop & hay all over the floor :lol::lol:

I don't find hay is containable at all. In this house it tracks everywhere, I get a dust pan load everyday from rooms only humans go. Maybe its our fluffy socks or me being careless.

Reader I do appreciate its hard to ask for help, I really struggle with it myself, but when the offer of help is there & genuine & the help would be useful. I don't see this as you not taking full responsibility for your rabbits. People that need pet sitters, to take their rabbits to the vets for nail trims etc are taking full responsibility aren't they, yet not delivering every aspect of their care themselves. Maybe if you arranged for your parents to come for the deep bunny clean once a month it might feel better having the arrangement in place

 

[Zoobec]

I can't help but giggle cos on the photo there is poop & hay all over the floor :lol::lol:

I don't find hay is containable at all. In this house it tracks everywhere, I get a dust pan load everyday from rooms only humans go. Maybe its our fluffy socks or me being careless.

Reader I do appreciate its hard to ask for help, I really struggle with it myself, but when the offer of help is there & genuine & the help would be useful. I don't see this as you not taking full responsibility for your rabbits. People that need pet sitters, to take their rabbits to the vets for nail trims etc are taking full responsibility aren't they, yet not delivering every aspect of their care themselves. Maybe if you arranged for your parents to come for the deep bunny clean once a month it might feel better having the arrangement in place

How very dare you :lol: I think that was quite tidy :lol: obviously should have done the photo after cleaning! That was a screen shot from bunny cam. There would have been a lot more hay on the floor if it was loose in the tray

 

[joey&boo]

:lol:very true Zoobec

 

[Liz47]

:lol: Aw hello frosty and fern

I'm sorry you're struggling, it might be hard to 'lower their standards' but I think you really go above and beyond and they'll do fine with reduced cleaning. I very rarely wash water bowls, just a good rinse and fill up again. I use megazorb in letter trays and spot clean daily, it's rare they need a full clean. There is poops on the their floor under hides as I think they're sometimes too lazy to go to a litter tray!! Their hay in in trays in a crate so hay rarely gets dragged out. We wear the designated bunny room slippers and leave them at the door so don't find hay anywhere else in the house apart from just outside the room as partner doesn't give the slippers a little shake off just drags his feet out!

 

[a reader of books]

I’m sorry you are struggling when I had bunnies I used a basket for a hay rack over the litter tray and that meant it cut down on mess a little, sometimes I would put the hay in a box or something too, it just contained it a bit. I used wood pellet cat litter which is very absorbent but heavy, so it was good for not getting kicked out of the tray but heavy for tipping out, so maybe thinking about the litter you use might help. Actually it might be a really good litter because you could perhaps spot clean when you could and maybe ask for help to do a full change? I used to spot clean daily and just change it fully when it needed it which was infrequent.
Photo of rack to show you what I mean

It was similar to an IKEA basket drawer and held a lot of hay. I used a long handled dustpan and brush for sweeping. Sophie and Casper get looked after so well, you can definitely change things to make it easier for you without it affecting them at all.

Thank you, Zoobec. That looks like a great hay rack; you could fit in so much hay! Did you find they were able to get it out easily? I always worry with hay racks that it's difficult for them to get the hay out and it'll lead to them eating less hay, so while they do have a hay feeder, I always put a good amount of hay in their litter trays as well, so they can easily get to it. They enjoy shoving their heads in the pile to find the best strands. :lol: But maybe trying to contain the hay better with a hay rack like that would be helpful, yes, so it doesn't get all over the floor. It always ends up in the living room, too!

I hadn't thought about the litter itself... It mostly stays in the litter tray, miraculously, so I don't think I need something heavier, but it might help to get something lighter instead, so the litter tray isn't as heavy to carry? I use hemp bedding now, but maybe there's stuff out there that's lighter. Just spot cleaning and only doing a full clean infrequently would be helpful, though! Maybe wood pellets like you used would be a good idea after all, then, if that makes spot cleaning easier, since they're so absorbent.

 

[a reader of books]

:lol: Aw hello frosty and fern

I'm sorry you're struggling, it might be hard to 'lower their standards' but I think you really go above and beyond and they'll do fine with reduced cleaning. I very rarely wash water bowls, just a good rinse and fill up again. I use megazorb in letter trays and spot clean daily, it's rare they need a full clean. There is poops on the their floor under hides as I think they're sometimes too lazy to go to a litter tray!! Their hay in in trays in a crate so hay rarely gets dragged out. We wear the designated bunny room slippers and leave them at the door so don't find hay anywhere else in the house apart from just outside the room as partner doesn't give the slippers a little shake off just drags his feet out!

Thank you, too, Liz. It's helpful to hear that you think they'll be fine if I don't clean as often, too. And you spot clean, too, like Zoobec used to... Maybe I should try that for a while and see if that makes things easier. They have poops under hides here, too; all their favourite napping places have poops because they clearly can't be bothered to get up. :lol: Having their trays in a crate so not much hay gets dragged out sounds very handy! I think I still have a bottom tray from a large dog crate, if my dad hasn't thrown it out, so maybe that would help contain the hay... Having designated bunny room slippers so you don't get hay through the whole house is so clever! That sounds helpful in keeping things cleaner. I like that idea.

 

[a reader of books]

I can't help but giggle cos on the photo there is poop & hay all over the floor :lol::lol:

I don't find hay is containable at all. In this house it tracks everywhere, I get a dust pan load everyday from rooms only humans go. Maybe its our fluffy socks or me being careless.

Reader I do appreciate its hard to ask for help, I really struggle with it myself, but when the offer of help is there & genuine & the help would be useful. I don't see this as you not taking full responsibility for your rabbits. People that need pet sitters, to take their rabbits to the vets for nail trims etc are taking full responsibility aren't they, yet not delivering every aspect of their care themselves. Maybe if you arranged for your parents to come for the deep bunny clean once a month it might feel better having the arrangement in place

I hadn't thought of it like that... You're right, getting other types of help for a rabbit doesn't mean you're not taking responsibility for them. Having my parents come over once a month for the big cleaning does sound like it would be easier than having to ask for help each time. I will bring it up with them, see if they'd be okay with that. Thank you for your reply, really. I appreciate it.

 

[Zoobec]

Thank you, Zoobec. That looks like a great hay rack; you could fit in so much hay! Did you find they were able to get it out easily? I always worry with hay racks that it's difficult for them to get the hay out and it'll lead to them eating less hay, so while they do have a hay feeder, I always put a good amount of hay in their litter trays as well, so they can easily get to it. They enjoy shoving their heads in the pile to find the best strands. :lol: But maybe trying to contain the hay better with a hay rack like that would be helpful, yes, so it doesn't get all over the floor. It always ends up in the living room, too!

I hadn't thought about the litter itself... It mostly stays in the litter tray, miraculously, so I don't think I need something heavier, but it might help to get something lighter instead, so the litter tray isn't as heavy to carry? I use hemp bedding now, but maybe there's stuff out there that's lighter. Just spot cleaning and only doing a full clean infrequently would be helpful, though! Maybe wood pellets like you used would be a good idea after all, then, if that makes spot cleaning easier, since they're so absorbent.

They did get the hay out easily, the squares were quite large. Yes, the light vs heavy litter is a bit of a quandary but the wood pellets are brilliant, I use them for the goats and they cope with 3 of them doing hose pipe type wees :lol: I would try to see what is best for you in terms of how things can be made easier.

 

[Zoobec]

:lol: Aw hello frosty and fern

I'm sorry you're struggling, it might be hard to 'lower their standards' but I think you really go above and beyond and they'll do fine with reduced cleaning. I very rarely wash water bowls, just a good rinse and fill up again. I use megazorb in letter trays and spot clean daily, it's rare they need a full clean. There is poops on the their floor under hides as I think they're sometimes too lazy to go to a litter tray!! Their hay in in trays in a crate so hay rarely gets dragged out. We wear the designated bunny room slippers and leave them at the door so don't find hay anywhere else in the house apart from just outside the room as partner doesn't give the slippers a little shake off just drags his feet out!

:wave: I think there’s always the odd stray poop! Bunny room slippers are such a great idea. I don’t know why I never thought of it :lol:

 

[bunny momma]

Thank you, bunny momma.

So you think it's okay to clean litter trays only every other day, or every three days? I always worry that they'll get sick if I don't clean them every day, but that clearly wasn't the case with your long-lived bunnies, so it must be okay, then... I do need two litter trays unfortunately, since Casper doesn't like sharing the hay and will chase Sophie out of the litter tray when he's eating. Having a clean one ready when I feel okay sounds like a very good idea, though. I could get an extra litter tray and just have it ready for days that I don't feel well enough to clean the used ones.

It looks like shop vacs are the same thing as the wet and dry vacs Graciee mentioned? That sounds like a great idea! I'll definitely see if I can get one.

And thank you for saying I don't have to feel bad for not cleaning urine right away, and that you've done the same yourself. That helps to hear.

Yeah, as long as litter is not saturated, it is ok to not clean daily. You can add fresh litter to top too. To dump litter tray take a large bin bag to tray. Put tray in bag before dumping it over. It is less messy than aiming for bin.
Shop vacs are a brand of wet dry vac..
Do not feel bad about asking for help. Perhaps you can return the favor by helping them with less physical tasks. Let helper do it their way-to their standard.
Lastly-pace yourself. Accept that everything may not be clean at the same time and do a different area/task when you are able.