• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Neighbours complaining?

shadow05 said:
i mean if i did have more money i would definately change it but im not in a good position to do it just yet when i start working then i will do. for a short time i did use cat litter it was wood based and i did like using that was easier to clean up and tended to last longer it also didnt smell at all.
Click to expand...

Megazorb is cheap though, I don't get where people get their 'safe' woodshavings from if it's cheaper than Megazorb:? the only ones I've seen are quite expensive to be honest. Maybe people are using the 'non-safe' type that's not been properly dust-extracted or something. For you Shadow one £7.00 sack would probably last you 3-4weeks as it lasts me for 2 weeks roughly and i have 4 buns. I buy Yesterdays News-rabbit litter, for when I run out and am waiting for Megazorb to come, that is expensive I think but, safe if nibbled.
 
Megazorb is SO much cheaper cos it lasts for ages. A 80L sack lasts me with four bunnies about 2 months. So £3.50 a month for four bunnies, less than a pound a month per bunny. Bargain.
 
Schuette said:
Megazorb is SO much cheaper cos it lasts for ages. A 80L sack lasts me with four bunnies about 2 months. So £3.50 a month for four bunnies, less than a pound a month per bunny. Bargain.
Click to expand...

Is the standard sack 80L ? How come it only lasts me 2 weeks for 4, I've even stretched to cleaning trays every other day and just refreshing hay, do you mean you have one tray - I still have 4 trays on the go and they are quite big so that would make sense.:wave:
 
I use one tray per pair so I have two trays on the go and change every 2-3 days (normally 2 days in summer so I go through more in summer). I also find I don't need loads of it. An inch high layer underneath a thick layer of hay is plenty.

Actually yesterday when I cleaned out I decided to give the lionheads two trays and try changing them one one time and the other the next time. So it should be the same amount. I might go back to two trays I'll see how it goes. Those two don't drink so much water so don't pee as much as Mini and Mischa do.
 
Bit unfair of the neighbour to talk about u behind your back but I can see her point about woodshavings. The smell of any sort of urine on shavings makes me gag, I hate it. It's much worse than the smell of my 9 rats in my opinion. Easily solved with megazorb or just plain hay on top of newspaper.
 
With respect, every single substrate has advantages and disadvantages which is why different keepers use different substrates, and it's important to remember that there is not only one way to do things in the world of animal husbandry. So indeed, it is simply down to individual preference. Just because you use and like megazorb, doesn't mean you should force it down the throats of others as the ONLY substrate you should use, or indeed better. I have horsey friends who have used megazorb, and when helping them muck out, I opened the sack and the dust that resulted from that and tipping the sack into the stable made me cough horrendously. I have heard a lot of similar comments from people who have used it for gpigs. I have never had this with the shavings I've been buying for the near on the last ten years.

In regards to hay and straw, if you mean as substrate (as comparing feed and substrate really has no comparison) then hay is just as ineffective at absorbancy as straw; both are poo for the job and offer practically NO absorbancy. As a feed; well no one should be feeding straw rather than good quality hay unless a vet has instructed them to do so.

I appreciate many of the people suggesting it are doing so because they feel it would absorb any odour better (which is closer to the actual topic of my thread) and I thank you for that. However: seeing as only I can smell the waste when I practically have my face in it, I really do think it shouldn't be making that much of a difference to whether the house next door can smell it.




VickiP said:
With respect it's not just about preference it's about absorbency & more effective odour control and a better product all round it's a bit like saying "there not much difference between straw & hay" one is far more superior for rabbits - hay & yet not a huge difference in price, megazorb is really cheap in comparison to safe woodshavings - sorry to be brief trying out my phone & not liking it for this:roll:
Click to expand...


As someone mentioned liver & respitary problems: any substrate can cause allergic or negative reactions in animals, especially wood based products such as megazorb and shavings. However, I think its important before passing such info on to suggest that these occurances are relatively rare, but possible. :) Nevertheless, I would genuinely be interested in reading the papers or sources you got this info from, assuming it's not just regurgitated info.

Thank you to all those lovely replies who offered support, I do feel much better this morning about it all. I'm going to speak to the new neighbours when I get a chance, if they can smell anything I think I'll move them into the garage until spring/summer. We have no lighting in there so I don't want them cooped up in there all summer and missing seeing the sunshine. :D xx
 
I think people just like to whinge.

Buns don't really smell of dirt, they smell of hay. Yeah, occasionally they'll have a smelly wee, but nothing that's THAT offensive. And, like you say, you have to keep them clean because of evil flies. Cripes, it's not like you were having bonfires every night!:roll:

I'd relax and keep doing what you are doing. I wouldn't raise it with the new neighbours as it'll draw their attention to it and they might start thinking about it and then get themselves bothered.

I would also like to add my voice to the 'we want pics' campaign.

:love:
 
I have 11 buns here and no-one has ever told me they smell. My neighbours think they are lovely.

What do you clean your hutches with as sometimes the urine can seep into the wood and this is what smells. I've found the best thing to use is vinegar. Obviously its a bit strong in the outset but for outside where it can have change to air out properly it really does the job.
 
I think your quite possibly right lol! I do try my best to keep them very clean; and I know what I'm doing is perfectly adequate enough for them, I would just be mega embarrassed if someone complained to the council :oops: :lol:

Theres a neighbour over the road who has a lone drake :)cry:) who quacks extremely loud at different times of the day. I would have thought that would be more disturbing than the odd waft off bunny pee :oops: but then I am biased because I love buns lol ;)

Thats a good idea about the nieghbours, never thought of that. I guess if they do complain to me or the council then I can simply move them to the garage and the problems sorted. :D I feel so much more relaxed about it now. And bunny pics will be coming, I have hundreds and hundreds!! :love:

dizzyg said:
I think people just like to whinge.

Buns don't really smell of dirt, they smell of hay. Yeah, occasionally they'll have a smelly wee, but nothing that's THAT offensive. And, like you say, you have to keep them clean because of evil flies. Cripes, it's not like you were having bonfires every night!:roll:

I'd relax and keep doing what you are doing. I wouldn't raise it with the new neighbours as it'll draw their attention to it and they might start thinking about it and then get themselves bothered.

I would also like to add my voice to the 'we want pics' campaign.

:love:
Click to expand...



Schuette said:
Wow, won't bother trying to help if I'm 'forcing it down people's throats'
Click to expand...

That's a tad dramatic. I'm as much entilted to my opinion as anyone else :? None of my comments were aimed at any one person. Neither were they intended to upset anyone, so sorry if they did. I welcome suggestions, but it seems suggestions can easily turn into debate and/or a general forcefullness when one believes their substrate/feed/methods are the best.

Anyways - I just wanted to stop the debate/forcefullness in its tracks before a silly argument started. Again this not aimed at any single person, there were a small handful of forcefull posts that I don't care to go back and pick on. much more than that, there were some absolutely lovely posts which I'm sure some of the posters used a different bedding to me, but simply understood that people do things differently and it doesn't mean their way is better. :D
 
Thats what I was wondering, about the pee maybe seeping into the wood and causing smell! I've always used a very teeny dab of ordinary fairy liquid. I wanted to try a mild bleach solution I'm sure I've seein it reccomended on this forum, but my buns can be chewers (despite the never ending branches and toys). I've found there is absolutely no odour after this but maybe the vinegar would be a better option because its more natural. Is it white vinegar you have to use? :D


Amy104 said:
I have 11 buns here and no-one has ever told me they smell. My neighbours think they are lovely.

What do you clean your hutches with as sometimes the urine can seep into the wood and this is what smells. I've found the best thing to use is vinegar. Obviously its a bit strong in the outset but for outside where it can have change to air out properly it really does the job.
Click to expand...
 
When you try to offer a solution that may save money and be better for bunnies health and then get told it's being forced down one's throat I think maybe one is entitled to get a bit annoyed. Choice of words counts for a lot on the internet. We don't know what you know so offering an option is (usually) worth it.

Anyway I'm bowing out now. Maybe I'm a bit tetchy cos I'm tired and worried but I don't see why I should try to help when it's not wanted.
 
Can't get any research papers at the mo coz I'm replting on my phone but I have read a lot of the research which includes humans and upper respiratory cancer from working in saw mills. It is also the official advice from the British Association of Rodentologists that guinea pigs should never be kept on woodshavings under any circumstances. They do not say anything about rabbits as they are not rodents.
 
I'll have a search through the forum. I remember seeing a pdf on it, just whether I can find it or not.

Oh sorry maybe I'm not bowing out after all. :oops:
 
Repeating myself a bit here, but what the hell :roll:

I've already discussed my experience with megazorb. Perhaps you missed it due to your tetchiness. :roll: I don't particularly agree with people using carpet or blankets on rabbits because rabbits are chewers, and if ingested it could cause problems. People may have buns that aren't big chewers, but all it takes is one night of boredom so the possibilty is there. However, I don't feel the need to go and on about it in an effort to enforce my opinion on it, I think the phrase is live & let live, oh and again, there not being only one way to do things.

By the way, your being tetchy and taking it out on new members is not my, or any other members problem. Neither is your inability to control yourself on other unrelated threads where you take a tiny disagreement and use it to have a "pop".


Schuette said:
When you try to offer a solution that may save money and be better for bunnies health and then get told it's being forced down one's throat I think maybe one is entitled to get a bit annoyed. Choice of words counts for a lot on the internet. We don't know what you know so offering an option is (usually) worth it.

Anyway I'm bowing out now. Maybe I'm a bit tetchy cos I'm tired and worried but I don't see why I should try to help when it's not wanted.
Click to expand...
 
Guy said:
Repeating myself a bit here, but what the hell :roll:

I've already discussed my experience with megazorb. Perhaps you missed it due to your tetchiness. :roll: I don't particularly agree with people using carpet or blankets on rabbits because rabbits are chewers, and if ingested it could cause problems. People may have buns that aren't big chewers, but all it takes is one night of boredom so the possibilty is there. However, I don't feel the need to go and on about it in an effort to enforce my opinion on it, I think the phrase is live & let live, oh and again, there not being only one way to do things.

By the way, your being tetchy and taking it out on new members is not my, or any other members problem. Neither is your inability to control yourself on other unrelated threads where you take a tiny disagreement and use it to have a "pop".
Click to expand...

Actually I rarely get involved in arguments.

Maybe there are better ways to alleviate the boredom ;) Mine don't chew stuff, never had since I've been able to give them enough room permanently. Levels and tunnels are things they love, they don't have toys, they don't play with them. They love their blankets. I wouldn't dream of taking those away from them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sazzy
Hutch Lining
Replies
2
Views
130
tonibun
T
S
Help with outdoor run
Replies
7
Views
112
joey&boo
joey&boo
DemiS
Ways to keep hay low to the ground without being peed on?
Replies
2
Views
189
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
Back
Top