Xpen flooring

[Ladysaurus]

Hi bunny peeps. I'm new round here and just looking for some advice/opinions. Sorry this may be long.

I have 3 house bunnies (Alice, Cooper and Janis Hoplin), living together. They're all edging towards elderly (rescues).

Alice is the OG, found dumped by a railway at the start of lockdown. She's sassy and confident, but also the most trust worthy. Cooper adopted through a rescue to be Alice's friend. He is gentle, loves to snuggle people and bunnies, but he only has one eye and that is clouded so he's mostly blind. He misses the litter tray more than he finds it (urine and faeces). Janis was dumped on our doorstep last summer. She's become fast friends with the others but also misses the tray (she didn't initially but once bonded with the others I think she tries to mark over Cooper's accidents). If anything is left within her reach it is chewed.

They live in a large X-pen when I'm not there to supervise for their own safety (Cooper gets lost and panics, I can't bunny proof everything from Janis sufficiently to keep her safe). They have time out of pen every day and lots of toys in and out.

But the accidents...

I've tried different litter trays, hay racks, puppy pads... It just isn't happening. I thought I'd found success using a play rug from IKEA, it can go in the wash. But it was heavily soiled within 2 days and I can't keep up with that amount of washing turn around.

So I've found a giant plastic tray. It would fit perfectly to cover their whole xpen floor, over which I could put a sturdy layer of the wood pellets. Effectively making a giant litter tray. But I'm concerned about grip...

Opinions and ideas appreciated.

 

[Omi]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I enjoyed hearing about your bunnies. They sound as though they have very individual characters.

My bunnies live outside and so I don't really have experience of this type of problem. My thoughts would be though that if you covered the whole area with wood pellets, then effectively yes they will consider that a giant litter tray, whereas at the moment, if I've understood correctly, Janis and Cooper have accidents and miss the litter tray, leaving an area unsoiled. Also, like you, I wonder about grip and also whether the wood pellets would be good for their hocks. I'm actually wondering if a thick layer of hay over the whole area might work. They hopefully might then choose a small section to use as a litter area.

Hopefully others with indoor bunnies, who have had similar issues, will be able to give some advice based on experience.

 

[Shimmer]

I would look at either an offcut of non-slip vinyl flooring or some thin rubber matting off a roll to go in the tray (often used on garage floors or in vans). There's also the option of rubber backed soft pile doormats, if you don't mind some washing. Hay on top of newspaper on part of the area may also help. Bunnies like to eat hay and toilet in the same area.

I don't like using just wood pellets as they are quite painful to tread on.

Have you looked at potting bench trays as substitute litter trays? Fill with hay over something absorbent. I use newspaper, hemp shiv or plain paper cat litter (ie not scented or containing bicarb) under hay. They are a decent size and have a lowered front edge for easier access, but higher sides to keep the contents in (and they will find it difficult to 'miss' over the higher sides).

For future reference, you can get replacement plastic trays for different size dog crates to use as floor protectors (without the crate).

 

[Pets mum]

Hi and welcome to you and your bunnies :wave: depending on how big the pen is, a plastic under bed storage box might work well. Quite a few folk on here use these for their bunnies, as they are low sided, and easy to clean. Put a few layers of newspaper at the bottom, then plenty of hay on top, this should then encourage the buns to use the tray, as they love to chew and poo

Edit - cross posted with Shimmer

 

[Ladysaurus]

Thanks for the friendly welcome everyone.

Their current litter tray is a potting tray with an IKEA veriera hay rack over. Cooper is only little so he needs the low front to get in since he can't see to judge any higher hop.

As I mentioned in my opening post, washable rugs are failing me as they become soiled so quickly I can't keep up with the laundering of them.

I have to be careful with litters. Janis put EVERYTHING in her mouth and I'm worry about a compacted bowel. Wood pellets are of course just cellulose so would hopefully be digested sufficiently to not cause a blockage.

Essentially I'm contemplating swapping out their current potting tray and rug, which are peed and pooped on equally, with one of these https://www.londongrow.com/products/garlandgardentray?variant=39359453167700

It would cover the whole base of their xpen.
If I put vinyl flooring in the bottom wouldn't it be equally lacking in grip? And wouldn't urine just get around the sides as it's not absorbent on the surface.

Is there any way I can upload a photo of their current set up?

 

[Shimmer]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263196467925?var=562191243129
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354587544360?hash=item528f108b28:g:BroAAOSwYl5j7Nfb

https://www.celticsustainables.co.uk/hemp-shiv-180-litre-bale/

 

[Ladysaurus]

Ooooo... Hemp! I used it with friends horses and cows many moons ago. Hadn't ever thought of it for buns.

I could put potting tray in the pen tray as much of wee does still make it into the potting tray. Then a layer of hemp in the pen tray to absorb accidents. And no laundry as I can just scoop and go. Plus I can add it all to the compost up the allotment.

Thanks. I feel an Amazon order coming on.

 

[Omi]

Glad you seem to have a plan

Let us know how it goes.