Your pet rabbit depends on you to care for all its cleaning needs and requirements. Hence, a litter box should always be placed in your rabbit’s cage.
While the least enjoyable aspect of owning a pet rabbit is cleaning its litter box cage, doing so is essential to maintaining your pet rabbit’s health and wellbeing.
Now, the million-dollar question is how often to clean your rabbit’s litter box?
How Often to Clean Rabbit Litter Box?
You need to clean your bunny litter box every other day. You can delay this a bit and clean it every 2-4 days if you have only one or two healthy rabbits.
A lot of people clean their rabbit litter boxes once a week – but that’s not a good idea.
Cleaning it a couple of times a week will keep your rabbits healthy, prevent any foul odor, and even save time (as cleaning less dirty litter multiple times is faster than cleaning more dirty litter once).
Factors To Consider When Deciding on the Litter Cleaning Frequency
While it’s advised to clean bunny litter every other day, you need to consider the following factors when deciding the litter cleaning frequency.
Sickness
It might be necessary to clean the litter box more frequently if your rabbit is sick, especially if it has diarrhea.
Always speak with your local veterinarian if something like this occurs for guidance on how to make your bunny feel better.
Odor
It is an excellent idea to check your rabbit’s litter box when you feed it every morning.
Most rabbit owners typically follow the “smell rule” to determine if the litter box needs cleaning.
So, if you can smell bad odors, it is time to clean the box, regardless of whether you added fresh litter a few hours ago.
Number of Litter Boxes
You will have more than one litter box if you have multiple rabbits. If that’s the case, you need to clean all of them more often.
If your rabbits’ hutch smells unpleasant, you must add fresh litter – no questions asked.
Size of Rabbits
Larger rabbit breeds will consume more food. Thus, they will poop more often and have bigger droppings.
So, expect to clean your rabbit’s litter box more often if you own larger rabbit breeds.
Number of Rabbits
You might need to clean the rabbit litter box more frequently if you own multiple rabbits.
After all, the more rabbits you have, the more the poop. If that’s the case, you must clean your rabbit’s litter box at least twice or thrice a day.
Litter Type
Paper-based bedding, like shredded paper and newspaper, is less absorbent and requires more frequent replacement.
On the other hand, wood shavings and tissue paper are more absorbent. They will last longer. So, determine the type of litter you use before cleaning your rabbit’s litter box.
Also read: Does Rabbit Poop Kill Grass?
Benefits of Cleaning Your Rabbit’s Litter Box Frequently
There are many benefits to a clean litter box. Some of them are listed below:
It Helps Avoid Health Issues
A clean litter box will help your rabbit avoid health issues.
Typically, unwanted insects are attracted to rabbit poop. Moreover, due to the unclean nature of the litter box, your rabbit might become susceptible to various diseases. These include mites, irritation, hair loss, etc.
Furthermore, respiratory problems, bacterial diseases, and mold can all result from an unclean litter box.
It keeps Your Rabbit Comfortable and Happy
Your rabbit will be more comfortable if you clean its litter box more often. After all, rabbits are naturally clean animals. Thus, a clean litter box and enclosure are a must for their survival.
Moreover, you and your guests will never enjoy being near the cage if the litter box is unclean and smells nasty.
Furthermore, your rabbit may refuse to use their litter box if it becomes too full. This will lead to it defecating in undesirable locations.
It Results in Less Cleaning Time
You might say cleaning your rabbit’s litter box weekly will save time.
However, it’s the exact opposite – you must clean the litter box once every day to keep the urine and poop smell under control.
For instance, a medium-breed rabbit does around 660-1120 milliliters of urine and 440-900 grams of poop.
Imagine cleaning four liters of urine and three kilograms of poop if you take the weekly cleaning approach. Therefore, consider cleaning the litter box at least once daily to save time and effort.
The Best Litter for Your Rabbit’s Litter Box
Your rabbit’s litter box needs some type of bedding at its base. It will help keep your rabbit’s cage clean and smelling nice, especially if it’s litter-trained.
As far as litter selection goes, go for non-toxic options. Chances are your bunny will try to nibble at litter pellets. Now, we wouldn’t want them to swallow something toxic, right?!
Moreover, don’t purchase perfumed litter available at pet stores. This type of litter typically costs more money.
Plus, it doesn’t necessarily improve the scent of the cage after your rabbit poops on it.
If you want to use organic rabbit litter, you can add it to soiled bedding. Once it fills up with rabbit poop and urine, you can simply add it to your compost bin.
Here are a few litter choices you can go for:
Wood Pellets
Compact wood fibers are crushed into pellets to create wood pellets.
They won’t require frequent replacement because they are very absorbent, and they are also dust-free.
However, obtaining wood pellets from every pet store might be difficult sometimes. This usually drives up the cost of this litter type.
Paper-Based Litter
Paper-based litter is manufactured using recycled paper. It is usually available as hard, compact pellets or pulp fibers.
Both pellets and fibers are dust-resistant and don’t stick to your rabbit’s fur. Plus, they are very absorbent and don’t require changing that often. However, they are a bit pricey.
Shaved Wood
You can easily purchase wood shavings from your local pet store. In fact, they are available at every pet store, regardless of their size.
However, when purchasing shaved wood, go for the dust-free kind. It will help your rabbits avoid respiratory problems.
Since shaved wood is absorbent, it must be replaced only once or twice a week to keep bad smells in check.
Shredded Paper
Shredded paper is recyclable. However, the biggest benefit of using it as rabbit litter is it’s free. However, it is not as absorbent as shaved wood or wood pellets.
So, consider applying a thick layer of shredded paper for increased effectiveness.
Discarded Newspaper
Just like shredded paper, old newspapers are technically free. You might have a few discarded newspapers around your house.
Moreover, newspapers can also be added to your compost bin. However, they aren’t as absorbent as other paper-based litter types.
Therefore, you’ll need to apply a thicker layer if you want to use it as rabbit litter.
How to Properly Clean Your Rabbit’s Litter Box
Here is a step-by-step guide on properly cleaning your litter box.
- First and foremost, remove the litter box from your rabbit’s cage and dump the litter into the trash.
- Then, use a medium-bristled brush to clean away any debris adhered to the litter box’s side.
- Afterward, take it outside and use a garden hose to clean it thoroughly.
- Use your garden hose’s strongest setting to remove stubborn poop and urine stains.
- Then, grab some dish soap and a sponge and hand clean the litter box’s edges.
- Leave the litter box outside for a couple of hours to air dry.
- Once it is dry, add bedding and fresh litter, and place it into your rabbit’s cage.
- You can also clean your rabbit’s cage while you’re at it.
We also advise soaking the rabbit litter box in hot water for a few hours after each cleaning. It will remove stubborn litter that has latched itself onto the litter box and also kill any bacteria that might be left behind.
Some Litter Box Cleaning Tips
Accidents can happen no matter how well trained your rabbit is in using the litter box. Your rabbit might dig into the litter and fling some of it out of the litter box.
Plus, it might also end up urinating or pooping on the side of the litter box. If this happens, use a damp cloth to wipe urine from the side of the litter and a poop scooper to remove stray droppings.
Don’t forget to purchase a spare litter box. After all, it’s always good to have a backup, especially when cleaning the dirty one and you need a replacement.
Moreover, having a spare will also give you the time to thoroughly clean, soak, and dry the dirty one.
Another thing to consider is your litter box’s overall physical condition. A damaged one with sharp edges could end up injuring your rabbit. Plus, your pet might chew on the side and damage the litter box itself.
So, if your rabbit chews anything you place in front of it, consider getting a sturdier litter box.
Lastly, your rabbit might not poop or pee inside a completely clean litter box. So, leave some dirty litter behind if you see your rabbit peeing and pooping everywhere other than the litter box.
Wrapping Up
A dirty litter box increases your rabbit’s risk of developing fungal infections, mites, respiratory issues, and bacterial infections.
Therefore, keeping the litter box clean is critical for your rabbit’s overall health and wellbeing.
Furthermore, rabbit poop and pee contain ammonia and calcium, which can lead to bad odors.
After all, the longer your rabbit’s litter box is dirty, the worse it will end up smelling. So, follow the tips in this article, and you’ll be well on your way to a clean litter box in no time!
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