Do rabbits need bedding in cage?
What to Put at the Bottom of Rabbit Cage? 9 Bedding Options!
Are you preparing a new home for your rabbits? One of the most important things to consider is what to put at the bottom of the rabbit cage.
Metal wires and mesh floors don’t make the most comfortable floor for your fluffy pets.
This makes it important to choose the right cage bedding if you want to create a comfy space where your bunnies can play and relax.
The good news is that rabbits are not extremely picky about cage floors as long as it is soft and comfy.
You have numerous options, including straw, hay, grass mats, wood pellets, paper pulp, bunny-safe litter, cardboard, and more.
In the end, the best bedding for rabbit cages depends on your personal preferences.
Table of Contents
Best Beddings to Put at the Bottom of a Rabbit Cage
The kind of bedding you choose makes a significant impact on your pet. Rabbit paws are incredibly soft and sensitive.
So, the inability to choose the right bedding can lead to discomfort and even pain for your rabbit.
The comfort of your rabbit also depends on it. Bedding at the cage floor may also determine how often you need to clean the cage.
So, make sure you choose wisely.
Take a look at our top 9 choices for rabbit cage bedding below to choose the right bedding for your bunny cage.
Hay or Straw
Hay and straw may seem like the perfect choice of bedding as they mimic the natural environment of rabbits.
These materials are also affordable and readily available in the market.
They will also stick less to your bunny’s paws and fur than other materials like wood shavings.
Regardless, you need to be careful when using hay or straw as bedding. For one, they are not as absorbent as some other materials.
So, you will have to clean the cage and replace the bedding more often.
Secondly, most rabbits love to munch on hay, which means they may consume the bedding.
When you opt for hay or straw, it is advisable to keep a close eye on your bunnies.
If they resort to eating too much of the bedding, you may want to look into alternatives.
Paper
Paper is a great choice for rabbit cage bedding for multiple reasons. When curled or shredded, it provides excellent bedding.
It is also a great way to reuse paper. However, make sure you stay away from paper with ink or paint.
These substances may include toxic compounds that may be harmful to your rabbit in the long run. Ink and colors can also rub off on the paws and fur of your pet.
If your bunny decides to eat paper, it may end up ingesting these compounds.
For all these reasons, it is important to avoid paper with ink, paint, or color. Look for plain paper without a finish. You can use the paper as a whole or shred it before placing it at the bottom of your rabbit’s cage.
Wood Shavings
Many pet parents use wood shavings as rabbit cage bedding.
It works great, especially for cages with a removable tray under the wire bottom of the cage.
Wood shavings are highly absorbent and can also help with the odor.
But did you know that several different types of wood shavings are harmful to your rabbit?
For example, Pine and cedar shavings may have silver or ammonia fumes that can harm your bunny. The best option is aspen wood shavings are a great alternative.
This is a wonderful and safe wood variant for your rabbit because it is soft, bouncy, toxin-free, and absorbent.
Make sure you buy wood shavings from the pet store to make sure it is 100% toxic-free and safe for your bunny.
Bunny-Safe Litter
Bunny-safe litter is a great way to cover the cage floor. If a bunny-safe litter is not available, you can always use cat box litter.
Sure, it is not technically bedding, but it is an affordable option that makes cleaning the cage so much easier.
It is one of the best choices for cages with a removable tray or plastic bottom.
The only downfall is that if you are litter training your bunny, a litter floor might confuse the little guy. As a result, your rabbit may continue to poop all around the cage.
Cage Mat
Do you want to make it easier for your rabbit to settle into its cage? Just lay down a mat on the floor.
You can buy a new mat or use an old one at home. It will cushion your rabbit’s feet and keep them comfy.
It is also easy to remove the mat when it’s time to clean. Mats come in a variety of materials and shapes.
Some pet shops even offer grass mats that are specifically designed for pet pens and cages.
Grass mats are made from grass, hay, or other rabbit-safe plant materials that have been dried.
They’re all natural and completely safe to eat. They can also provide chewing and playing opportunities for your rabbit.
The majority of grass mats are inexpensive. They’re also available in a number of sizes, or you can cut them to fit the cage completely.
But keep in mind that rabbits may easily eat through mats.
If your rabbit is a chewer and you don’t want to replace the flooring too often, consider a different type of flooring.
Bunny Cage Indoor and Outdoor Rabbit Hutch with Casters Waterproof Roof, Pull Out Tray from Back and Front
$ 119.99 -14%
Kaytee All Natural Timothy Hay for Guinea Pigs, Rabbits & Other Small Animals, 12 Pound
$ 34.18 -24%
MidWest Homes for Pets Deluxe Critter Nation Single Unit Small Animal Cage (Model 161),Gray Quartz
$ 194.99 -5%
Another option is to provide your bunny with plenty of chew toys. It will keep them from chewing on the mat!
Blanket or Towel
For added comfort, you may be tempted to put a blanket or towel in your bunny’s cage.
Blankets and towels make excellent additions to a rabbit’s living quarters and will keep them warm and happy.
Just stay away from old, threadbare blankets with holes, as they might trap paws.
Also, make sure your pet isn’t ingesting a lot of cloth. It is a good idea to use these materials in addition to other floor beddings.
For example, many pet owners use fleece, towels, and other similar materials to create comfort spots in the cage.
It is best to cover the entire cage floor with comfortable bedding. However, some pet owners create comfort spots using blankets without covering the metal wires in the other parts of the cage.
This cage setup allows the waste to fall through while providing the rabbit with comfortable places to rest.
It is advisable to opt for this rabbit cage setup with blankets and towels only when your bunny spends most of the time out of the cage.
Wood Pellets
Wood pellets are a good choice for rabbit bedding. For starters, they’re extremely absorbent.
Furthermore, the heat used to compress the pellets eliminates potentially hazardous oils and phenols.
They are also almost dust-free, resulting in a great, low-cost rabbit bedding solution.
When compared to aspen wood shavings or paper, they are a little more expensive, but they also stay longer.
Wood pellets, on the other hand, absorb more urine, spills, and stink in general.
You might also use it in your rabbit’s litter box. Just keep in mind that the bedding and the litter box should not be made of the same material.
Paper Pulp Bedding
A novel sort of commercial bedding with numerous benefits, paper pulp bedding, is slowly gaining popularity among pet owners.
It is almost always produced from recycled or pulped paper. This is a particularly eco-friendly alternative when combined with its biodegradability.
Another great advantage is that unlike newspaper or other homemade paper beddings, commercially produced paper pulp bedding eliminates the risk of introducing ink, paint, or other toxins inside the cage.
You also know it’s safe to eat because it’s purpose-made.
So, you won’t have to worry about your bunny munching on some pulp bedding for a treat. It also doesn’t produce any dust and is cost-effective.
Cardboard
Whether you buy commercial cardboard bedding or shred an old cardboard box, cardboard is a wonderful alternative for comfy absorbent bedding.
You can also give your rabbit an entire box and let them shred it up themselves for added entertainment.
This can be a lot of fun for your rabbit and will keep them entertained for hours. It is also a great technique to recycle cardboard envelopes and delivery boxes.
Just be sure to get rid of any stickers, staples, tape, glue, and so on.
It is an inexpensive, fun, and disposable choice of bedding. The only problem is that it doesn’t rank high on the aesthetic appeal scale.
Leaving a cardboard box in the cage for bunnies to tear may make for unkempt, shabby-looking beddings.
Some Common FAQs about Rabbit Cage Bedding
While I have tried to give you some great bedding options for your rabbit hutch, new rabbit owners often have a lot of other questions as well about rabbit bedding.
Here are some of the common ones I have come across:
How Often Do You Change Rabbit Bedding?
It really depends on how much your rabbit likes to pee and poop.
Some people change it every week, others every two weeks. I usually change it every three weeks unless it smells really bad, then I’ll do it sooner.
Can I Use Newspaper as Bedding in Rabbit Hutch?
Yes, you can use newspaper as bedding in a rabbit hutch, but it’s not recommended.
Newspaper is a good option for bedding because it’s absorbent and cheap. However, it can be dangerous for rabbits if they eat it because the ink can be toxic. Additionally, newspapers can get wet and become moldy, which can also be harmful to rabbits.
A better option for bedding in a rabbit hutch is straw or hay. Straw is absorbent and dry, so it doesn’t promote mold growth, and hay is high in fiber which helps keep rabbits’ digestive systems healthy.
Personally, I use newspaper (or shredded paper) when I am out of regular rabbit bedding. Also, I sometimes first put the newspaper and then spread regular bunny bedding. This way the bottom of the hutch remains dry and clean and my bunnies also don’t eat the newspaper.
Can I use Grass Clippings from my Lawn as Rabbit Bedding?
Yes, you can, but only if you’re sure that these have not been treated with any chemicals/pesticides.
In case you’re not sure, I would recommend you avoid adding it to your bunny cage.
The Bottom Line
Bedding is beneficial to both indoor and outdoor enclosures. You have a lot of options when it comes to bedding for your rabbit’s cage.
Whatever you choose, make sure it is soft, absorbent, nontoxic, and dust-free.
It should also be safe to eat and different from the material that lines your litter pan.
Plus, it’s preferable if the bedding can manage odor, but even less absorbent materials can work if you change it out frequently enough.
In the end, it boils down to your personal preferences as long as your fluffy friends stay warm, comfortable, and happy.
Other articles you may also like:
- Can Rabbits Survive in Cold Weather?
- What Causes Rabbits To Lose Their Fur
- What Type of Harness is Best For a Rabbit?
- Is It Cruel To Keep A Rabbit In A Cage?
- 10 Tips to Keep a Rabbit Cage from Smelling
- 10 Best Toys for Rabbits
- What Do Rabbits Need in Their Cage?
Aivituvin Rabbit Hutch Indoor Bunny Cage Outdoor Rabbit House Bunny Hutch with Deeper Leakproof Plastic Tray (Grey-24)
Rabbit bedding
When it comes to choosing bedding for rabbits, you want to ensure that your bunnies will be safe, clean, cosy and comfortable. Our cosy bedding is perfect for keeping your small animals warm and cosy while they sleep, it’s easy to spot clean and is suitable for use as bedding or litter.
Showing the single result
Excel Nap & Nest Paper Bedding 750g from £8.99
The best option for safe rabbit cage bedding is paper bedding combined with some dust extracted bedding hay for the ultimate in cleanliness and comfort, to help your rabbits enjoy the cosiest naptimes.
Although you can use an old newspaper as a rabbit cage liner, it’s not ideal as bunny bedding or bunny litter. If your buns rip it up, the newspaper ink can be harmful if they ingest too much of it.
Likewise, softwood litter such as sawdust is too dusty and can affect your rabbits’ respiratory system. Remember that hay is not just for bedding and to ensure that your rabbits have constant access to soft, sweet-smelling, dust-extracted feeding hay.
Soft on little paws, Excel Nap & Nest Paper Bedding is ideal. It provides super-absorbent, odour-free, safe bedding for rabbits, made from unused offcuts from teabag production.
Rabbit Bedding FAQs
Got a question about rabbit hutch bedding and paper litter for rabbits? To help you make the right choice to keep your bunnies safe, clean and cosy, we’ve put together some really useful answers from our expert team at Burgess, the pet care experts.
What’s the best safe bedding for rabbits?
The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund advises against using sawdust or clay-based clumping cat litter as rabbit bedding. This is because sawdust can irritate rabbits’ skin and lungs and clumping cat litter can cause digestive problems if your buns ingest it.
Specially designed paper bedding for rabbits and other small animals is super-absorbent, safe and an ideal solution to keeping your buns clean and cosy while they sleep.
Your buns should also have a constant fresh supply of good-quality feeding hay, placed in hay racks, willow balls or tubes and in areas that are separate to the bedding area, along with fresh, clean water.
Rabbits generally prefer to munch on hay while they’re resting and they also like to ‘poo and chew’, so put a pile of yummy feeding hay in their favourite resting places and hang a hay rack above their litter tray. That way, your buns’ accommodation can stay clean, dry and hygienic while they munch away happily on their favourite .
What’s the best bedding for outdoor rabbits?
When thinking about creating the perfect rabbit accommodation, remember that both indoor and outdoor bunnies need as much space as possible, with plenty of opportunities to exercise, tunnels to run through, look-out spots to keep watch from and cosy sleeping spaces with plenty of soft, safe paper bedding designed specifically for rabbits.
So, whether your bunnies enjoy the indoors or the outdoors, choosing quality paper-based litter for rabbits will provide them with an ideal sleeping environment.
What’s the difference between rabbit bedding and rabbit litter?
As well as plenty of hiding places and a cosy sleeping space, your rabbits need a separate area where they can go to the toilet. Because Excel Nap & Nest is designed for use as both bunny bedding and litter, it’s ideal for putting in your rabbits’ litter tray as well as in their favourite napping spots.
It’s also really easy to use – simply remove some from the pack a handful at a time and gently pull it apart. Add a 3-5cm layer to your buns’ bedding and toilet areas and, each day, just remove and replace any soiled bits.
How often should you change rabbit bedding and litter?
You should give your rabbits’ housing a quick clean every day. As well as throwing away any uneaten food and changing their water, get rid of any wet or dirty bedding and litter to keep their accommodation hygienically clean.
Once a week, you should give your rabbits’ housing a thorough clean, using non-toxic, pet-friendly cleaning products, removing all their bedding and litter and replacing with fresh. Make sure all their housing is dry before returning your pets. Remember to keep back a little of the old hay and bedding so that the place still smells like home to your buns.
What’s the best rabbit bedding for odour control?
Because Excel Nap & Nest Paper Bedding is light in colour, it’s easy to spot any soiled bedding or litter, remove it and replace with fresh – making cleaning quick and easy. This makes it the best rabbit bedding for odour control and means that you don’t need to replace your rabbits’ entire bedding every day. Therefore, each bag lasts longer, providing a cost-effective solution for caring for your pets.
When do rabbits sleep?
Bunnies are crepuscular, which means they like to be out and about early morning and early evening. The best way to enable your pet buns to come and go as they please is to have an exercise run permanently attached to their hutch. This could be a safe bunny-proofed room indoors, or a large run outdoors, so they can run, jump, explore, forage and do all the things that come naturally to bunnies.
Because they’re most active at dawn and dusk, lifting them from their hutch to run about for a few hours in the daytime just doesn’t suit their body clocks and instincts, however cosy their rabbit hutch bedding is!
Order online and have your Excel Nap & Nest Paper Bedding delivered straight to your door >>
Need more advice?
If you’re at all unsure about the best way of caring for your rabbits or what the safest bunny bedding is for them, ask your local veterinary practice for advice.
You can also call our expert team, from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday, on +44 (0)1405 862241 and they’ll be happy to help. Our online contact form also provides an easy way to get in touch.
Take a look at our Pet Care page for more information on looking after your rabbits.
Are your bunnies Burgess bunnies? Join the Burgess Pet Club for exclusive offers and rewards.
