# Peat Moss in Litterbox?



## Miss M (Sep 11, 2009)

I was reading that a couple of y'all put peat moss in the tray beneath the cage, but our buns use litterboxes (they still put some poops into the tray, but they urinate in the litterboxes. 

Can you put peat moss in litterboxes, or is it too dusty? I cover litter with pine shavings, but Pearl likes to dig in her litterbox. :grit: Would it dye the bottoms of their feet red or brown or something?

Just looking for a cheaper alternative to paper litter, that is still more absorbent than pine shavings. I've read that you're not supposed to use clay litters because they might ingest them.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

If Pearl digs in her litter box, she will soon be stained from the peat moss. I used it in the potty corner of a floor pen and my rabbits looked filthy all winter. But I just ignored it, since it was "clean dirt".

How about the wood pellets that are used for stoves or horse stalls? They turn to sawdust and can be used in the garden.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

I use peatmoss in the bottom of the litterboxes. shavings and hay or straw over the top of it. If they dig..yup. they get dirty. I know it's not cheaper, per say, but what about coconut fiber? they sell it in brick sized blocks at pet stores where there are lizards and such. You break off a bit, and soak it in water. (stuff expands like crazy). Then wring it out and use on the bottom of litter boxes. Absorbs a TON of urine and the smell is absorbed somehow by the fiber. I have a few blocks left from the chick brooders, and keep meaning to use it in the angora's pen, but I'm old and forgetful


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## Miss M (Sep 11, 2009)

Wow, I'll have to check out the wood pellets. Maybe the feed store or Ace has them... or Lowes. I did a quick search, and they look really nice. I'll have to see how the pricing works out. It's got to be cheaper than paper litter!

I'll look into the coconut fiber thing, too!

It's good to know that it's okay to use peat moss in the litterboxes, though, as long as don't mind the way it makes them look! Thank you so much! 

I love this board. Y'all are so patient and helpful!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Having tried just about everything myself, and I do mean just about everything, I have found that wood pellets can't be beat. The best part is that after they are used they can be dumped and spread in the garden or on flower beds. They can even be spread on the lawn for extra fertilizer. The price of wood pellets is lowest of all litter products, at least here.


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## brody (Feb 19, 2009)

I use cut dried grass - free ad easy


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## Miss M (Sep 11, 2009)

Danaus29 said:


> Having tried just about everything myself, and I do mean just about everything, I have found that wood pellets can't be beat. The best part is that after they are used they can be dumped and spread in the garden or on flower beds. They can even be spread on the lawn for extra fertilizer. The price of wood pellets is lowest of all litter products, at least here.


I'm still looking for wood pellets here; Lowe's and Home Depot didn't have the wood stove ones, and the people didn't even know what I was talking about. I need to see if I can get horse stall pellets somewhere I guess. Which do you use, and how much does it run there?



brody said:


> I use cut dried grass - free ad easy


How does that work... what does your ad say? Is the grass already dry? I can't dry grass here, since I live in an apartment.


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Living in an apartment really limits your choices. Some cat litters are wood pellets. The only drawback is that some of them are very aromatic which might not be good for the rabbits. The ones I tried for my cat (EnviroLitter) were so pine-scented that they caused congestion in both the cat and me. There may be other brands that are not so strongly scented.


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## a7736100 (Jun 4, 2009)

Being lazy I sometimes use dried poop. The urine goes to the bottom and there's little or no odor except when you empty the box. Only thing is if it gets too damp and your rabbit digs, their nails get crusted with little poop balls.


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

Plain old Oat Straw, (or wheat if we have to) is what our nest boxes have in them. Let momma do the "line up the straw" thing. I put ~1/2 slice in the box, and 1/2 slice in the cage for her to "do her thing" to... then the nest is "her way" ... it's a most reliable way to have happy momma, and good nests for babies.

I keep old (b& c grade) angora wool, I cut it up w/ shears to make "puff lining" for those momma's that don't pull a lot of hair/wool to line their nests. 

Or save the fluff from your bunnies then they do their fall molt (like the Flemish Giants) you can get a bucket of hair from a shedding FG at the right time. (October is a good month) ...

I usually have to change the straw weekly... especially with a big litter. 8 baby Flemish Giants, need it changed more often than 2-3 American Fuzzy Lops! ... 

Good Luck to your momma, happy nests... 

JLH


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## Terry W (Mar 10, 2006)

try using ground corn cob---it is super absorbent, and like shavings or peat, mixes well into garden soil. if the buns nibble it, no biggie, cuz it can be ingested safely.


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## Miss M (Sep 11, 2009)

Thank you, thank you, thank you! So many ideas! Wow!

I didn't know they made wood pellet litter for cats, MaggieJ. I'll have to look into that too, see how much it is, and see if there is an unscented kind. Both of my kids have asthma, and so does my mom, so I do need unscented.

a7736100, I don't think I ever would have thought of that.  These buns actually do so much of their pooping in their litterboxes, I wouldn't be able to collect enough.

Terry W, where do you get ground corn cob, or do you grind it yourself?

I'm getting ready to call the feed store and Ace to see if I can find horse stall pellets.

You all are so great and helpful! :angel: Thank you so much! :bow:


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I think the pet stores have ground corn cob litter too. There are so many products for kitty litter boxes now and a lot of them are safe for rabbits. But they are not cheap. Advantage of corn cob litter would be that is not aromatic.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Tractor Supply carries a wood pellet for use in horse stalls. Equine Pine or Equine Fresh is the name brand here. It's not as cheap as wood stove pellets (which probably wouldn't be a big seller in Florida) but it works just as well, maybe better. I'm not sure where in Florida you are located but you can look up the Tractor Supply locations on their website. They might even carry wood stove pellets.


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## jhuebner (Mar 29, 2009)

We actually prefer corn cob products in our litter pans, but it's priced it self out of our range. ~$6.50 for a 40# bag.We can get it at our local farm store, and it's made in Iowa. I think it's "best cob". It is great in the garden. BUT THE PRICE GOT US. it used to be ~$3.50... 

We switched to a red cedar chips from Missouri. They are ~$12, for a 12cuft bail. Also available at our other local farm store. The gardeners love this too, makes a nice much. 

We use ~2.5 bags of the cedar a week, so we have "plenty of poop" ... we sprinkle a fine ground clay "moisture control" in the bottom of the pan, then add the cedar.

you have to change pans at least once a week, longer than that and you can have fly/maggot problems. 

Good luck,


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## Terry W (Mar 10, 2006)

Miss M said:


> Terry W, where do you get ground corn cob, or do you grind it yourself?


 I get mine at a very specific feed store/mill. No one else around here carries the stuff:flame: I don't find it very expensive, mainly because I don't use as much as I would if all my cages had dropping trays.... When all my buns were in cages with trays, I mixed the ground cob with peat moss and DE for a nice odor neutralizing effect ( my buns, at the time, were in my apartment) Currently, only the isolation cages and a couple travel cages that get the ground cob mix.


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