Types of Bedding for Rabbits

Rabbits are snuggly, fluffy pets that bring comfort and joy to your home. However, there is more to being a rabbit owner than cuddling your soft bunny. As a responsible pet owner, you want to ensure that your rabbit has a comfortable and safe home where it can live a happy life.

Part of supplying the best environment is providing a comfortable material they can lay and play on. One such material that requires careful attention and care for your rabbit hutch is rabbit bedding.

Unfortunately, not every substrate on the rabbit market is healthy for their physical wellbeing. Therefore, it is your responsibility to assess your options and choose the best bedding for your button-nosed friend. Here we have listed some factors to consider and types of bedding available to help you make the right choice.

Factors to Consider

When you look at different bedding materials in the pet or feed store, you can’t just haphazardly pick one. Choosing a small animal bedding that supports comfort, ingestion, absorbency, temperature, and safety is crucial. Your rabbit’s plush and happy life depends upon your decision.

Comfort

Rabbits spend a lot of time resting and sleeping. Therefore, you want the materials they spend the majority of their lives laying on to bring them extreme comfort and deep sleep. Rabbits like to pile their bedding and burrow for sleep. The substrate you select should be soft and fluffy… just like your pet!

Ingestion

Rabbits chew to explore their world: they often ingest portions of their hutch bedding. Because of this, you want to ensure that the material you use is safe for your rabbit to eat. It is not wise to select bedding that your rabbit will want to chew continually, as this is not good for their diet or digestion.

In turn, it needs to be safe enough that if they do happen to take a nibble, they won’t have an adverse reaction. Providing plenty of chew toys for stimulation and exploration will help to curb bedding ingestion as well.

Absorbency

An interesting fact about rabbits is that they can be litter trained. Highly absorbent bedding throughout the hutch is unnecessary if your rabbits are trained because they will only pee and poop in a specific location. Even so, having mildly absorbent bedding is the best way to keep your rabbit dry and comfortable.

Absorbent bedding also protects non-potty trained fur balls from excess ammonia entering their lungs. This is vital to protect your rabbit’s respiratory system for its entire lifetime. Some owners may use a cat litter underneath a substrate layer to aid in absorption, but it is not a good option as a substrate alone.

Temperature

Rabbit’s temperatures drop when they are sleeping. Providing a substrate that will keep your rabbit warm and help with temperature regulation is the best way to ensure that they attain deep and restful sleep. Providing a specific enclosed, fluffy, and warm area for sleeping will help your rabbit feel safe and comfortable.

Safety

Rabbits have very short legs and stay low to the ground. They spend much of their time lying and bouncing around in their bedding. It is unsafe for rabbits to have bedding with sharp or pointy edges because this can damage their skin and get caught in their fur. It is also dangerous for rabbits to breathe in a substrate that produces a lot of dust that can irritate their small eyes and lungs.

You need to buy rabbit bedding that will support your cutie’s hutch adventures rather than prevent them.

Bedding Options

Now that you’re aware of what to look for when purchasing rabbit bedding, here are the most popular options. They each have their pros and cons, but all try to give your furry friend the best life possible.

Fleece Bedding

Lining your rabbit’s hutch with fleece cloth is an excellent way to ensure your rabbit has a soft layer for their gentle feet and bellies. Fleece is highly recommended for outdoor rabbits, as it helps to keep them dry and warm on cool evenings. For indoor rabbits, fleece is not as necessary but is a comfortable option. Many owners choose to line the hutch bottom with fleece before laying down another substrate for rabbits that enjoy burrowing.

Paper Bedding

Bedding made from shredded paper is an excellent choice when it comes to comfort and softness. It is a good burrowing material and readily available at most pet stores. It is also possible to make yourself with ink-free recycled paper for an environmentally friendly option. However, paper bedding is not highly absorbent and must be changed frequently because it does not eliminate odors.

Wood Product Bedding

Rabbit bedding made from wood products is a popular option, but it is crucial to select the correct type of wood. Pine and Cedar are toxic to rabbits and may cause respiratory problems, as well as disease to your rabbit’s liver if ingested. Aspen wood is safe for rabbit bedding and comes in the form of wood pellets and wood shavings.

It is important to remember that just because a product is marketed as rabbit bedding does not mean it is the safest choice. You should always double-check the ingredients.

Hay Bedding

Hay has long been used as rabbit bedding because it is safe for chewing. However, it is not the best substrate for small pets who like to burrow because it can have sharp points that damage small eyes and noses. Hay is also not a good option for odor elimination and needs a thorough cleaning regularly. Providing small amounts of hay for chewing purposes in addition to other bedding is fun entertainment and exploration for your rabbit.

Hemp Bedding

Hemp bedding is becoming a popular choice for rabbit bedding. It is an excellent choice for soft burrowing and is safe for ingestion as it is all-natural and is not toxic to small animals. In fact, many owners choose hemp bedding as an option for pets with sensitive allergies because it is non-toxic and dust-free. Hemp is also an environmentally friendly choice due to its easy-to-grow and harvest nature.

Best Bedding for Rabbits

Choosing the best bedding for your furball is an important decision. To provide a comfortable and safe rabbit paradise, you need to select bedding that will promote that environment. You have many options available, and we hope that this information helps you make your pets happy and healthy.

As a company, we have helped hundreds of responsible pet owners provide the best bedding for their fluffy animals. We believe hemp is a great bedding type that can benefit your rabbits by increasing their quality of life. Our team is always available to answer any questions you have about it and other beddings you may be considering.