Unsure: Diet and Litterbox Questions

Question
I feed my rabbit forti diet and was wondering i see walmart has manna pro food under the name of i think small world rabbit food or something like that (i think it's the same food it might not be the exact same) is that a good quality food wondering if the protein is to high
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Small-World-Rabbit-Feed-Complete-Rabbit-Pet-Food-25-lb...
http://www.mannapro.com/products/rabbit/select-series-feed/nutritional-informati...
and another thing i saw you answered someone else awhile back to use wood fuel pellets as liter i like that idea problem is it's not the season for such a thing and i can't really get it anywhere do you know of anything else i could use that's very cheap like that right now i use corn cob and i really want to switch but it's the most economical right now also i was wondering if you knew of any good and affective ways to get rid of built up calcium on liter boxs
Thanks alot in advance.

Answer
Hi, Marc

Forti Diet is fine.  Manna Pro is also generally a good brand.  Just check the specs, and be sure that there's no added gunk like corn, seeds, dried fruit, etc.  Pellets should be a minor part of the diet, anyway, as you can read here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

Wood stove pellets are cheaper, but you can get pelleted sawdust litter at most big pet supply outlets (PetSmart, etc.) sold as Feline Pine, Equine Pine or AllPet Pine.  There are also other brands made of hardwood sawdust, but there's not much difference among them, in my opinion.  All work well, and make good compost.

Corn cob is not absorbant, and if the bunny eats it, it could cause intestinal impactions.  It's one of the least desirable litters, if you ask me.

To get rid of calcium residues, empty the box, rinse well with a hose, and then pour plain white vinegar (full strength) into the box.  Let it sit for an hour or so, then rinse well again with the hose.  Most of the residue will come out, though you might have to scrub a little.  I've rarely seen a box that comes *completely* clean of the calcium, but the vinegar helps a lot.

Hope this helps.

Dana