(No rush.) Litter box waste question.

Question
QUESTION: I have four rabbits. After spending more than an hour every day, cleaning their six litter boxes, I finally switched to clumping litter. (I have found a way to keep them above - and away from - the litter; they can also still munch on hay, while they poop, without the danger of eating any of the litter. In other words, they are safe from ingesting the litter or even getting it stuck in their paws, or, spilling into their living area.) My question is this: Every day I end up with a VERY large bag of litter. Since it is rabbit-waste, may I safely bury it? I realize that this may be a gardening question, if so, could you advise me on whom to ask? Also, I thank you for your time spent reading my question.

ANSWER: Dear Michelle,

You could probably bury it safely.  Rabbit waste is pretty benign, and actually makes great compost.

I have a better suggestion for litter, though.  We use pelleted pine sawdust pellets (Equine Pine, etc.) covered with a soft layer of hay.  Bunnies love this arrangement, and the contents of the box can be mixed with soil and composted to make fantastic topsoil.

Hope this helps!

Dana

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QUESTION: Dear Dana. Thank you very much for your answer. Please do not rush to answer this - or do not answer at all, if you do not wish, it is not important nor urgent. But I was curious about what you said about the litter you use. I was doing/using the same thing as you do, except I have a little trough in the front so they can eat hay while they poop. And they do! They poop and eat, eat and poop, ALL day. (Surprisingly, none of them are overweight.) Sometimes, though, it would take me up to 1 1/2 hours to clean their litter boxes. (I, also, would turn it into compost.) I was just wondering if there is a trick to it I am missing. Perhaps I should be using metal instead of plastic trays? Or line it with something other than paper towels?  

Answer
Dear Michelle,

Wow, you must have a lot of litterboxes!  :)

No, we use plastic, too.  And rabbit being herbivores, they pee a LOT.  Much more than dogs or cats.  And they poop a lot more, too, with their high-fiber diets.  Changing litterboxes often is just a fact of life when you live with rabbits.  

With the pelleted sawdust, though, we find we don't have to change them out so often.  The sawdust really contains the odor and moisture.  

So I don't think there's a trick to it.  I'd have to see your situation to see what you consider a dirty litterbox; a little bit of moisture in a corner isn't enough for us to change it out.  It all depends on your preference, I guess.

Dana