# How often to you clean out the hutch?



## kayz (Jan 18, 2009)

We got a rabbit 3 weeks ago and were told to clean it out once a week. So we decided that as we got her on a Thursday we would clean her out every Thursday.

A friend of ours who breeds rabbits said this was fair to often and we should do it once every 2-3 weeks. Apparently it can confuse them as they mark their terroity and cleaning them too often will lose the smell.

So just wanted some other opinions really.

Thanks.


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## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

I dont have outdoor buns but im sure that you are supposed to do it at LEAST once a week, probably twice a week! But im not too sure so maybe somebody else will be able to let you know. Two to three weeks is too long, it would stink!  It will do even after a week.


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## shezzy (Mar 8, 2009)

I clean mine once a week. But I have knwoen breeders who have alot of rabbits that only clean them out once every 2 weeks or so.


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

Its best to do it 2 or 3 times a week in summer as its flystrike time
in the winter its okay to go down to once a week, however if they are toilet trained you should clean the toilet out every other day.
well thats my theory anyway.

regardless, my lot get cleaned out every thursday and sunday all year round
and toilets changed every other day


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

I have an indoor rabbit but he gets cleaned out once a week even though hes only in there at night. We clean out the litter trays daily though.


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## Michelle666 (Jun 12, 2008)

I clean mine once a week, my girls live in a huge shed & run. At the moment, Im cleaning them out 2 or 3 times a week, as its very hot and their doodoos are attracting flies, and I dont want them getting flystrike!


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## snowsurfer (May 14, 2009)

I empty the hutch and toilets every day, wash the eating utensils (bowls, water bottles) every day too, and thoroughly clean everything once per week (using warm water, a very small amount of bleach, and flushing everything out with a pressure hose for a LONG time so the bleach is fully off).

I change the water in the bottles twice per day.


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## CreativeLC (Aug 13, 2008)

I clean mine out once a week, but clean bowls and bottles etc. everyday cos they need to be kept clean.


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

i clean my pens out roughly every 2-3 days but the litter trays are done daily and when i clean there pens i mainly only clean the corners as dexter tends to poop and wee to mark the girls as his  i do the whole pen weekly tho sometimes every 10 days if they have been good and used the litter tray.

when they have kits i clean them every 2 days as they toilet everywhere!!


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Your friend is not looking after her bunnies well at all by the sounds of it. If ytou leave it 2-3 weeks they can get flystrike because they are sat in their own poo or end up with urine burns. 

Mine are cleaned out every week without fail and litter trays are done every 2-3 days depending on the weather and how much the buns have been inside and how dirty they are. What your friend has told you is a load of rubbish the cleaner you keep your buns the better.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

I clean my litter trays daily. In this weather, they have no bedding, just some rugs, and those are changed every 3-4 days.

In the winter, the litter trays are still daily, everything else once a week.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Mine are done every monday and thursday without fail during the summer, in the winter I might leave them a week, but tend to stick to the routine, I check the litter trays in between and if they need doing I empty them, depends how much they are in the hutch/runs.
I had a blind rabbit and even he didnt have a problem with being cleaned out so often.
*Heidi*


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

I thought rabbits cleaned themselves out!!!!! Better get to their hutch asap 2mrw!


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

umber said:


> I thought rabbits cleaned themselves out!!!!! Better get to their hutch asap 2mrw!


lol xD i need to buy some big bales from work tomorrow!
Expensive bunbuns.


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

Sorry just kidding prob wasnt very funny but im in a daft mood lol!

I empty out their litter tray every day and if they have spent alot of time in their hutch and run during the day i may empty it out again in the evening depending on how wet/full it is.

As for teh whole hutch at least once a week but I usually do end up doing it around 2 times a week!


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## Acacia86 (Dec 30, 2008)

I clean my rabbit out every day. He only wee's in his tray so thats washed every day too. I do keep all clean bedding but the whole lot is cleaned out and washed twice a week. His bowl for his pellets is washed each day and his bowl for his fresh fruit and veg is washed as many times as its full!! His water bottle is re-freshed twice daily to. (if you put dry rice in it and shake it up with some water it keeps any green nasty algae away!) i used to breed dutch rabbits for show and pet and every hutch got cleaned every other day. Trays/wee corners were cleaned and washed daily. But thats just my way! Oh and i only got my first bunny (i haven't had one for 7 years!) a few weeks ago too. Good luck with yours. Xx


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## VampiricLust (Mar 3, 2008)

Think of it this way, would you sit in your own excrement?

No!!

I have around 20-30 rabbits here at a time and still clean hutches every other day and litter trays daily!!

Just as breeder may have multiple bun households, does not mean it has to be done any less.


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

I clean my hutches and the run twice a week (the hutches are in a fenced off bunny bouncing area so they only use them to sleep in). 

I notice that many of you use litter trays. Is this for indoor buns? Mine are outdoor but there is room in the hutches for a litter tray and I could then clean that out daily, as with the cats. Does anyone do this or is it a totally impractical idea? 

It would keep them much cleaner, but not sure if they would use trays, although they do tend to use the same area to toilet in.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Lumpy said:


> I clean my hutches and the run twice a week (the hutches are in a fenced off bunny bouncing area so they only use them to sleep in).
> 
> I notice that many of you use litter trays. Is this for indoor buns? Mine are outdoor but there is room in the hutches for a litter tray and I could then clean that out daily, as with the cats. Does anyone do this or is it a totally impractical idea?
> 
> It would keep them much cleaner, but not sure if they would use trays, although they do tend to use the same area to toilet in.


Yeh i have litter trays for outdoor buns, my buns are only in overnight they are out all day, i do put a litter tray in the run if they arent free ranging and clean that everyday. Otherwise they have the garage with littertrays in, i am bonding four at the moment so they are in a hutch/run outside so am cleaning the litter trays everyday, i can tell you it is soooooo much easier, they are easy to disinfect instead of scrubbing a hutch down and safer for the buns. The two newer rescue buns still poo outside the litter trays abit so sweep it out everyday too, doesnt take long, they are getting the hang of the litter trays.

Just pop them in their usual pee areas, if they poo outside if you are around pop the poos in the litter tray too so they get the idea thats where they aree supposed to go. My two original buns are spotlessly clean, they did start off as housebuns though.


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

Totally agree with Crofty here. My 2 when I first got them from the rescue they were not litter trained so I was literally dissenfecting their hutch every single day although they are in their for the night only they do like to go and sleep in the during they day as I leave it open for them. Every day the wee and poo was so bad and eventually I have managed to get them to use their litter tray which is so much easier now all I do is clean that out every day and now and again there maybe 1 or 2 poos under their bedding which I do look under every day and I just pick them out lol! 

If you can litter train your out door buns do it.... its so much easier!


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## kiara (Jun 2, 2009)

hi all,
what do you put in the litter trays?
i have heard some people use cat litter but i wasnt sure if this was safe as bunnies like to eat everything!! 
thanks
xx


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

kiara said:


> hi all,
> what do you put in the litter trays?
> i have heard some people use cat litter but i wasnt sure if this was safe as bunnies like to eat everything!!
> thanks
> xx


Paper or wood based litters are ok. Its the clay based ones that are dangerous.


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

i currently use wood cat litter


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Rachh said:


> Its best to do it 2 or 3 times a week in summer as its flystrike time


What is flystrike time?

Our rabbit always seems to have earwig friends living in his hutch with him. Is this normal? Last week I gave the hutch a good blast out with the hose and cleaned it completely, but they just straight back...


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## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

I use a wood based cat litter!


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

archiecat said:


> What is flystrike time?
> 
> Our rabbit always seems to have earwig friends living in his hutch with him. Is this normal? Last week I gave the hutch a good blast out with the hose and cleaned it completely, but they just straight back...


In the summer flys are most likely to lay their eggs on the bunnys bum which causes flystrike so its really important to clean them more often to prevent the build up of eggs and maggots, also checking your bunnys bum becomes very important.
I would recommend giving your hutch a good disinfecting and scrubbing!


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

archiecat said:


> What is flystrike time?
> 
> Our rabbit always seems to have earwig friends living in his hutch with him. Is this normal? Last week I gave the hutch a good blast out with the hose and cleaned it completely, but they just straight back...


Earwigs can give a painful bite. Could you move your hutch to a different location?

Fly strike is more likely to happen in the summer months when there's an influx of flies. Aslong as a rabbits environment is clean, and they arent overweight, then they should be ok. You should of course check them regularily.


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Nonnie said:


> Earwigs can give a painful bite. Could you move your hutch to a different location?


We move it to a different part of the garden every week.

He has a run that I made, so there are big patches of grass and poo all round the garden! He keeps very active. We don't lock him up in the hutch until about 10pm, and even then he still has a patch of grass (2 story hutch).


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

archiecat said:


> We move it to a different part of the garden every week.
> 
> He has a run that I made, so there are big patches of grass and poo all round the garden! He keeps very active. We don't lock him up in the hutch until about 10pm, and even then he still has a patch of grass (2 story hutch).


Is it just the odd one or two earwigs?

Not a lot you can do if you keep moving the hutch.


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Nonnie said:


> Is it just the odd one or two earwigs?
> 
> 
> > Hard to tell, but they look like theres quite a few. Nesting in the cracks of the frame.
> ...


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

archiecat said:


> Hard to tell, but they look like theres quite a few. Nesting in the cracks of the frame.
> 
> I just didn't know if they were a common hutch sharer of the rabbits of the world.
> 
> Perhaps I'll find some pet friendly insect repellent.


Might be worth giving it a really good clean and disinfect.

Can you take the hutch apart? Maybe give it a good clean that way, and displace the nest.


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

Nonnie said:


> Might be worth giving it a really good clean and disinfect.
> 
> Can you take the hutch apart? Maybe give it a good clean that way, and displace the nest.


So i did give the right advice then?


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah, last time I cleaned it, I removed all parts of it and washed. But I couldn't find the pet safe disinfectant. I have now found this, but I just wanted to know if it was common to have them in the hutch.


Thanks, Chris


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

archiecat said:


> Yeah, last time I cleaned it, I removed all parts of it and washed. But I couldn't find the pet safe disinfectant. I have now found this, but I just wanted to know if it was common to have them in the hutch.
> 
> I've also found that Diatomaceous Earth is safe to animals, but controls pests like earwigs.
> 
> Thanks, Chris


Ive never had them, but i imagine they are fairly common like most bugs.

Let us know how that pest control works, and does it deal with ants?


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Nonnie said:


> Ive never had them, but i imagine they are fairly common like most bugs.
> 
> Let us know how that pest control works, and does it deal with ants?


I've seen this on a website:



> Ants Personally, I have surrounded the house with Diatomaceous Earth (use eye protection and a gas mask since this stuff is extremely sharp, being made up of shell dust and can damage your lungs and eyes). I make a trail about 3 inches wide all around the house (or infested trees) and ants simply won't cross it. It is not poison and has no odor. It is very cheap. A reader strongly recommended against the Pool Supply version of Diatomaceous Earth due to higher concentration of the crystal particles that damage lungs. It is white.


So, I don't think i'll try it; if it can damage our lungs/eyes, whats to stop it harming rabbits eyes?


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## archiecat (Oct 28, 2008)

Read this - sounds safe to me. But I can't be sure.

Diatomaceous Earth (DE)


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

you can buy insecticide sprays for hutches.


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## Nonnie (Apr 15, 2009)

Sounds rather conflicting. I may get some and see. Its just for near my guineas runs, as i get the odd ant.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

I just use shavings or megasorb and hay in my litter trays, when they were indoor buns i used wood non clumping cat litter.


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## Beautiine (Jul 3, 2009)

once a week


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Ours are cleaned once a week but most of the mess is in the outside pens so this is cleaned a few times a week.


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## Lisa Franklin (Oct 2, 2008)

Hello
I clean my two out once a week, but clean out where they have been to the toilet everyday. Just stops the chances of fly strike.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I use shavings or hay in my litter trays, and all mine are outdoor buns with trays.
*Heidi*


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

cleaning out weekly is much easier in hutches because the bedding doesnt get as wet and the smell wont be so bad (if you can smell pee then so can they). If you have all 3 rabbits in 1 hutch then I would recommend cleaning the whole thing at least weekly and the toilet corner daily. Bunnies are very clean animals, they clean themselves after we touch them. By putting a handful of old reasonably clean bedding back into the hutch they will know its still their home.


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## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

Right - it's off to PAH for me to buy a couple of bunny litter trays. I can use the wood litter I use for the cats so won't have to buy anything different there which makes life easier. Is it best to buy rabbit litter trays or use cat ones?

I hope they can be trained to use trays as it would mean their hutches stayed cleaner for longer as I could clean the trays out every day. It would be much nicer for them - just have to convince them of that though Even cleaning them twice a week they still get a bit messy by the day they are due to be cleaned.

I will get the litter trays and then have a chat with them and see if they are prepared to give it a go


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

Lumpy said:


> Right - it's off to PAH for me to buy a couple of bunny litter trays. I can use the wood litter I use for the cats so won't have to buy anything different there which makes life easier. Is it best to buy rabbit litter trays or use cat ones?
> 
> I hope they can be trained to use trays as it would mean their hutches stayed cleaner for longer as I could clean the trays out every day. It would be much nicer for them - just have to convince them of that though Even cleaning them twice a week they still get a bit messy by the day they are due to be cleaned.
> 
> I will get the litter trays and then have a chat with them and see if they are prepared to give it a go


I use cat ones for mine, cheaper than the rabbit ones  and nothing different. The only reason you might need the rabbit ones is if you need a corner one?

Put the tray where they normally do to the the toilet, a little bit of dirty bedding in it to start with and they should be ok with it. If they are like Rascal tho, they could move it around or even tip it upside down! He tips it upside down and sits on it looking at me!

*Heidi*


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## Rachh (Jun 24, 2009)

I use plant water trays for my litter trays as big buns struggle to get in the corner ones


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

I use the huge cat corner trays and plastic dog beds


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## Guest (Jul 4, 2009)

My two get cleaned out every day, sometimes twice if the weather is too bad for them to go in the garden.


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