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Need help finding bedding for your pet rabbit? We are going to discuss some of the best bedding options that are available on the market. There are many brands and many styles so it can be confusing.
We’re going to walk you through each of them and help you get the right one. By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly what bedding to purchase.
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Rabbits spend a lot of time in their habitat so getting them a premium bedding material that is comfortable will improve their well-being and happiness.
Getting one that’s highly absorbent and controls odor will help you both out too!
As a rabbit owner, it is your responsibility to get them bedding that is completely fit for purpose and safe.
Unfortunately, not all brands of bedding are suitable nor will be as effective.
With this in mind, we would like to provide you with some information as to what makes the better bedding and how you can ensure you get the right one.
We’ll even be providing you with our own thoroughly researched picks used by thousands of rabbit owners with great success.
Recommended Types of Rabbit Bedding
There is not one type of bedding available for rabbits. Whilst this gives us choice and flexibility, it can be confusing.
Today, the majority of rabbit owners opt for a paper-based bedding, aspen bedding or hemp bedding.
These three choices come with a host of benefits and are available to purchase in bulk at very cost-effective prices.
Each type of bedding has its own unique pros and cons, which we will be outlining to you shortly below.
Paper Bedding
Paper bedding is one of the most sought-out options for rabbit owners. This is because it is generally very affordable, naturally soft, absorbent, and very good at controlling and limiting smells and odors.
When it comes to paper bedding products, there are actually a number of different types and each one varies quite dramatically in quality.
This means getting any old paper bedding from any old brand will not suffice.
Here are the main factors to consider that separate the good brands from the not so good ones.
Odor Control
Limiting smells and odors is one of those features that you can really benefit from. Even with brands that market as having odor control in their product, not all are equally as effective.
Whether this is because they do a poorer job at absorbing liquid (urine) or they just do not have a strong enough scent to begin with. A
A cage with odor is not good for your home or your rabbit, so odor control is a pretty big deal.
Dust
Getting a dust-free product is actually going to serve your rabbits in multiple ways. Mostly, dust-free bedding is a lot more comfortable for them, and it prevents any side effects with allergies and respiratory issues.
For you, you’ll find that the less dust bedding produces, the easier it is to clean up too!
Selecting Paper Bedding
Before you purchase paper bedding, you’ll want to ensure that the brand is committed to providing dust-free and odor control products.
You’ll want to ensure that it is easy to clean up to ensure that you will regularly and routinely clean the cage/hutch out.
Of course, this is a mandatory job that you should be doing often. The easier you can make it on yourself the better for you and your rabbit’s happiness and well-being.
Aspen Bedding
Aspen bedding is made of a type of safe wood. It has been finely reduced making it one of the safest and most hygienic option.
In fact, a lot of veterinarians will recommend it; particularly if you experience issues with other forms of bedding.
Naturally, Aspen is dust and scent-free which makes it great for sensitive and allergenic rabbits.
As such, it does not provide much odor control so if you are looking for a product to eliminate smells its probably not the best option for you. It also means you will need to clean the cage a little more often.
Nonetheless, it’s a very good natural bedding.
Hemp Bedding
Using hemp for bedding is still pretty new, but it has gained increased popularity of late from a lot of different small animal pet owners.
Its commonly used with horses, but due to its highly absorbent nature and naturally pleasant smell, afford a lot of benefits that you will want to seek out with bedding.
Hemp is very soft and comfortable for animals and it’s actually an eco-friendly choice because no trees are cut down for its production.
In my experience, I’ve used all three types of bedding; paper, aspen and hemp. They’re all excellent choices and it really just comes down to preference.
The Best Bedding For Rabbits
Let’s now take a look at the best options, from each style of bedding, along with some of the features that we do and do not like for each brand.
Small Pet Select Natural Bedding
- Only the Best for You and Your Furry Friend: The ideal Bedding for your rabbit, guinea pig, gerbil, hamster, chinchilla, rat, or mouse; Small Pet Select Premium Small Animal Bedding Paper comes in the biggest sizes out there; Each bag expands 3x in volume from its packaged size; A high quality product at an affordable cost that will last
- 100% Unbleached Virgin Fiber: Made In The USA without any harmful chemicals or additives; The virgin Never Been Printed paper breaks down easily and organically for safe disposal in your garden, compost, or organic waste bin
- Comfy Is Key: Super cozy and soft but still super absorbent; We have developed this product for optimal absorbency which aids in odor control without any added artificial scents; Safe for your pets and for you!
- Recommended Use: Line the bedding inside the pet's habitat; Remove and replace as used; Damp bedding can cause urine scald, so we recommend removing damp spots or soiled areas between changes and replacing the paper bedding every one to two days (or fluffing to prevent large damp areas where your animal stands); Store in a dry place
- Pawtastic Products for Your Pet: When it comes to pet care, quality should never be compromised; Small Pet Select is a family-owned company that handpicks each of our products with love; We aim to deliver the safest, most effective, and highest-quality pet essentials
Small Pet Select provide some of the best bedding available. Its highly rated by both rabbit and other small pet owners.
This bedding is very soft and comfortable and is excellent at absorbing waste and reducing odors.
Being made from unbleached fibers instead of recycled printed paper, no dangerous chemicals or residues are present nor can harm your rabbit’s ears and eyes.
There are equally no additives or dyes, and it is 99% dust-free.
Its also very easy to store and comes in a various cost-effective sizes.
It’s been packaged smartly, in such a way that it expands 3x in volume once opened.
What We Like:
- Very absorbent , comfortable and excellent odor control.
- Easy and convenient to store, expands 3x in volume once open.
- Eco-friendly; 100% biodegradable.
What We Don’t Like:
- White color can make your rabbits habitat look untidy if not regularly spot-cleaned.
Carefresh Natural Fiber Bedding
- Small Pet Bedding: Our natural paper fiber bedding makes the softest, driest most comfortable home for small pets
- Pillowy Soft: Comfyfluff natural paper bedding made from scratch is gentle on sensitive feet with perfect texture for burrowing, tunneling, nesting, or creating a hamster hideout; ideal rat, mice or guinea pig bedding, rabbit litter or for small pets
- Exceptional Odor Control: Ideal for use as hamster bedding, guinea pig habitat lining, or bunny bedding, our pet-safe, proven odor-control formula suppresses ammonia odors for up to 10 days
- Ultra-Absorbent: 2X more absorbent than shavings, our natural paper bedding keeps small pets and their homes warm and dry with no more soggy messes to clean up
- 99 percent Dust-Free: Free of harmful chemicals and synthetic dyes, our high performance bedding is virtually dust free so your pet can enjoy a cleaner, healthier home. Biodegradable and compostable means better for the planet too
Carefresh Natural Fiber Bedding is a very soft natural bedding that is available in a number of different colors including: natural, blue, purple, confetti and white. This gives you plenty of options and you can mix it up from time to time.
Carefresh have developed their own bespoke bedding technology called ‘comfyfluff’ and this is essentially paper made from raw, natural fiber locally sourced. Its naturally very soft while equally being absorbent and controlling odor well (for up to 10 days).
Again this is another eco-friendly option from respected brand committed to using sustainable materials.
What We Like:
- Soft, pillowy texture and 10 day odor control
- Natural, Biodegradable and ethically sourced
- Several color options available
What We Don’t Like:
- Color combinations and consistency can vary as product sourcing varies.
Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
- Only the Best for You and Your Furry Friend: The ideal Bedding for your rabbit, guinea pig, gerbil, hamster, chinchilla, rat, mouse, snake, reptile, or any small animal; Small Pet Select Premium Small Animal Aspen Bedding is a very low-dust, safe, high-quality product that will last
- 100% Heat-Dried All Natural Aspen Shavings: Made in the USA without any harmful dyes, chemicals or additives; Made from wood shavings directly off the tree - so no potentially dangerous fibers that may cause respiratory problems or other health issues; Breaks down easily and organically for safe disposal in your garden, compost, or organic waste bin
- Comfy Is Key: Super cozy and fluffy but still super absorbent; We have developed this product for optimal absorbency which aids in odor control without any added artificial scents; Safe for your pets and for you!
- Recommended Use: Line the bedding inside the pet's habitat; Remove and replace as used; Damp bedding can cause urine scald, so we recommend removing damp spots or soiled areas between changes and replacing the paper bedding every one to two days (or fluffing to prevent large damp areas where your animal stands); Store in a dry place
- Pawtastic Products for Your Pet: When it comes to pet care, quality should never be compromised; Small Pet Select is a family-owned company that handpicks each of our products with love; We aim to deliver the safest, most effective, and highest-quality pet essentials
If you are looking for Aspen bedding, then again, the Pet Select brand is the one to go for.
Its a high quality bedding made from kiln-dried log wood shavings that have not been treated.
This means it’s one of the safest options without any chemicals or nasty additives known as “sludge”.
A lot of rabbit owners report how satisfied they are with this product; in terms of pet happiness levels and their own personal experience with it (cleaning up, replacing etc).
It is known to keep fresh for extended periods of time and absorbs very well.
What We Like:
- Highly absorbent and lasts longer meaning less cleaning and overall maintenance.
- Free from ‘sludge’ and other harmful chemicals.
- Recyclable and compostable.
What We Don’t Like:
- Slightly more more expensive than other types of bedding
- Generally has a little bit more dust than paper bedding so is not preferable for allergenic rabbits
RentACoop Natural Hemp Bedding
- HIGHLY ABSORBANT & REDUCES ODOR - Chicken hemp bedding offers exceptional absorption capabilities, soaking up moisture and odors to create a clean and comfortable environment for your small and large animals. This means less mess and odor!
- ECO-FRIENDLY HEMP BEDDING - Hemp bedding lasts much longer than traditional pine shavings making it the economical choice. When it does finally expire, hemp bedding makes great compost! Grown and packaged in the EU
- A SAFE CHOICE FOR YOUR PETS - Hemp bedding is healthier for your animals than pine shavings. It is less acidic and produces less dust. Our hemp chicken bedding is free from pesticides and insecticides, making this safe for your animals
- GREAT FOR ALL TYPES OF ANIMALS AND MORE - Our hemp bedding is suitable for rabbits, cats, hamsters, chickens, guinea pigs, gerbils, chicks, horses, and so much more! Plus, our hemp is Herbicide Free so it's also Perfect for Gardens!
- DIMENSIONS - Package: 15" x 8" x 30" Weight: 31.4 lbs/ 300 l, Total area coverage: 8" x 6" coop with a 1.5" of hemp bedding
RentACoop hemp bedding, as the name suggest, was designed for chickens however it is a premium bedding choice for all pet animals including rabbits, guinea pigs and even horses.
This is a great respected brand who have produced a very absorbent and nice smelling bedding. Its actually 5x more absorbent than pine shavings.
Again, it is made without the use of any chemicals, pesticides or insecticides so will not cause any harm to your rabbit(s).
Its also eco-friendly as no trees need to be cut down to make it. Hemp is naturally dust-free making it a great choice for allergenic rabbits.
What We Like:
- 300L bag makes this a very cost-effective and long term option.
- Hemp bedding is eco-friendly, highly absorbent and has a pleasant natural smell.
What We Don’t Like:
- Only available in one size so will require sufficient storage space.
Vitakraft Crumble Bedding
- SUPERIOR ODOR CONTROL: Up to 14 days of odor control to keep your home and your bunny, chinchilla, guinea pig, or hamster's home smelling clean and fresh.
- EXTRA ABSORBANT: Fresh World is heavier and more absorbant than normal bedding with up to 3x expansion, making it paper bedding small animals and their parents can rely on.
- SAFE AND COMFORTABLE: Extra soft for easy comfort, 99.5% dust-free, and free of baking soda. No more sneezing for your small pet, no more worrying for you.
- ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY: Made from 100% real recycled paper that you can see and smell. Biodegredable and compostable.
- LOW MAINTENANCE: With regular spot cleaning, the Ultra Strength formula can control odor for up to 14 days. Change bedding when wet, or once the odor blocker is no longer effectively controlling odors.
The Vitakraft Crumble bedding is made from 100% recycled paper, provides up to 14 days of odor control and is 99.5% dust free.
It’s known to rapidly absorb and lock in all moisture.
As the name suggests, it has a crumbled texture which is very comfortable and soft for your rabbits.
This is another product that expands 3x per once its unpacked making this a great bedding to store.
What We Like:
- Absorbs 3x its weight in moisture.
- 14 day odor control.
- Unbleached & baking soda-free.
What We Don’t Like:
- High absorption means it expands rapidly and can become heavy and difficult to remove.
- May require more regular cleaning to prevent challenges when cleaning.
Kaytee Soft Granule Blend Bedding
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Kaytee are an established and recognized brand in the pet product market, and their soft granule bedding is another example of their ability to create quality products for all small pet animal owners.
It’s a very fine absorbent bedding that can also hold 3x its weight in liquid while being very comfortable and safe. Just like every other product on this list, it’s chemical-free and no harmful additives are present.
This bedding is sanitized to aid in bacterial control, has a light pleasant neutral smell and is made from recycled wood fibers to make it an eco-friendly option.
It’s very easy to clean up when the time comes around and is extremely low dust making it ideal for sensitive rabbits and those of you with allergies.
What We Like:
- Absorbs 3x its weight in moisture.
- Easy to clean up.
- Neutral pleasant smell and odor control. Sanitized to prevent bacterial buildup.
What We Don’t Like:
- Only available in 2 size options.
Bedding To Avoid
Now that we have identified the best types of bedding, and why, and then listed the best products within each category, let us know take a look at those to steer clear from. These are bedding products that can do more harm than good.
Chips and/or Shavings
Rabbits are a small animals that has a delicate respiratory system. Wood chips and shavings (particularly from cedar and pine) are often treated with oils, and are naturally high in phenols and dust. This can be very problematic for your rabbit and give them a lot of health issues.
This is why kiln-dried shavings are often used and considered to be a lot safer.
Straw
Rabbits love hay, and in fact, they need an abundance of it within their diet. However, the dried equivalent, straw, is not a useful nor helpful bedding.
Straw does not absorb well, so your rabbit’s urine and poop are left uncollected. This not only makes it a very unhygienic habitat, but it is not a nice environment for your rabbit, is harder to clean, and more likely to smell.
Plus, straw is not very comfortable. The rough ends and sharp edges pose a risk to your rabbits feet, ears and eyes.
Cat Litter
Cat litter serves a purpose to cats. They get into a litter box, do their business, and then leave. Its not supposed to be lived on. While it is effective at collecting urine and poop, and combating smells, it’s not a good idea to add to your rabbit’s habitat.
Plus, it is also relatively fine and your rabbits could ingest it. The chemicals used to eliminate odors are only going to cause issues once swallowed by your rabbit.
Clean Regularly
If you are a rabbit owner, then one of the most important things you can do is to regularly and routinely clean their cage. You should be cleaning and changing the bedding of your rabbits hutch/cage at least once per week. Sometimes more depending on context and if anything happens during that time.
This will ensure your rabbits remain healthy and happy. Remember, while it may not be convenient for you, its your rabbits home that they need to live in around the clock.
Small spot checks and infrequent cleaning sessions here and there are a good approach. This will keep the habitat smelling fresh and that can help reduce the amount of work when the weekly clean comes around.
Be sure to change the bedding as part of this process. Even if you believe it looks clean and okay to leave, it may have unpleasant surprises lurking inside.
Conclusion
Purchasing bedding for your rabbit does not need to be a difficult choice, but there are some things you will need to consider. Hopefully this guide has helped you understand the main factors.
With a lot of brands and styles of bedding, it can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming. The truth is so long as you are getting a bedding that is safe, comfortable, dust free and has natural odor control then you should be in good stead. Paper bedding, hemp bedding and aspen bedding are those that serve this purpose.
To make your decision easier we recommend the following bedding brands for each preferred bedding style:
- Paper: Small Select Natural Bedding
- Aspen: Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding
- Hemp: RentACoop Natural Hemp Bedding
Picking the above bedding will make your rabbits home nicer and your cleaning duties easier. We hope you enjoyed our article covering the best bedding for rabbits.
I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets, from traditional pets like dogs and cats, to the more exotic like reptiles and rodents. I currently own a Cockapoo (pictured) called Bailey. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and guidance, based on my vast pet ownership knowledge, experience, and extensive research.