Do you put sawdust or hay in an indoor rabbit cage?

Answer 1

Rabbits should always have access to hay* but not just any hay will do. Hays sold for farm animals (horses, cows) often contain legume hays (like alfalfa or clover), and these are not healthy for most adult rabbits. On the other hand, hay sold for pets often sits for months on the store's shelf and isn't fresh and healthy anymore by the time you bring it home. Consider the following guidelines:

Hay should always be fresh: it should be greenish and sweet-smelling, the bag shouldn't be full of dust or little broken bits, and there shouldn't be any mold or rot.

Adult rabbits eat grass hay. Timothy is the most common grass hay but there's also brome, orchard grass, meadow grass, Bermuda grass, etc. Oat hay is also good but it's a little high in carbs, so it shouldn't be the everyday hay but it's fine as a treat. Alfalfa (and other legume hays), however, is not recommended for normal healthy adults because it's so high in protein and carbs that it can make the rabbit sick.

Baby rabbits, pregnant/nursing rabbits, and sometimes underweight/sick rabbits eat alfalfa hay or an alfalfa-grass mix. These rabbits need the extra energy provided by alfalfa.

* Hay is high in fibre, so it keeps the rabbit's digestion healthy; hay is also the exact right kind of fibre that keeps a rabbit's teeth worn down (not all kinds of dietary fibre do this); hay also provides the rabbit with something to graze on, which is important for their mental health and general happiness.

Answer 2

Rabbits shouldn't live on sawdust: it's too dusty and can lead to irritated nasal passages and lungs. Sawdust from some woods is also toxic (like cedar, pine). There are some wood chips that people use as litter material -- like aspen -- but it's a problem if it's too dusty. Other suitable litter materials include newspaper, hay, wood stove pellets (plain ones, not ones covered in starter fluid), Carefresh, and Yesterday's News.

Answer 3

Hay should be available to the rabbit at all times. Hay is an excellent way to keep a rabbit's teeth, gut, and mind healthy! To let the rabbit engage in natural "grazing" behaviour, hay should be available 24/7. Grass hay (like timothy) is best for adults, and alfalfa is good for young rabbits.

Sawdust is not good in a rabbit's area because it's so dusty that it can damage the nasal passages of the rabbit, but some people use the word "sawdust" for wood chips and shavings - these are generally okay for rabbits. Rabbits who have breathing problems shouldn't be kept with wood chips or shavings, though. Only some woods are okay. Aspen is fine. Cedar and pine are potentially very dangerous for rabbits - the phenols (the chemicals that make the wood smell so nice) can be toxic. Many experts say to avoid cedar and pine entirely.

See the related questions below for more information and helpful links.

Answer 4

You should put hay. Sawdust gets into the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and butt ox. It can get VERY sick if you give it sawdust. Give it hay, newspaper, or paper bedding.