Odor Control: Bedding Choice and Additives

Use highly absorbent bedding in solid-floor enclosures or drop pans, and consider ammonia-neutralizing additives. Kiln-dried pine shavings, pelleted paper bedding, or straw all absorb urine effectively. Additives like agricultural lime (hydrated lime) or zeolite granules can be sprinkled under cages or in trays to chemically bind ammonia.

Why It Works

Absorbent bedding locks urine away from the surface, slowing bacterial decomposition and ammonia release. Zeolites physically trap ammonia molecules in their porous crystal structure, while hydrated lime raises pH to inhibit urease-producing bacteria.

Tips

• Avoid cedar shavings -- the phenols are toxic to rabbits' respiratory systems
• Sprinkle a thin layer of zeolite or lime on the tray before adding bedding for best results
• Wire-floor cages with drop trays underneath remain the lowest-odor housing design overall