6 Best Rabbit Beddings that are safe & cozy (Review & Guide)

For those of you, who are in a hurry: Here is my top pick, the All Natural Pellet Bedding.

Generally, rabbits don’t need bedding except as a soft and absorbent material in their litter box. Once you have your dog-size exercise pen setup, make sure your litter box is large enough for your rabbit.

A large size cat litter box does the trick for average size rabbits. If your rabbit is young, use a low-edge plastic tray, and remember that they will grow out of it quickly. Within weeks, you can move onto a large size cat litter box.

Choosing the Perfect Bedding for Your Rabbit

When selecting bedding for your beloved bunny, keep their comfort and safety in mind. Opt for bedding that is free from harmful chemicals, dust, and additives. Look for options that are highly absorbent and provide excellent odor control. Additionally, consider your rabbit’s preferences – some may enjoy digging and burrowing, while others prefer a softer, fluffier bedding.

In this article I am going to review the following 6 bedding options:

Best Rabbit Beddings

Between the wide range of bedding material and the amount of brands on the market, it can be challenging to know which is the best for your rabbit. We’ve meticulously reviewed tons of bunny-approved bedding to help you find the best options.

Viking Farmer Alfalfa Hay for Rabbits

For a young rabbit under 6 months old, you can provide alfalfa hay in a thick layer in their litter box and dig box. Alfalfa hay is a healthy, fragrant bedding option that doubles as a great dietary supplement for a young rabbit. Viking Farmer Alfalfa Hay for Rabbits promises quality nutrition and a soft chill surface.

The Viking Farmer’s Alfalfa Hay say that they thoroughly inspect and certify that every batch of hay meets the standards set by the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and the North American Invasive Species Management Association.

Pros:

  • Bred for quality and nutrition
  • Specially packaged to maintain freshness
  • Pleasant, natural fragrance
  • Available in a range of 5lbs to 25lbs sizes
  • Highly absorbent

Cons:

  • Relatively expensive

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Small Pet Select Timothy Hay

For rabbits older than 6 months to a year old, you will want to switch to Timothy hay because the fiber is higher and the protein is lower. This gives your adult rabbit something they can snack on all day.

Timothy hay is another option for your rabbit’s bedding that you can place in their litter box and digging/play box. This is Small Pet’s offering of 2nd cut Timothy Hay, and is perfect for picky eaters because this specific cut of hay offers a combination of the softer parts of the plant and the thicker fibrous stems to give your rabbit some bedding to sit on and that adds much-needed fiber and nutrients to their diet.

The best part of this hay is that it is has eco-friendly packaging that is also designed to keep the hay fresh during shipping and while it’s being stored for use.

Pros:

  • 2nd cut hay
  • Minimally handled during packaging
  • Designed package to retain freshness

Cons:

  • Occasionally contains debris

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Oxbow Animal Health Orchard Grass Hay

Oxbow Animal Health Orchard Grass Hay is the ideal bedding and bunny snack for households with family members (on two legs or four) with hay allergies.

Pros:

  • Neutralizes odor
  • No color additives
  • Better for Timothy allergen sensitivity

Cons:

  • More expensive than timothy hay

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Small Pet Select Aspen Beddings

If you’d like to add something extra to your bunny’s digging box or a soft layer over the pine pellets of their litter box, Small Pet Select Aspen Bedding provides your rabbit with a cost-effective surface. Made from high-quality shaved aspen, this bedding has high absorbency and controls odor well.

Aspen is the safe alternative to pine shavings and cedar shavings. Those evergreen wood have oils that irritate sensitive noses over the long term!

One downside is that Aspen shavings are a little rougher than hay, paper, or Carefresh (below). Still, many rabbits find the shavings cozy enough, and your bun may enjoy this affordable and nicely scented bedding type.

Pros:

  • Eco-friendly and recyclable
  • Controls odor
  • Made from high-quality aspen

Cons:

  • Produces more dust than alternatives

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Carefresh Small Pet Bedding

Carefresh is dedicated to developing soft, ultra-absorbent, and comfortable beddings for small pets. Made from natural fiber, this bedding will provide your rabbit with a cozy digging and sitting environment in their litter box and digging box. The best part about the Carefresh Small Pet Bedding is that it is recyclable and compostable, so it’s easy to be environmentally friendly while keeping your rabbit healthy.

While natural fibers are not dangerous for your rabbit to nibble on, it is not an edible material. Some buns will attempt a taste-test, so this option may not be best for rabbits that snack on their bedding.

Pros:

  • Recyclable and compostable
  • Softer than hay and aspen
  • Ultra-absorbent

Cons:

  • Not edible

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Oxbow Timothy Mat

The Timothy Mat is perfect for adding texture to your rabbit’s exercise pen. These woven beds are hand-woven and durable enough to last through a few weeks sessions for frequent nibblers.

However, a downside for me is that Oxbow Timothy Mats are very pricey. Like all mat bedding, these still need to be regularly replaced, so the price is difficult to justify.

Also, their structure makes them slow drying and susceptible to mold. You might consider hay mats a rare toy for your rabbit rather than a regular bedding material.

Pros:

  • Handwoven timothy hay
  • Edible and chewable
  • Highly insulating to maintain warmth

Cons:

  • Susceptible to mold
  • Mats are expensive

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Choosing the Best Rabbit Bedding

With the wide range of options on the market, choosing the best bedding will depend entirely on your rabbit’s size and preferences. However, there are a few things you should always consider before purchasing bedding.

Comfort & Warmth

Your rabbit’s comfort means everything, so it’s essential to look for material that will provide a warm, comfortable place for them to rest and burrow.

You can use fleece blankets to cover the floors. You can put exercise mats down on hard floors, but keep a watch out because some rabbits like to chew and eat these mats. In that case, you’ll have to find a different and edible material to put down.

Hay can be placed in the litter box on top of absorbent natural litter because it creates a fluffy surface to rest on while also being loose enough to allow your bunny to have fun picking at the grass.

Odor Control

While it is worthwhile to litter box train your rabbit, it is still important to consider odor control when looking for bedding. If you’re in the process of training, there will still be messes in their bedding, and a material that is absorbent of liquid and odors while also being easy to change is a great option.

Hay have a pleasant natural scent that helps to mask odor, and aspen is exceptionally absorbent when it comes to larger messes.

Suppose your rabbit is not litter box trained or doesn’t always do their business in their litter box. In that case, you will have to change the natural fibers, shredded paper, and cloth mats often as they tend to get smelly quickly.

Edibility

Rabbits love to chew on just about anything, so whatever you put in their living space should be edible or safe for them to nibble on. Hay bedding is a healthy material to use, because it is both comfortable and a necessary dietary supplement to give them added nutrients and fiber.

Generally, alfalfa hay is best for younger rabbits, and older rabbits should be given timothy hay blends. Alfalfa hay is higher in calcium and fat, which is needed in younger rabbits’ diets but can be unhealthy for older ones.

Aspen shavings are also safe for bunnies to chew on, but it is difficult for them to break down and actually eat. If you opt for aspen shavings, be sure to include plenty of hay in your rabbit’s enclosure so they don’t resort to snacking on their bedding.

Eco-Friendly Materials

No matter how clean your rabbit is, you will need to regularly switch out their bedding to keep their space hygienic and comfortable. Regularly changing their bedding means you will go through a lot of material. Eco-friendly, recyclable material will not only be safe for your rabbit but also helps cut down on waste.

Any bedding made from natural materials such as hay, wood shavings, and fibers that do not have artificial scents or additives is biodegradable and eco-friendly. Hay is doubly eco-friendly because it is also a great material for composting.

Differentiation

Finally, rabbits prefer to have separate areas to go to the bathroom and rest in, so it’s important to create a sense of separation in the products you use to create their home. You should be sure to use different material for their bedding than what you use for their littler, so they know where to do their business and where to sleep.

For example, if you are using hay and wood pellets for your rabbit’s litter, using fleece blankets will create a separate space with material that is for sleeping on.

Cloth Liners

You can use cloth liners such as old baby blankets for bunnies to sleep on. Just be sure to wash them if they get soiled to keep the room smelling fresh.

If you have a bunny that is prone to digging and chewing whatever they can get in their mouth, cloth bedding can also present a danger.

Rabbit Beddings to Avoid

Most pet bedding that is marketed for rabbits is safe, but there are few specific materials you might find in bedding that should be avoided for the safety and health of your pet.

Cedar & Pine

You’ll want to avoid cedar and pine shavings altogether in your rabbit’s bedding. These wood types contain chemicals that are dangerous for your rabbit’s delicate systems, and can cause skin irritation, liver damage, and even death with prolonged exposure.

Clay Cat Litter

Clay litter is designed for cats to absorb moisture and odor and clump together, but it is dangerous for rabbits. Clay litter gets very dusty and is particularly hazardous for your bunny’s delicate lungs. Rabbits also tend to nibble on their litter, and if ingested, clay litter can clump in their digestive tract and cause serious blockages.

Sawdust

Another highly dusty material, sawdust can easily cause lung irritation and make it difficult for your rabbit to breathe, causing life-threatening conditions. Even wood shavings that have too much dust in them can cause respiratory problems for your rabbit, so if you decide to use wood material, inspect the packaging closely to ensure it is not full of dust.

Shredded Paper

Some small animal bedding is made with shredded paper, but this is not a safe option for your rabbit. Whether you buy paper bedding specific for small animals, or recycle shredded newspaper, all paper is chemically treated to produce the correct consistency, which can be dangerous for your rabbit’s delicate system. 

In general, newspaper should be avoided, because it contains toxic inks and other chemicals that can make your bunny sick if ingested.

Conclusion

The best rabbit beddings are safe for your pet bunny, eco-friendly, and keep your bun comfortable. One of my top picks that meets all of these criteria (for rabbits under 6 months onl) is the Viking Farmer Alfalfa Hay. The high-quality hay is the perfect combination of soft and fibrous to keep your growing rabbit comfortable and well-fed.

Of course, all pet rabbits are different, so you’ll need to choose the best product for your critter’s unique needs and personality. The good news is that any of these six best rabbit beddings is an excellent and healthy option for your rabbit.

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