Fleece Vs Bedding For Rabbits? (All You Need To Know)

Many owners need clarification in deciding the best bedding for their rabbit that gives all the benefits they require in their lifestyle. But, nowadays, fleece has become trendy in terms of better bedding than traditional bedding, such as aspen or wood shavings for rabbits. So, which bedding option is better for rabbits? What is the difference between fleece and regular bedding for rabbits? Let’s find out all your answers in this article.

Fleece is a better option than traditional bedding such as aspen or wood shavings because fleece is warm, dust-free, and gentle for rabbits’ sensitive feet. However, it requires high maintenance and is not suitable for outdoor rabbits. Consider choosing the bedding which is preferable to a rabbit.

This article will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of fleece and regular bedding to find the better option for rabbits. So, let’s find it out.

Contents

1 What are fleece and bedding for rabbits?
2 Fleece vs bedding for my rabbit?
3 How is fleece better than bedding for rabbits?
4 Drawbacks of fleece compared to the bedding.
5 Other beddings for rabbits?
6 Conclusion:
7 People also asked:

What are fleece and bedding for rabbits?

Fleece is a soft, warm, and comfortable material for rabbit bedding. This material is thick, absorbent, and can be reused. At the same time, the regular bedding of a rabbit includes paper pellets or wood shavings, which are also warm and comfortable.

Bedding is vital in protecting rabbit feet and making them warm and comfortable. Also, providing non-toxic material bedding, such as aspen shreds, paper shreds, or hay, in the bottom of the rabbit’s cage is safe for them.

Proper bedding for rabbits that keeps them safe, warm, and comfortable in winter or summer also matters. Many bedding options are available in the market, but you must ensure which bedding suits your rabbit, including its absorbent, warmth, softness, and no toxicity.

Here are some things to consider while selecting bedding for a rabbit:

Safe to ingest: Rabbits have a habit of chewing or nibbling everything, including their bedding. So, providing a bedding material that is safe to consume is essential for their health. The majority of wood-based rabbit beddings are edible. Cedar shavings should be avoided, though, as they contain toxic chemicals that may harm your rabbit’s health in various ways. Also, please avoid cat litter unless it’s made of compressed wood or paper pellets.
Absorbent: The bedding of rabbits must be capable of absorbing urine as much as possible. To maintain a fresh scent in your rabbit’s enclosure, swap out any dirty bedding to have a clean cage or pen for your rabbit.
Differ from Litter box: The bedding of the rabbit’s enclosure should be different from the litter box. Otherwise, your rabbit can get confused about where to pee and where to sleep. Therefore, the bedding you use for your rabbit enclosure should be distinct from the material you use to line the litter box.
Dust free: Try to provide dust-free bedding to your rabbit. As a result, respiratory issues can be brought on by dust from various bedding materials. The best option for wood bedding is aspen because, unlike pine and cedar, it is dust-free, odor-free, and contains no aromatic oils or phenols that could harm rabbits.
Comfortable: Rabbits like to have soft, warm, and comfortable material. Bedding made of natural materials is the most comfortable. In addition, they cost less than bedding that has undergone extensive processing.

These are the general factors to consider when choosing rabbits’ bedding. However, because of their various life stages, rabbits have different needs. Therefore, the bedding you choose for your pet should reflect accordingly.

Fleece vs bedding for my rabbit?

Nowadays, it has been a controversy between fleece and regular bedding for rabbits. Wood shavings have been a popular bedding option for rabbit cages. While nothing is wrong with this, more people have recently come to appreciate the advantages of fleece bedding for rabbits.

To decide which bedding is better for rabbits, we need to compare both fleece and regular bedding for a rabbit’s enclosure.

1) Soft and comfortable:

Fleeces are softer, warmer, and more comfortable than regular bedding like paper or wood shavings. Rabbits like to have smooth surfaces. And for their delicate, soft body, it is incredibly comfortable.

Also, rabbits have sensitive feet and are susceptible to harmful diseases like bumblefoot or hock foot. And fleece is perfect because it is soft, cozy, and gentle on a rabbit’s feet.

Bedding made of natural paper, aspen, and kiln-dried pine are also cozy and comfortable. However, in terms of comfort, it falls short of fleece.

2) Absorbent:

Good quality fleeces have highly absorbent properties and can work better than regular bedding. Many popular brands of fleece created for rabbits are available in the market. But, if you pick the right product, its ability to control moisture is similar to regular bedding.

Due to its softness, absorbency, and ease of cleaning, fleece is one of the most widely used materials for rabbit bedding. In comparison, high-quality straw beddings are also soft and have absorbent properties but could be more challenging to find than hay.

Today’s fleece is multi-layered and made specifically for rabbits. There are three layers: a middle layer for absorption, a waterproof back layer, and a top layer. As a result, it has excellent moisture control for rabbit enclosures.

Also, you can add towels or puppy pads to increase the absorbance for an extra absorbent layer.

3) Washable:

Fleece is washable, whereas paper or wood shavings are not because of the material’s structure. Using the same fleece for an extended period is a huge benefit. Long-term savings are also realized. Other bedding, however, may pose a problem.

4) Messy:

If you use a fleece liner as bedding, there is no chance it will become messy. However, paper, pine, and wood shavings become messy over time, possibly within a couple of days.

It is much simpler to keep clean if the fleece is prepared correctly before being used to line the cage for your rabbit. The only thing that requires is a quick spot clean during the week, followed by a weekend laundry run.

Wood shavings as bedding can make the enclosure and your house dirty and messy. Therefore, if you choose other bedding options, you must avoid making a mess.

5) Dust:

Fleece does not contain dust, whereas paper, pine, or wood shavings contain dust particles that can cause allergies or respiratory problems if it is not of good quality.

Too much dust can cause difficulties in breathing and even life-threatening problems for rabbits. In comparison, fleece is a fantastic choice if you or your rabbit has allergy issues. There is no dust, and there will be no respiratory problems occur.

6) Cost-effective and reusable:

Regular bedding, such as paper or wood shavings, cannot be reused, while fleece can. Instead of frequently replacing wood shavings, fleece can be washed and reused repeatedly.

Although the initial cost of the fleece is higher, you won’t need to purchase or replace it in the future. However, using wood paper shaving necessitates frequent product purchases and bedding replacement.

7) Durability and environment-friendly:

Due to its reusability, fleece bedding lasts longer than other types of regular bedding. However, you must maintain it, regularly pick up poop, and clean up any wet moisture. Otherwise, you will have to wash it frequently. Shavings made of wood or paper don’t need to be washed as frequently, but they do need to be replaced.

Also, if you are looking for a sustainable option for your rabbit’s bedding, go for fleece. Instead of using tumble dryers and washing machines, it can be hand-washed and hung up to dry, creating less waste.

8) Added Scent:

Fleece has no added scents or volatile or aromatic oils because it is crafted from fibers. However, pine or wood shavings may still contain volatile oil if they are not given special processing.

The scent of the volatile oil is harmful to rabbits because it can cause severe health issues like respiratory infections or even life-threatening problems. But, in the case of fleece, you won’t see any of these problems.

9) Hygienic:

This fleece fabric can eliminate unpleasant smells or odors if pre-treated and cleaned frequently. In addition, using the fleece of high quality will make it simple to keep the bedding clean and maintain proper hygiene.

Additionally, because fleece effectively absorbs moisture, it can prevent bacterial and fungal infections, that other bedding might not do.

How is fleece better than bedding for rabbits?

The fleece liners offer a warm and hygienic environment for the rabbits compared to conventional bedding like wood shavings and paper bedding.

The fleece liners are much more practical to use inside cages or enclosures than other types of bedding.

The fleece fabric used to make rabbit fleece liners is intended to let liquids pass through because fleece liners keep your rabbit warm and cozy.

By comparing, we can see how many advantages fleece has over regular bedding. So, what things make fleece different from traditional bedding:

Non-allergic: Fleece is a fantastic choice if your rabbit has allergies. There is no dust, and because of that, it will not cause respiratory issues for your rabbit.
Pocket-friendly: Instead of replacing wood shavings frequently, fleece can be washed and reused repeatedly. As a result, there is no need to spend more money purchasing wood or paper shavings if you have fleece.
Much easier to clean: The fleece will be much simpler to keep clean if you properly prepare it before lining the enclosure for your rabbits. You only need to give it a quick spot cleaning during the week before throwing it in the washer on the weekend.
More hygienic: Fleece is more sanitary than traditional bedding if it is cleaned and pre-treated regularly and stops the urine or poo smell.
Gentle for rabbits: We know that rabbits are sensitive animals. And so do their feet. The rabbit’s feet require soft and gentle bedding; otherwise, there are chances of having nasty diseases like bumblefoot. Therefore, fleece is better than regular bedding because it is soft and gentle toward the rabbit’s feet and body.
Eco-friendly: If you want an environmentally friendly option, go for fleece. You can wash it with your hands and dry it up, creating less waste instead of buying another or using a tumble dryer and washing machines.
Trendy: Fleeces are trendy nowadays. Many online shopping platforms have a wide range of fleece bedding, liners, hammocks, and snuggle snack, to choose anything for your rabbit.

Drawbacks of fleece compared to the bedding.

Fleece can be beneficial in some cases, but it too has some drawback that encourages some owners to move to paper or wood-shaving bedding for their rabbits.

So, here are some of the drawbacks of fleece for your rabbit’s bedding:

1) Not for outdoor rabbits:

The only disadvantage of using fleece is it is not for outdoor rabbits. Using kiln-dried pine or aspen shavings as bedding for outdoor rabbits is preferable because if you use fleece for rabbits outdoors, it would be hard to clean regularly and maintain hygiene.

2) Bad smell if not washed or cleaned properly:

It is easier to clean and replace aspen, natural paper, and kiln-dried pine shavings when they become heavy or wet and have pee or poo, which does not develop any foul smell. But, in the case of fleece, it can smell terrible in a few days if it is not frequently cleaned or washed and doesn’t have good absorbent properties.

However, if you take some precautions and use a good quality fleece with an absorbent layer, you can overcome it.

If you use fleece, you must perform poo-picking 1 to 3 times daily and wash it twice a week to maintain hygiene and avoid unpleasant odors. In comparison, traditional bedding doesn’t need to be cleaned or washed. You only need to replace that.

3) High price and maintenance:

The fleece liner is more expensive than other types of bedding that are more affordable. However, you only need to pay that amount once because the fleece can be washed and used again.

But fleece needs frequent cleaning and washing to maintain hygiene and prevent foul odor. When compared to other disposable bedding, fleece requires more frequent spot cleaning.

When using disposable bedding, such as wood or paper shaving, you only need to replace the shaving that has been urinated or pooped on. In addition, other bedding allows you to relax more because you only need to change a portion of it periodically. The entire bedding doesn’t require to be altered and washed. You don’t need to think about washing even if you change the whole bedding. Instead, spread the fresh shavings across the floor.

4) Chewing problem of rabbit.

If your rabbit chews a lot, choosing fleece might not be the best option because if the rabbit overeats it, it could become very ill.

Fleece is a soft fabric and may have been processed from many stages of chemicals. If your rabbit ingests, it can cause health issues like blockages in its intestines or GI stasis problems, which could be severe and can cause life-threatening situations.

However, you can prevent this problem by layering more layers like hay or aspen shavings on top of the fleece to make the bedding more absorbent and safe for rabbits if they chew a lot.

5) Less Durable:

If you use a fabric conditioner to wash fleece after washing it so frequently, it might lose its ability to absorb. Thus, over time, it might become less efficient.

Instead, try washing fleece without any softeners. Furthermore, wash the fleece at a higher temperature (140 F/60 C). Doing this can stop bacteria, foul odors, and fungus from growing.

In addition, to protect the washing machine from being affected by rabbit hair or other particles coming from the cage, place the fleece inside a horse bag. Also, understand how to wash the fleece properly as well.

Other beddings for rabbits?

The bedding of a rabbit should be soft, warm, and comfortable for the rabbit. In addition, it must have good absorbent, edible and non-toxic ( if your rabbit tries to eat it). Also, the litter bedding should be different from the enclosure bedding. Otherwise, your rabbit will become confused about where to sleep, pee, and poo.

The bedding that your rabbit prefers is the best. Many materials make excellent bedding for rabbits, and you can also get them from your home.

1) Paper-based bedding:

Paper-based bedding can be excellent for your rabbit, whether using compressed paper, packed paper pellets, or shredded paper bedding.

However, try to avoid newspapers for the bedding because they may contain inks, dyes, tape, glue, or labels because these are toxic and can harm your rabbit if they ingest them. Instead, you can use shredded paper or paper pulp bedding for them.

It is cheap, soft, affordable, and easily available at home, although some commercial paper bedding can be expensive. It is highly absorbent and dust-free, best for a rabbit’s health, and can be used for indoor and outdoor rabbits.

2) Hay bedding:

The staple diet of a rabbit is hay, not only as food but as bedding too. Hay is a good food source that should always be available to your rabbit, and it also works well as bedding to keep the rabbits warm and comfortable.

However, the primary drawback of hay is that it isn’t very absorbent. Therefore, it needs to be changed frequently.

3) Pine shavings:

Pine shavings are soft, warm, and comfortable for rabbits. Also, it absorbs the liquid effectively. However, you may have heard that the phenols in pine wood can change the liver enzymes in your rabbit, which can change how the body processes medications.

But, the toxic oil and violates are eliminated during heat drying. Therefore, high-quality heat-dried pine shavings could be a secure bedding option for your rabbit.

Also read: Is Pine Bedding Safe For Rabbits

4) Wood shavings of aspen:

The best option for wood bedding is aspen because, unlike pine and cedar, it is dust-free, odor-free, and contains no aromatic oils or phenols that could harm rabbits.

Although they can be a little more expensive than some other types of bedding, aspen shavings are a secure option. The shavings from aspen are incredibly soft and absorbent.

5) Wood pellets:

It is best for rabbit bedding because it is highly absorbent and safe for rabbits if they nibble on it. The harmful oils and phenols are also eliminated during the heat process to compress the pellets. Additionally, wood pellets produce almost no dust.

However, remember that the bedding of the rabbit’s enclosure should be different from the litter box.

6) Straw bedding:

Straw is similar to hay, but it is different from each other. An essential component of a rabbit’s diet is dried grass called hay. The dried stalks of grain crops are called straw, which is much better for bedding because it is warmer and less likely to be consumed. While eating straws is not a problem for rabbits, you must provide high-quality hay because straw contains few nutrients.

Straw bedding is entirely natural and safe, just like hay. Also, the cost of straw bedding is relatively low. However, the only problem with straw shavings is it contains dust and less absorbent. Therefore, it is essential to buy compressed straw or dust-free straw shavings.

Conclusion:

Fleece is better in terms of safety, absorption, hygiene, and environmentally friendly.
Regular bedding is better because it is easy to ingest for rabbits, can be used for indoor or outdoor rabbits, low price than fleece, and does not require washing daily.
Fleece is non-allergic, pocket-friendly, and eco-friendly.
The bedding of the rabbit’s enclosure should be different from the litter box.
The bedding of a rabbit should be soft, warm, and comfortable for the rabbit. In addition, it must have good absorption, edible and non-toxic if your rabbit tries to eat it.

Fleece vs Bedding For Rabbits? (All You Need To Know)