Rabbits feel most comfortable and at home when their living space closely resembles a natural burrow. By providing them with a protected corner of your home, you can help your pet to feel safe and at ease. But to really complete the experience, you’ll need to supply them with plenty of comfortable bedding for rabbits!
Choosing the best bedding for rabbits will always make them feel well taken care of. Plus, it also simplifies the job of keeping their enclosures clean and free of potty-training accidents.
But do you know how to choose the best bedding for rabbits? We’ll cover everything you need to know to choose the right bedding for rabbits, including a helpful buyer’s guide for beginner and experienced rabbit owners alike.
Comparison Table (Updated in 2023)
| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall
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Oxbow Pure Comfort Small Animal |
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Check Price |
Best Value
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Rabbit Hole Hay Food Grade |
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Check Price |
Premium Choice
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Sunseed Natural |
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Check Price |
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Carefresh Small Animal |
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Check Price | |
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Brown's Naturally Fresh! |
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Check Price |
The 9 Best Rabbit Bedding Products
1. Oxbow Pure Comfort Rabbit Bedding – Best Overall
Looking for the best rabbit bedding can feel like a real cat and mouse game. When you find one that seems to be just right, it turns out that it’s too expensive, or too dusty, or no longer available.
That means that the best overall rabbit bedding should be a fine combination of everything you’re looking for, without any missing qualities or features.
As far as we’re concerned, the Oxbow Pure Comfort Small Animal Bedding is this needle in a haystack product: affordable, effective, and safe. But throw in that it’s grown in the USA and veterinarian approved, and it’s easy to see why we’ve named it our #1 choice for rabbit bedding.
In short, this bedding from Oxbow is incredibly absorbent, almost completely free of dust, and features exceptional odor control qualities, making it the best choice for almost every rabbit owner.
All in all, we think that this is the best bedding for indoor and outdoor rabbits.
2. Rabbit Hole Hay Food Grade Bedding – Best Value
We were especially impressed by the performance of this value-priced rabbit bedding competitor from a lesser-known company. Rabbit Hole Hay claims to have worked with a paper bedding manufacturer to create the perfect bedding for small pets — and we’re inclined to agree.
Available in large and reasonably priced packages, this bedding can absorb up to six times its own weight, giving it maximum odor protection even with infrequent bedding changes. If your rabbit suffers from bathroom accidents in their bedding, this may be the best bedding for the money to help keep them clean and healthy.
Made using sustainably harvested, 100% virgin paper, this soft and comfortable bedding also has the advantage of being 99.9% free of dust. If you or anyone in your house suffers from allergies, it may be the best choice of any bedding in our reviews.
3. Sunseed Corn Cob Rabbit Bedding – Premium Choice
Denser and more expensive than any other bedding we reviewed, the Sunseed Natural Corn Cob Bedding has one feature that sets it apart from the crowd: It can be used equally well for rabbit bedding or rabbit litter.
While most recycled paper products are designed for use as either bedding or litter, they’re rarely useful for both purposes. The 100% corn cob composition of this product from Sunseed makes it equally suitable for both and is a convenient option for smaller enclosures or when your rabbit is being litter trained.
Of course, it’s not quite as soft and squishy as other beddings we tested. If you’re looking to save space with a versatile bedding/litter combination, it’s an excellent option – but for maximum comfort, look elsewhere.
4. Carefresh Rabbit Bedding
Made from a naturally reclaimed paper fiber source, this renewable, biodegradable, and compostable resource makes the Carefresh Small Animal Bedding the most environmentally sustainable product we reviewed.
Able to absorb three times more liquid than wood shavings, their proprietary comfyfluff material lives up to its name. By staying drier for longer, it will keep your rabbit happy and healthy even with less frequent bedding changes.
The only downside? It’s a bit on the expensive side, even if you order it in bulk. When all said and done, we appreciate it as an eco-friendly option for anyone who is bothered by the material sourcing for other bedding.
5. Brown’s Naturally Fresh! Corn Cob Rabbit Bedding
As another paper bedding alternative, Brown’s Naturally Fresh! Corn cob bedding does double-duty as a useful rabbit litter, as well. While it’s more expensive and somewhat less absorbent than fluffier paper beddings, it has qualities that make it a good alternative for some rabbit owners.
If you have a long-haired rabbit such as an Angora or Jersey Wooly, you likely know how much of a struggle it can be to find bedding and litter that won’t stick to them. Hay, paper, and straw all have a tendency to get caught in their voluminous coats, making them appear messy and unclean.
In this case, try using a corn cob bedding and litter like this one from Brown’s. It’s heavier than paper beddings, and not as sticky as wood shavings – making it a great option for keeping your long-haired rabbits looking their best.
6. Vitakraft Fresh World Bedding for Rabbits
A rolled paper design makes this paper bedding occupy a space somewhere between softer, loftier paper bedding and the denser style of corn cob bedding. Made of 100% recycled paper pulp, it’s a fine compromise between softness and absorbency that may be especially appealing to owners with more than one rabbit.
We like the Vitakraft Fresh World small animal bedding as an economical alternative to other bedding/litter combos. While it’s not as soft as many other paper beddings, it’s hard to beat it on price – making it a great option for anyone with large bedding or litter areas to cover.
7. Kaytee Clean & Cozy Bunny Bedding
Do you have more than one rabbit in your home? Or perhaps a larger breed of rabbit that requires more bedding? If so, you’re likely tired of constantly reordering bedding due to the small package sizes.
For the most economical solution to homes needing large amounts of bedding, consider the Clean & Cozy small animal bedding from Kaytee. Available in a massive 85-liter bag, it’s the most cost-effective option for anyone who needs a lot of rabbit bedding.
Its FDA-approved paper source is lofty and comfortable, capable of absorbing up to 4 times its weight in liquid. Plus, it’s 99% dust-free and great at eliminating odors.
The only downside? If you’re not ordering it in bulk, it’s not available at a good price. For smaller orders, look towards our top pick or best value pick to satisfy your needs.
8. Kaytee Clean & Cozy Scented Rabbit Bedding
Lavender is a lovely scent, right? For humans, it’s certainly soothing and pleasant to smell. This may lead you to think that it would be great to cover up the smell of your rabbit’s habitat with a natural scent — but in our experience, this isn’t a great idea.
See, rabbits have much more sensitive respiratory systems and stronger senses of smell than humans do. What might smell pleasant to us could be offensive or even irritating to our rabbits.
Even though everything else about this bedding would seem to make it a viable option, we honestly can’t recommend using anything that’s scented — naturally or artificially. If you’re worried about odors, clean and replace your rabbit’s bedding more frequently.
9. Living World Pine Shavings Bunny Bedding
There’s something of a controversy over using any softwoods for rabbit bedding or litter. While some claim that properly kiln-dried woods are perfectly acceptable to use as litter, other doctors disagree.
While the jury may be out on whether any individual softwood bedding is safe for rabbits, we’d rather err on the side of caution than take chances with our rabbits’ health. This bedding is not less expensive or more useful than others on our list, and we would recommend that you not use softwood shavings as bedding for your rabbits.
Buyer’s Guide – Choosing the Best Bedding for Rabbits
Looking to educate yourself on how to choose the best bedding for your rabbit? Each of the following sections will explain in-depth an important part of bedding, helping you to be fully informed before choosing which type of bedding to buy.
Types of Bedding Material
There are a wide variety of materials that you can use for your rabbit’s bedding, each with their own upsides and downsides. These include:
- Hay has the benefit of being cozy and edible but is often more expensive than other types of bedding.
- Straw is another edible bedding option that’s available at a more reasonable price than fresh hay but can be dustier.
- Wood Shavings are inexpensive and absorbent, but not always the most comfortable for your rabbit’s tender feet.
- Paper pulp is highly absorbent and environmentally friendly but tends to be harder to clean up after being used.
- Cardboard has the advantage of being readily available and very inexpensive but isn’t as comfortable for your rabbit. It’s best when used to supplement softer bedding.
- Pellets made of either wood or paper are extremely absorbent but are inconveniently heavy to remove from your rabbit’s cage.
- Fleece blankets are plush and reusable but can be a hassle when you have to clean them multiple times in a week.
Important Qualities
No matter what sort of bedding you decide to use, we recommend that you look for one with the following five qualities:
- Make sure your rabbit’s bedding should be absorbent. This is especially important while litter training your rabbit, as they may not have figured out which part of their enclosure is the bathroom, and which is their bed. Even fully trained rabbits will sometimes have accidents, and absorbent bedding makes it easy to clean.
- While rabbits are generally very cleanly pets, make sure you choose bedding with odor control to prevent any unwanted smells from potty training accidents.
- It’s essential that you make sure the bedding is dust-free. Rabbits have extremely sensitive respiratory systems, and even a small amount of dust in their bedding can cause serious health complications.
- Eco-friendly bedding options are readily available at competitive prices, so there’s no need to use material that damages forests or fields.
- Finally, make sure your choice of bedding is comfortable for your rabbit! That means no sharp edges, no irritating scents or dust, and making sure that it’s soft enough for your rabbit to lay on.
Types of Bedding NOT to Use
While most soft, natural materials are safe to use as bedding for rabbits, there are a few types that you should be sure to avoid.
You absolutely cannot use cedar or other highly scented shavings for your rabbit’s bedding. These woods’ strong aromas are the result of high concentrations of phenols — aromatic molecules that can negatively affect the health of your rabbit’s liver and nervous system. In short, avoid any bedding with a strong aroma of natural wood.
It’s also essential to stay away from any bedding that is very dusty. As mentioned above, rabbits’ sensitive respiratory systems are easily damaged by sawdust or other particulates. Instead, look for bedding that is advertised as dust-free.
Lastly, using old newspapers is not recommended as rabbit bedding. While they are fine to use in a litter box because of their absorbent properties, the ink in newspapers and other printed materials can easily make your rabbit sick if eaten.
How to Use Rabbit Bedding
Setting up your rabbit’s bedding can be fast and easy. Watch this step-by-step video tutorial for expert advice on how to use rabbit bedding materials:
How Often Should You Change Your Rabbit’s Bedding?
Because rabbits love to build and rearrange their beds, it’s best to only periodically refresh their bedding. Perhaps once a week, you can add a small amount of extra bedding and clean up any outlying scraps that your rabbit doesn’t want to use.
Once per month, or after any bathroom accident, it’s advisable to completely clean out and refresh your rabbit’s bedding. During your rabbit’s shedding season in the spring, you can completely change their bedding more frequently to help prevent them from ingesting their own hair.
Conclusion:
There you have it, our top 10 list of bedding products and a detailed buyer’s guide on choosing the very best materials for your rabbit’s sleeping quarters.
For the best combination of comfort, ease of use, and bunny safe design, it’s hard to beat the Oxbow Pure Comfort Small Animal Bedding. Of all the rabbit beddings we tested in our reviews, it is easily our #1 pick and we strongly recommend it for rabbits in any home.
With its fluffy, expandable texture and great price, the Rabbit Hole Hay Food Grade Bedding is an excellent alternative for anyone on a tight budget. A little bit goes a long way with this bedding, and even the smaller sized pack will last a single rabbit several months.
We appreciate you taking the time to read this guide to the best bedding for rabbits, and hope that your fuzzy friend enjoys the fruits of your learning!
Featured Image Credit: Kevinsphotos, Pixabay
