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Walnut litter for rabbits?

16206 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Jess, 
J
Would this be safe to use for Smudge's litter box?

http://www.bluebuffalo.com/healthy-home/naturally-fresh-pellet-litter

A Blue Buffalo rep came to the pet store I work at, and we all got free trial bags of the walnut cat litter. I use the Fleet Farm version of Feline Pine for Smudge right now, and it looks like this is the same thing except with the walnut instead of pine. Since walnut shell substrate is a notorious killer of reptiles, I wanted to see if this would be safe for buns at all. If it isn't, I'll just give it away to some cat lovers. :)

It seems like a good idea though, and it apparently controls odors really well.
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D
The litter looks interesting!

I'm not sure I would use it for a rabbit though? I found a few websites that list walnuts as being toxic to rabbits.
http://adoptarabbit.org/articles/toxic.html#w

I wasn't able to find much detail though. Maybe you could call and ask your bunny vet and see what they say?
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J
Maybe that is just the edible nut part though? One of Smudges toys has a hollow walnut shell on it that he likes to bite and roll around... I know that small animal companies don't always make the safest things, but I would think that they would know enough not to put something that is flat out toxic to buns on a toy? Not that I think of it, I've seen a lot of toys with hollow walnuts in them. Hmmm!

Yeah, maybe I'll give them a call this week. :D I wonder if the new litter would help with Smudges eyes at all, since he hasn't ever tried that before.
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U
I would not use it if it kills Reptiles. The best bedding that I've used is Kaytee clean and cozy. I don't like Oxbow Eco Straw bedding.
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J
It kills reptiles when they accidentally lick it, and end up eating a lot of it. With the cat litter, I am guessing that it would turn into a powder when wet, kind of like the pine pellets. I don't think Smudge would eat enough bedding to give himself a blockage, but that's what I'm trying to research!
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D
I know on that site I linked too, it says the walnut hulls and green shells are toxic. So maybe not the whole walnut, but does the litter specify which part of the walnut it uses?

And I know for other animals like dogs, they say not to let them eat walnuts because they can cause impaction, parts of them are toxic, and because of a kind of mold that can grow on the nuts if they get wet. The mold releases toxins that can be deadly if ingested. I'd worry a bit that if the walnuts are being used for litter, the same kind of mold may be able to still grow on them when they get wet. If the toxins can be deadly to dogs, I'd imagine they wouldn't be good for rabbits.

I don't know, I really couldn't find too much about rabbits and walnuts. You'll have to let us know if you learn anything more!
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U
Why are you using cat litter? Why did you stop using small pet bedding?
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D
Some types of cat litter are fine for rabbits. Feline Pine, for example, is safe and pretty much exactly the same as the small animal version of kiln dried pine pellets but sold for cheaper.
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J
Yup. :) I'll use Carefresh or aspen in his litter box if I run out of my usual bedding, but it gets completely soaked with pee and smells awful. The pellets are so absorbent that it never gets his hay wet, and it is great for controlling odors.
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B
Walnut is toxic when sawed, I think it may be OK if you don't cut it up. Just a guess through.
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J
The HRS told me it wasn't good to use, so I gave it to someone with kitties. :)
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