Written by The Rabbit Hole Hay Team
Loving small pets is easy to do, just look at how cute they are! What's hard to love is the occasional odors that come from living with them. It's not that rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas themselves are all that smelly, but for small pets owners, living spaces can end up a bit stinky.
An RHH (Rabbit Hole Hay) fan brought it to our attention that there aren't always great resources out there on the topic of reducing unwanted odors from living with small pets. That's why we put our heads together around the warehouse and came up with our 8 Best Tips for When Your Room Smells From Living With Small Pets, find some you like and try them out!
#1 Storing Hay
Hay will always have a smell - at least it should. There's no way to get rid of the smell of the hay. Store your hay in a cool, dry place that's out of reach of your nose. You might try the laundry room.
This will help keep the odors in one place and allow for easier ongoing cleanup. It will also train your small pet to “hold it" rather than being an ongoing poop/pee machine.
Food Grade Bedding is one of the best litters you can choose for your small pet! Not only does it feel fluffy like a cloud, but it can also help to keep those bad odors contained. The bedding is super odor fighting while also being healthy and safe for you and your small pet. In fact, our bedding is good for all pocket pets as well!
Our Food Grade Bedding is also available in Natural or White. Both types of bedding are considered “Food Grade,” which means it’s approved by the FDA to wrap and serve human food, so it’s safe for both us, our small pets, and our pocket pets.
Use a mild air freshener or deodorizer. Try to look for something natural, that way it doesn't smell like you are masking the odor with a strong perfume.
When you clean the cage, make sure to clean all of the surfaces really, really well. Ammonia can build up on surfaces and crystallize causing an almost untreatable odor. It's also important that your small pet's cage has enough ventilation as an enclosed cage will smell more than an open and well ventilated cage.
Balance pH in your rabbit with a drop of apple cider vinegar in your rabbit's water (1 drop per 8 ounces). This helps keep the pH in balance and reduce the strong scent in the urine.
Grooming your guinea pig daily can help to keep the strong scent of urine from adding up. The urine can soak into their hair, especially near their bum, and build up the overwhelming smell of ammonia. Daily checking of your guinea pig's bum and a brush through, then regular trimming and washing will help from urine soaked hair to build up.
Cut out fruit and any processed treats from your small pet's diet. Instead, replace those foods with grass hay. Sometimes the smell is because their little bodies aren't getting the necessary nutrients needed to work properly.
Grass hay is an important staple in the diet of rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas. For rabbits 7 months and older and guinea pigs 6 months and order, grass hay should make up 80% of their diet. For chinchillas older than a year, grass hay should make up 75% of their diet. The long strand fiber helps to keep their digestion regular and functioning properly.
Cardboard toys can harbor smells because they can't be cleaned. If your small pet likes them, make sure to dispose of them regularly and replace with fresh toys.
Follow these simple steps and you'll keep your nose and your small pet's nose happy.
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