1. Get Your Pet Neutered
Pet overpopulation is a huge problem. 5,500 puppies and kittens are born every hour in the United States! There are health benefits to getting your pet neutered, so even if you only have one pet, please just get it done. You'll guarantee that you never cause a litter. Same thing with my bunnies - even though I got two males, for all I knew one of them could've been a female. I got them both fixed and they're better behaved because of it.
2. Don't Buy Into Fads
A pet is a lifetime commitment, not a toy. I preach this a lot as Easter season is upon us. Please don't buy your child a real bunny for their Easter basket! Don't buy a puppy after seeing 101 Dalmatians, etc. When people realize they didn't get the pet they thought they were, too many of these innocent animals end up in shelters.
3. Make or Reuse Toys
My rabbits weren't playing with any of the toys I bought them, so I kept buying more toys in an effort to find something they liked. After all options were exhausted, I realized their favorite toys were... empty toilet paper rolls. They also like chewing and jumping on empty cereal boxes. We bought Chief a few toys too. Every so often, one will roll under the couch. A few months later we'll dig it out again, and he thinks he's gotten a brand new toy.
4. Buy Green Food
You can make your own pet food, or you can buy a good brand. I tried making Chief dog biscuits once, and he didn't even like them, so I at least try to buy him the good stuff. Newman's Own is just one brand that makes organic pet foods and treats. I only buy my rabbits organic vegetables and pesticide-free hay. If pesticides are bad for humans, how fast are they going to react badly inside a small animal? I used to buy them organic pellets, although now they're pellet-free.
Funny Cide helps himself to food. Isn't he a doll?
5. Clean Up Green
Don't use paper towels to clean up your pets' messes. Just use an old rag or a dirty towel. Use vinegar diluted with water. This is not only an eco-friendly cleaner, but it's safer for your pets.
Don't use paper towels to clean up your pets' messes. Just use an old rag or a dirty towel. Use vinegar diluted with water. This is not only an eco-friendly cleaner, but it's safer for your pets.
6. Make Their Home Green
When I first got my bunnies, I was using shavings in their hutch. It was a complete mess, they kept kicking it everywhere, and I hated cleaning it out. Then a friend with guinea pigs told me to just use blankets. Using blankets and towels is eco-friendly, but also much healthier than shavings, as they aren't good for your small animals' respiratory tracts. I put down a towel, and then put a fleece blanket on top. I clip the blanket to the sides of the hutch with binder clips (otherwise rabbits will 'dig' and undo it). That's all! Every day I sweep out their droppings, and once a week I wash the blankets and towels. Wash in cold water with a little bit of vinegar. This helps the pee to 'wick' through to the towels so it doesn't build up on the blankets throughout the week. I'm now in the process of trying to litter-train my little monsters, so this will also cut back on how often I need to wash them.
When I first got my bunnies, I was using shavings in their hutch. It was a complete mess, they kept kicking it everywhere, and I hated cleaning it out. Then a friend with guinea pigs told me to just use blankets. Using blankets and towels is eco-friendly, but also much healthier than shavings, as they aren't good for your small animals' respiratory tracts. I put down a towel, and then put a fleece blanket on top. I clip the blanket to the sides of the hutch with binder clips (otherwise rabbits will 'dig' and undo it). That's all! Every day I sweep out their droppings, and once a week I wash the blankets and towels. Wash in cold water with a little bit of vinegar. This helps the pee to 'wick' through to the towels so it doesn't build up on the blankets throughout the week. I'm now in the process of trying to litter-train my little monsters, so this will also cut back on how often I need to wash them.
Funny Cide and Smarty Jones in their hutch.
Compost your pets' droppings. It makes really good fertilizer.
8. Use a Green Litter Box
They now make self-washing, self-flushing cat litter boxes. These use eco-litter that can be flushed. For my rabbits' litter box, I just put old newspaper in the bottom.
9. Bathe Pets in Green
Wash your pets with organic or natural shampoos. Considering how often you probably wash your pet, a bottle of organic shampoo is a good value. It's safe to use on animals, and the runoff is gentle on the planet.
10. Buy Green Accessories
You can find almost anything green, from pet beds made of organic cotton to hemp leashes and collars, which are much softer on your dog anyway.
And because I never turn down an opportunity to show off my fur babies...
Chief. What a stud. Smarty Jones and Funny Cide.
Don't let the cute faces fool you.
Great list! While having pets may not be the greenest thing in the world, there are definitely things you can do to make owning them greener.
ReplyDeleteLove your post! I didn't know Newmans Own has a pet food line. I'll have to look into that and I love your idea about the bedding in your bunnies hutch. I have one big fat Rex bunny, he is happy, litter box trained and affectionate. I'm going to try the towels and blankets like you said with the clips. I've had blankets in there before but they never stayed where I placed them. The clip you mentioned is my aha moment! LOL
ReplyDeleteHappened on your blog from Dragonfly. I like it! I love your bunnies too! (& dog of course). A fact on the rabbits you may or may not know...they will "recycle" their morning poops! (looks like a small bunch of grapes). They ingest it to get their vitamin B! Yucky, I know but natural.............:)
ReplyDeleteYour pets are so cute! I love this list - our bunnies and dogs have a fabulous time with empty toilet paper tubes also. :)
ReplyDelete