I have three large rabbit runs, the smallest being about 5 feet wide & 20 feet long. The ground is sand, that we bought and shovelled in when we built the pens. The sand is probably 6 inches deep, and we left the sandy area un-roofed, so that (theoretically) the rainwater would "wash" the ground. The runs are not over-crowded, and are reasonably clean (I mean, they look clean to me, no piles of poop or old food and such!) So where is the nasty sour smell coming from?? I know what it's NOT: it's not a dead animal, it's not a urine smell, and it doesn't really smell like rotting hay, nor does it smell like poop. It doesn't even really smell like rabbits! It is just a sour smell that I can trace down to the bunny area. It's driving me nuts! Can anyone guess what it is or what I can do about it? Where does powdered lime come in as far as helping bad smells? Any input will be appreciated!

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), July 12, 2000

Answers

I have used baking soda with the dogs and it helps .I'm not sure about lime and bunnies .I'm sure someone else will.

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), July 12, 2000.

Instead of letting the rain wash the ground, why not inoculate the droppings with red worms and let them compost the droppings pits? I keep my worms in bins as I no longer have rabbits but a man I knew did this and it provided an extra source of income from selling vermicompost and fishing worms. He had many more rabbits than you do. His rabbitry was a large unheated shed but I never noticed an unpleasant odor when I visited. Your winter weather would be a determining factor.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), July 12, 2000.

Even though you have lined the ground beneath your runs with sand, that will not keep the rain saturated urine, and excrement runnoff from collecting in the denser dirt particles beneath your runs. The smell is from that. It sounds like you have started a comfortable bacteria apartment beneath your runs, and to kill the smell you'll probobly have to start with very fine lime, about 1 good inch, over the sand, and water it good. The lime will bring the ph withen a reasonable range, and eliminate the smell. (Do this twice, one month apart)

If you want a more permanent solution, I agree that starting red worms under your beds would be ideal. If you do, you'll need to wait until about a 3 months past the last lime treatment, then dig out the sand, and fill it with a 60% peat moss, 40% plain dirt mix, and introduce about 3 lbs of red worms to each run. When you order them (check countyside advertising), you should get instructions as well, or check out the local library. They are easy,

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@excite.com), July 12, 2000.

Marty:

If they removed the sand now and replaced it with your peat moss, soil and redworms mix now, would that work? Could sawdust be substitited for the peat moss? Just curious.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 12, 2000.

There is a product that is sold in pet stores called Nature's Miricle. It is a natural enzyme that "eats" urine. Since it is natural, it can be used around the animals. Warning, it does smell worse when it is working until problem is gone.

I put floors in my runs and use pine shavings that I change regularly. My does usually take all the shavings to lock their babies in their nests.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), July 12, 2000.

Oops. That's Naturer's Miracle. Sorry, hard day.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), July 13, 2000.