Please help! Litter box growing cobwebs

[StevieBundersDad]

We have a 9-week old Holland Lop named Steven. He’s super sweet and affectionate and has an overall friendly and often mischievous disposition. We are very happy with our choice to have a house bunny, but we’re having a little trouble with litter training.

Steven prefers to pee in one corner of his cage, which is not where we’ve placed his litter box. In order to move the litter box to where he currently goes, we would have to rearrange the ramps and openings of his multi-level cage. We’ve read that bunnies don’t like having their cages rearranged and wouldn’t want to disturb his current routine, especially since this is a new cage and he’s just recently gotten comfortable enough to zoom up and down each of the levels when he’s playing.

Steven has not yet used his litter box and instead pees only on the one side of the cage or in the dog’s bed. We use CareFresh under a metal grate in a corner-style litter box and recently we’ve been putting in a little hay as well. He sits in it and sometimes lays in it, eats the hay, but no potty.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[LBJ10]

What is the floor of the cage like?

[StevieBundersDad]

It’s a durable-plastic type floor. His previous cage was the grate with tray bottom floor.

[RoyalElvira]

Sometimes they pick a spot where they like to pee. Its probably best to move his box where he has chosen to go! Also, hes still pretty young! I’m sure as he gets older he will learn that he needs to use the box. Pick up all of his poops and place them in the box. I think that once (and if) you have him neutered, it will make litter training much easier!

[StevieBundersDad]

Thank you, RoyalElvira. We’ll try moving his litter box to the other corner. Good point about him maybe being a bit young.

[bella&smudge]

hehe. we started off with many litter trays to see where ours favoured. sometimes it is tricky when they like to wee in the most awkward spot
id recommend making the litter tray super inviting, lots of tasty fresh hay in there will intice him in.You can try rewarding him when he goes into the litter tray with a healthy treat like an oxbow pellet. this is a really helpful http://www.boingonline.com/litter_training.html
good luck

[StevieBundersDad]

Bella, thank you! This website has some good info. I think we’ll try removing the grate and filling with paper on the bottom and hay on top.

[Elrohwen]

I would rearrange the cage to put the litter box where he wants to go. I find that bunnies love when you rearrange their environment and they have a blast exploring, so I wouldn’t worry about upsetting him.

It’s also possible that he doesn’t like the grate in the litter box for some reason, though you mentioned that he likes to sit in it. Also, some bunnies just don’t like corner style litter boxes as they are too small – he might prefer a larger cat sized box.

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