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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BEHAVIOR Step by Step Litter training…what am I missing?

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    • StickyBun
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        We have only had our bun 2 1/2 days, so please understand that I am not trying to rush…I am simply making certain that I am following all the appropriate steps to ensure successful litter training.  Here is what we have done so far.

        1.  When we got home, bun went immediately into his xpen set up.  There is a hay rack full of timothy hay, a heavy ceramic bowl for pellets, water bottle full of fresh water (recommended by breeder) and a couple rugs and toys.  We left the litter box out at this point to see which corner was the ‘chosen one’ for potty time.

        2. Once he chose a corner we allowed him out of the pen, cleaned the mess thoroughly (he is on laminate flooring) and placed a litter box in that corner.  Box is a large plastic dish tub with high sides, cut down one side for easy access, one inch deep with feline pine litter and covered in fresh timothy hay. We placed the urine soaked paper towel into box as well as his poos.  We allowed bun back in and then waited for results.

        3. Result was for bun to shove box out of that spot and then to pee and poo on a rug on the OTHER SIDE of his pen.  At this point we removed soiled rug AND clean rug, so there is nothing absorbent for him to urinate on.  Cleaned floor under rug and moved litter box back to original corner he pottied in. Added a smaller litter box to other corner.  This box is actually a small, low sided cardboard box.  Placed paper towel soaked in urine in bottom of this one as well, feline pine litter and fresh timothy hay.  I used cardboard because I thought maybe the slick bottom of the plastic litter box was unappealing to him?  Waited for results.

        4. Bun has completely ignored small cardboard box. Continues to move large litter box into center of pen.  Pees and poos wherever he chooses…I am not finding a pattern to this at all.  He doesn’t even necessarily choose a corner, he goes along the side of the pen too. 

        I should add that we did move the wire hay rack so that it hangs over the edge of the large litter box so to encourage him to get into that box. So far that has not made a difference.  He is eating and drinking really well.  When we open his pen and allow him out for play time, he is not urinating or pooing at all…WHICH IS GREAT!!!  He is so funny when out of his pen!  He runs around and jumps up and down on boxes, binkies like mad, hops in and out of everyones lap…he can’t sit still long enough for pets yet but we are okay with that! 

        So bunny experts…please tell me what I have done right, what I have done wrong and what to do next.  Patience is key…and I understand that.  We just don’t want to make the wrong move and set litter training back.  I have to say, he is already 5 lbs at 8 weeks old and he pees a LOT!  LOL!  

        PS we considered zip tying litter box to the pen sides but I am not sure if that is the right move.  He does move the litter box around, but once he moves the box, he does NOT go potty where the box was…he potties somewhere new everytime!!  So will zip tying it in place really make a difference?  I can add pictures of his set up if that will help!  Would there be any value to moving his food bowl into the large litter box?

         


      • NewBunnyOwner123
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          Since he is so new he is going on the sides of the pen to claim it as his. Just be persistent at picking up his poos and placing them in his box. To keep the box in place gets some zip ties and zip tie it to the side of the xpen. Give it some time. You are doing a good job

          You may not see a huge improvement on him pooing alongside his cage until he is fixed has that’s a claiming behavior. But it should decrease once he feels he has done a good job at claiming it as his home


        • NewBunnyOwner123
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            Oh I must add that him being out and not pooping and peeing everywhere is a good thing! That just shows you that he is pooping in his cage as him making it his home. Harley was like that too. He was pooping in his cage but wouldn’t poop outside when running around. Now he is 99% litterbox trained except for e occasional poo in the cage lol neutering will help a lot when that time comes


          • Sam and Lady's Human
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              Add more boxes until its basically the entire floor area. Then after a few days, remove one, wait a few more, remove another one. Its a pain but I had to do that for Lady. You might also need to leave it like that until hes neutered. When I first got Lady she was on wire bottom and all urine/poop fell the couple feet to the floor, she didn’t seem to realize it was her making the mess for a few weeks.
              You also might spread the hay over the litter, it might be unpleasant to sit on, and the hay adds a buffer.


            • StickyBun
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                Thank you for the encouragement! I have to say, this little guy is really smart. He has already figured out how to move the xpen from the inside! Today we had to build a ‘square’ out of 2 x 4’s to sit the xpen inside so he couldn’t move it anymore!! I can only imagine what he is going to be capable of when he is full grown! Who knows, he may be rearranging my living room furniture! LOL

                We will continue to be diligent with the litter training. I am not discouraged at all at this point. Like you said NBO, the fact that he is only pottying in his pen and not when out playing is showing that he already ‘gets it’ at least a little bit! I know there are a lot of opinions on neutering…some say 4 months, some say 6 months, some say as soon as the testicles drop…I will have to see how it goes. His obviously have not dropped yet but I think as soon as they do, I will take him for surgery. He is such a big bunny that in a month, I imagine he will be 8 lbs or larger…at 3 months!!! Oh boy…


              • NewBunnyOwner123
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                  in the end, it’s what the vet feels comfortable doing. he sounds like he’s going to be a handful! Lol


                • StickyBun
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                    Lucky for me, I work for the vet! I feel very fortunate to be there for every step of the process!


                  • StickyBun
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                      SUCCESS!!
                      Our bunny is a genius…LOL. He has begun peeing in the litter box! We have been pee-accident free out of the box for 24 hours, where as before he hadn’t gone in the litter box at all! Soooo…onto the next question. When do I clean the litter box? Previous advice was to clean up urine accidents outside the box with paper towel and then place that paper towel into the litter box to encourage him to go in there. Since we are just now having success with actually going in the box, do we not clean it for a day or two, just so the smell is still there? Do I just change the litter but not really clean it…will that leave enough smell? Do I leave it completely alone so I don’t disturb our current success? If I should leave it alone, how long before I can at least change the litter?

                      I have to be honest, it is killing me not to clean it. I can smell it and I like to keep things tidy and fresh…but I want successfully litter trained bunny more!!


                    • MoveDiagonally
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                        Yay for Sticky!

                        I think it’s fine if you clean it. I would put a little bit of the soiled litter in the clean box to re-enforce his new litter habits with the smell (it doesn’t take much).

                        Just remember not to be too disappointed as he gets a bit older if he seems to lose his litter habits. A lot of buns get messier when their hormones kick and tidier after they get neutered. I have two baby buns right now and I’m definitely not looking forward to hormones!


                      • StickyBun
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                          MoveDiagonally, you might be my best friend today! Woohoo, I can clean the stinky box!! His pen is in my 14 year old son’s room…maybe I shouldn’t blame ALL the smelliness on my poor Sticky Bun! LOL!

                          I am preparing myself for hormones…we are at about 9 weeks now, so I know they are coming soon enough. Crossing my fingers that those hormones don’t turn my sweet, funny bun into a total monster! I suppose even if they do, it is only temporary….*sigh*.


                        • NewBunnyOwner123
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                            Yay Sticky! It’s always so excited when they first use the litter box
                            I even took a picture of Sally in her litterbox! She gave me a look that will forever haunt me though lol

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                        Forum BEHAVIOR Step by Step Litter training…what am I missing?