Re Training Required?!

[TamarizRabbit]

We had Tamariz neutered a week ago. She’s recovered brilliantly and now has run of whole house when we’re in. She always uses her litter boxes and I feel like we’ve done well apart from one unfortunate sofa incident!
However, before she was neutered she would drop the ocassional pellet in her cage but outside the litter tray. This was most always in the evening. From what I read I assumed neutering would eliminate this but it seems to have got worse. Whilst still using litter tray for anything ‘proper’ she is leaving more ocassionally stray droppings (1-3 at a time) around the house. This is not what I was hoping for! Do I need to retrain her? Keep her confined again? It seems such a shame when she is so enjoying being out and about with us and getting really affectionate now too but I’m pretty house proud and not keen to keep picking up the random
Surprises.

Any advice wonderful bunny peeps?
Laura x

[MoveDiagonally]

Territorial pooping happens even with neutered rabbits. Did he have free range in the house before? If not, than there’s a lot of new areas for him to “mark” as his by pooping. This is something that might die down as he gets more and more comfortable with the whole house being “his”.  Another thing to consider is it takes about 30-60 days for hormones to die down and level out after spay/neuter. So hormones are probably still a factor as well. 

I would give him some time to see if it dies down a bit as he gets more comfortable and his hormones to level out. But keep in mind, a litter boxed trained rabbits will pee 100% of the time in their box and poop 90% of the time in their box. Dealing with some stray poops is very common.

Best of Luck!

P.S. I think posting pictures of your bunny here may also help with litter box habits

[TamarizRabbit]

 Thanks so much. It’s just frustrating because she was so immaculate. Hopefully it will settle down. I confined her yesterday when we were out and I think she’s still in a huff with me.  Hope we can sort something out between the two of us!

 

Anyway…here she is, the little minx. Proving that she can use the litterbox when she wants to!

 

[TamarizRabbit]

 But it’s so hard to be cross when she’s this cute napping on the rug!

 

[Sarita]

What a gorgeous rabbit!

[TamarizRabbit]

Less gorgeous today after another weeing on the sofa incident! I’m going nuts! I blocked it off and everything with laundry basket and somehow she managed to get underneath them and pee and poo EVERYWHERE on the sofa. The sofa is in my study where her hutch is and up until today she’s had full run of this room whilst I’ve been at work and the whole house when I’m in. I really don’t want to pen her up all day bit I can’t see i’ve got much of an option if this keeps going on. Has anyone got any ideas of how to train her not to get on the sofa so she can be out and about…?!??

[MoveDiagonally]

Awww! She’s beautiful!

Blocking it off/bunny proofing is your only options really. Free range rabbits require A LOT of bunny proofing:
https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/8/PID/940/Default.aspx

What about using X-Pens or NIC grids to block off certain areas while she runs around?

[TamarizRabbit]

The room’s just not really big enough to be taken over by an x pen and I am seriously reluctant to make it look horrid because of the bunny but I am seriously worried this might be the only option in which case perhaps having a bunny is not for me? I thought she was doing so well but now we get this and random pellet marking. All post spaying too which makes it doubly annoying. Sigh. Feel bad, I’m sure I’ve done something wrong.

[MoveDiagonally]

For 30-60 days after a rabbit is spayed their hormones are “leveling out” which basically means “wonky”. She’s also fairly young and a lot of rabbits can be a bit “nutty” until about 1 year of age.

In the end I think you will have to compromise and bunny proof the room if she’s going to be free range. Another option would be to set up X-Pens while you’re at work and take them down when you’re home and can watch her a bit more.

[MoveDiagonally]

I’m also wondering how many litter boxes you have in the room? Is she favoring any specific spots? You could place more boxes down in a favored spot and that might help with the mess.

[Beka27]

TamarizRabbit has continued this discussion in another thread. I am going to lock this one, please refer to the new thread for further developments.

https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/125429/afnp/333966/Default.aspx

[Author]

Messages