Territory War

[Mylin]

Hello, 

So I’m new to bunny ownership and currently I am trying to potty train my bunny but it seems like we are constantly fighting to determine which space is hers and which is mine. Little background, I’m renting only a room, which isn’t very spacious, so we both must share the space. It’s perfectly fine except she insists on peeing on my bed and I don’t know what to do. She is constantly peeing the same spot and I don’t know what to do. I can’t put a littler box on my bed. I’ve tried attempting to prevent her from sitting on my bed, but my bed is low only a foot off the ground so it’s easy to access and since there is not a lot of room, she usually uses the bed as part of her “running track.” I attempt to keep a full eye on her however she always seems to know when I have my gaurd down and she pees. A lot. Even when I’m sitting right on my bed she’ll sit next to me and pee. It’s really pushing me to my limit with this. I have too many ruined pillows and soiled blankets because of this problem. She doesn’t pee anywhere else except for my bed and her cage though it’s always like she saves up her bladder until she can go on my bed. 

I’m also concerned as her pee is a really murky white/yellow color with strong musk smell. She has plenty of fresh water at all times but is she dehydrated? Help please! 

[LongEaredLions]

Is she spayed?

[Kbana]

The musky smell would be normal if she isn’t spayed yet I think. Rabbit urine can be redish, orange, yellow…are you noticing any sludge in it? How old is she? Other members might know better than me but I believe that the murky color is due to the amount of calcium in veggies. As far as your bed, many members have blocked off areas like beds with NIC cubes. You can create a fence with those and zip ties around your bed. Unfortunately, if she isn’t spayed then she will continue to pee on your bed until you block it off and she loses interest. Things that are soft and really smell like us are super enticing for buns. Even after she is spayed she might not stop peeing there sorry to say. I know you don’t want to restrict her space but the only way to solve the problem is to block her access from it.

[Deleted User]

Hi Mylin – sorry, no expert advice from me, though I’ve had Henry for 6 months – I am still learning DAM! (just when I think I have it all worked out – find something new, bugga! Why I am now a permanent fixture on this site, lol!). But am happy to tell you about Henry’s toilet habit’s on the chance it may help? He kept weeing/spraying my bed and was told this is marking you as his, and in my case, having dogs – telling them he is ‘top dog’. (It worked!). In desperation, NO I couldn’t keep doing it either, had him neutered. Was told by the vet it was not guaranteed, but maybe my one last chance if we wanted to keep living together on my bed. It’s been well over a month now, yes he did one wee (not spray) and since then, the dogs and I don’t wince when he jumps up on the bed – it worked!!! YAY!

[Mylin]

Thanks for all the replies!

She hasn’t been spayed yet. I just bought her a couple of weeks ago so she is about two months, little older. I was told to wait until about six months to spay her.

Would the murky pee still be an effect of her diet? She’s currently on a diet of young rabbit pellets and Timothy Hay. I’m waiting for her to mature before I introduce her to veggies and treats since I don’t want to upset her digestive system. 

[LittlePuffyTail]

It’s normal for bunny pee to appear murky. This the calcium being excreted in the urine.

Perhaps the best solution until you have her spayed is to reduce her area and access to the bed. Do you have room for an x-pen? Or you could build an NIC condo for her. You could let her out when you are around to supervise and keep her from jumping on the bed. Unfortunately, there is no training that can be done to stop territorial marking.

[Mylin]

I don’t really have room for a pen so I guess I will just have to go with preventing her access to my bed. It’s a bit of a shame cause I enjoy how she likes to run around on it all silly like but I can’t afford the constant pee.

Thanks again!

[Author]

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