New baby is terrorizing my household! HELP

[Noel_dee]

My 3 year old NEUTERED male Theodore was a litter box star, until I brought home a baby girl Holland Lop Lambchop as a friend. It has been 7 months that she has been living with us and not only does she still hate EVERYONE but Theodore, she pulls out his hair, kicks litter everywhere, poops everywhere, and reverted my Theodore into a peeing machine!

Now, first off Lamb is being spayed in 2 days but i am desperate for a plan of action for when she comes home from the vet. Lamb is now 8 months old and lives peacefully with my Theodore a 3 year old Dwarf, even though she is not spayed (he is neutered and they get along fine) They are in a large x-pen by night and have full roam of my small studio apartment by day.

**Lambchop never got used to me, does not let me touch her, runs away when i come in the room, squeaks in terror if touched or picked up. Only nice thing she will ever do is lick my hand if she doesn’t run away from it first.

**Lamb & Theodore pee perimeters around the litter box in their shared pen, i tried putting another litterbox side by side with the old one,  covering where they previously went, but now they just pee in front of it. I soak up the pee and put the soaked papertowl in the litterbox, i gather all the poop on the floor of their pen and place it in the litter box, i put small amounts of vinegar on the pee areas, nothing works. Its a floor full of poo and a wall of pee around the litter box!  Lambchop is starting to pee in the boxes but now Theodore is the pee culprit! 

**Lamb also KICKES litter EVERYWHERE i have gone through 5 different letterbox styles trying to figure out one that is easily jumped into but tall enough to prevent litter spatter. And man is it LOUD! Being a studio apartment i wake up every night to her digging the litter against the plastic of the litterbox. Is this hormonal or just her enjoyment? I can’t go through one full night of sleep!

**She last but not least rips my Theodore’s hair out! His back is balding and always has tuffs sticking out, she even goes as far as literally balding his face exposing his silly pink skin underneath!

My apologies for a long post but I’m at a loss of how to ensure Lamb and Theodore will stop this peeing habit, get a litter nicer, and stop kicking litter! please help!

[Sindri]

It sounds like a lot of Lambchops behaviors are probably hormone based. I would wait to know for sure a few weeks after the spay so hormones can calm down.
I think even the fur ripping could be hormonal behavior.

Another reason for all the pooping and peeing could be territorial. I recently bonded my 2 and I have been having poop wars and pee accidents next to litter boxes off and on. I think other rabbits habits sometimes rub off on the other rabbit. Perhaps while she is at the vet getting spayed you can do a thorough cleaning of everything and maybe it will help things until her hormones calm down. I wish I was better to help. like I said I think its hormonal and things will improve.

Lastly I would speak to your vet about your situation maybe they will have some advice for you. I hope things get better I wish you the best of luck I can imagine how frustrating this situation must be for you. I hope her spay goes well. Keep us updated on how things go.

[Noel_dee]

lamb is now spayed! but her behavior has not even changed! they are on separate sides of the cage now while she heals, Theodore is back to normal and not peeing! yet i know once they are together lamb will dig and kick all his litter out of his box
and the DIGGING. she won’t stop digging and kicking litter out! how do i stop the digging?!?

[Noel_dee]

update. so the vet suggested i keep Theodore and Lamb separate while her belly heals. both have not been peeing! but now I’m scared once they share a space they will pee in front of the boxes again due to habit.
lamb still despises me especially because i have to hold her face to give her this medicine the vet gave me for pain. she still digs like no ones business!

[MK]

have you tried a covered litter box?

[Noel_dee]

they are in a litter box with a cover so its like a little cave. they are now put together. I also put a screen on the litter so no more digs but still, PEE AROUND THE LITTER BOX. i don’t know what to do about this peeing!

[Kitkat]

Ahhhh Noel-dee, I feel for you. I remember the beginning of my two-rabbit journey before Bella was spayed. She would go crazy, I was almost tearing my own hair out at times! Although Nelson was neutered and kept in a completely seperate area of the house, just the smell of him turned her into a grunting, lunging, peeing, pooing monster. This continued for weeks after her spay and I genuinely thought I was doomed. But thankfully all that hormonal and territorial behaviour calmed down once the bunnies got formally introduced and allowed for bonding to take place. Maybe once Lambchop matures she will tame and allow you to stroke her, although it may just be that is her personality. My mini lop Bella is still a little bit reserved in comparison to Nelson, she gives me attention when she wants it and not the other way about!

Can I ask though, what are you using for litter that is so noisy?

[Author]

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