Hiding and peeing!

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 6sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 6 months ago by Dee.

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- 09/15/2008 at 9:55 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Hi everyone,
  
  Well Nelli and Ludicrous are getting along fine, fully bonded, but we’re having an issue with Nelli. She is VERY reclusive- spends her days hiding where nobody can get to her. She was actually hiding inside our couch (Ludicrous invented this fun game, but just popped in and out, staying in the couch for no longer than an hour or so) but we finally blocked access to the couch because she was peeing underneath it. I thought the problem was solved once the couch was offlimits, but today she hid behind the shelf that my hamster’s cage is on, and peed there. So now I’ve blocked that off too. I feel so badly for Lude cuz all his favorite hiding places are gone, but we just can’t have Nelli peeing in remote areas of the house- she’s ruining our floor!
  
  Is there anything I can do to train her out of this?
- 09/16/2008 at 12:03 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  YUP you’ll need to severely restrict her access to space and give her only a small area with a litter box. Once she gets it, give her one room, gradually expanding until she has as much room as you want to give her. But if she’s hiding and peeing, she’ll definitely need to be brought back to basics
- 09/16/2008 at 6:19 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  does she seem okay other than that? eating and pooping is normal? is she having a hard time getting in the litter box, has Lude been possessive of the box at all, not letting her go in?
- 09/16/2008 at 7:11 PM
  MooBunnay
  Participant
  3087 posts
  My bunnies also tend to mark in hidden areas like that, its more of a peeing to claim territory than a litter training issue for mine. One way you can help give Lude his hidden spots back is to put litter boxes in some of those corners and hidden areas. Bunnies often feel much safer in those dark places, it is kind of like a burrow for them, so it might be stressful for them if they don’t have any to hide out in. Can you give your buns a cottontail cottage or a big box with a “door” cut out for them to play in? You can put a litter box in the bottom of those as well so the buns pee in there as opposed to on the floor.
  
  It is also important to check out the things that Beka mentioned – maybe Nelli is peeing in those areas and hiding out because she isn’t feeling well. When bunnies get sick they will try to hide it by hiding in dark corners and not coming out.
- 09/16/2008 at 8:08 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Hi Kokanee, MooBunnay and Beka,
  Thanks for your replies.
  
  I think restricting Nelli’s space til she’s more secure/trained would be the simplest thing to do. The problem is, then I would either have to seperate her and Lude, or restrict them both. Ludicrous is a very determined boy and hates to be prevented from having his freedom. He is currently in the process of tearing apart my couch- literally biting into the cushions and pulling out big chunks of stuffing!- in response to being banned from the hole in back of the couch where he used to get inside. Plus I don’t think I should punish him for Nelli’s lack of selfcontrol or whatever is wrong with her. I admit, I am pretty discoraged today . I have big pieces of plywood propped up al over my house to block Nelli’s hiding places. My home has turned into a bunny nightmare and I would be mortified to have anyone over… this is just a bit much. However, I am commited to making it work with little Nelli. I realise that she is just a baby- 6 months- and that she was kept in a cage her whole life, so this kind of situation is just overwhelming for her.
  
  Nelli is fine otherwise. She eats VERY well=-poor Lude has to get fed his greens apart from her, otherwise she eats everything! And she does poop normally, hop, binkie and play too. She is just extremely shy and skittish, and doesn’t like to be handled much. That is anothe problem- getting her to the vet, litter box, or anywhere is impossible.
  
  I will try giving them their play box back, and I’ll put a litter box in there too- good idea! I’m sure we’ll solve this- and thanks for all your help
- 09/17/2008 at 1:28 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Heheh keep us posted! Love your bunnies names -way too cute!!
- 09/18/2008 at 10:07 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Hi K&K,
  Thanks for the compliment on the names The was I came up with was… one day I was watching Ludicrous and laughing about his ridiculous behavior- then the name came to me. My kids thought the name was cool because there is a rapper called Ludicrous (they love rap music!). Then when we got Nelli, her name was Penny- Penelope I figured. We thought of the rapper called Nelli (not sure of the spelling) and thought that would be a cute match. And here they are!
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