This is the bun who isn’t spayed, right? She might not be able to develop good litter habits until she’s spayed, so keep that in mind.

Can you add a litter box to the other side of her cage where she is now peeing? Sometimes buns just want to go in a certain place. Or you can try moving the box you have over to where she’s now going. Make sure you clean up any pee with a vinegar/water solution and put any poos back in her litter box – if you let her cage stay dirty for long she’ll assume you don’t mind her going in that corner.

Thumping is usually a signal of danger, so she’s probably doing it because something has scared her. Do you have other pets inside? People moving around quickly and making noise? Since she doesn’t live inside all the time, there are probably things that you think are normal that seem scary and new to her, so she’s thumping to express that she’s uncomfortable.

Would that cage before inside? Or outside? As an indoor cage it would be great! It’s nice and roomy (if you make it the size that it is in the link you provided). Would you plan for both bunnies to share it?

I have two litter boxes for my two – Big Cat ones without tops that I bought at Walmart for maybe 4 bucks a piece.

I have moved them around to find the places the rabbits LIKE them.

I think I have a picture I will upload.

This was early in the summer – We have changed it around since them – They like them side by side and with the Hay In the box, rather in the baskets. In fact, They are both over there in One, eating Hay at the moment. This also makes it nice and easy to clean the litter boxes, as I can pop the litter boxes out and wash them easily with the Vinegar.

Mostly Yesterdays News or Feline Pine as the top layer, with shredded aspen ( thats the beige stuff) And a similar carefresh type product called “Boxo” which is essentially shredded soft cardboard for the front where the hay now sits.

I don’t place the little bowls for pellets in the boxes anymore, as their litter habits got much better after they bonded. This picture was taken during their bonding, after they first moved “in” together and it was a urine and poo war zone.

The white bottom was the cage Coco lived in until I rescued her. I tossed the top and kept the bottom for one extra layer of protection for our floors.

They also did fine with a pelleted straw sold as Horse Bedding which was super cheap – like 5 bucks for 40 pounds. But I bought it in the states and can’t find it here so until I smuggle more over the border than they use the good, but more expensive Yesterdays News

1: children make messes.. did she keep you outside?
2: getting them fixed will help litter training
3: get him a box just for digging in, or a covered litter pan
4: well, bond them! after they are fixed of course.
5: their pee and poop will be less smelly after they are fixed! the hormone smell goes way down, and if their litter boxes are cleaned frequently, you shouldn’t even notice a smell.

So really, getting them fixed should be top priority. What is the concern with slippery roads? Do you have to walk?

MB and Baleful gave you some good advice. It is very very possible to have your buns in the house and keep the smell way down. The only smell I notice with my bun is the hay – and I consider that a nice smell. I can’t smell any pee at all and I only clean his litter box twice a week (cleaning it every day would cut down on smell even more if that’s what you needed to do). I used Yesterday’s News, but recently switched to Wood Stove pellets and I like both. No smell at all and I only need to use a little scoop of litter on the bottom of the box – not inches deep like you would for a cat.

For your hay box, I would take it away if he’s using it as a toilet. Maybe get a box, fill it with some shredded newspaper, and put a few holes in it so he can climb in. I would give it just as a toy and don’t leave it with him full time in case he decides it’s another litter box. After letting him play with it for a few days you’ll know if he’s going to pee in it or not then you might give it to him full time.

How big is the litter box that you have? If it’s small, he might like a bigger one even if it means you need to move it. No matter where I put my bun’s litter box, he still knows that’s what it is and figures it out. So he might not be extremely picky about location. Depending on his size, I would recommend a box no smaller than 14″x14″ for a small (<5lb) bun.

I also live with the Rabbits in the house – year round, full time. I have them IN my bedroom, so if they smelled we would have a heck of a problem.

Rabbits LIKE to eat and poo/pee at the same time – which is why in my picture you see them with the hay and litter very close by. It is natural for them to be sitting there, eating hay and pooping. This is why I now have the hay sitting in the front of the litter boxes. They just like to sit there and munch away!

Jacksons original litter box was too small for him and while Cocos litter box was small ( it was a corner litter pan) it was also Too small. She isn’t a huge rabbit – like 4.5 pounds. But she needs that Big Box. It matches the way they want to use the litter box and I figure, as long as they are getting it in the litter box and not on my pillow, then I am perfectly fine with it.

They have diggy boxes and the Maze Havens with things to shred tucked into the cubbies too and they do not pee in them. Sure a few random poos here and there, but few and far between.

But I think that the thing for you to understand is that litter training takes a lot of time and Consistency. Rabbits are very, very smart – but the Human has to be committed to reinforcing the boundaries of litter training. That means there will be accidents. There will be clean ups that have to happen RIGHT away. But the rabbit will get it.

Just make sure they’ll be allowed inside if you build a cage like that – it really wouldn’t be appropriate to have as an outdoor cage.

I hope your mom agrees! I’m sure once they’re inside and behaving themselves she’ll wonder why she ever wanted them outside.

She will smell different after she is spayed, might want to hold off on the stunt bunny til the hormones are gone

You’ve gotten some great advice and it seems your mom is noticing your hardwork. Congratulations on your raise in the allowance! I don’t have anything to add at the moment but I just had to comment on the post that Monkeybun did in response to how you address your mom’s concern about bunnies making a mess.

Posted By Monkeybun on 01/10/2010 09:15 PM
1: children make messes.. did she keep you outside?

That is just classic! That line has now been burned in. I just am walking around HOPING I can use that line.  so funny! Love it.

I have to be honest… I borrowed that line from someone else, but I don’t remember who or where! lol

to get your bunny to pee and poop in the litter box again just move the litter box to were she pees poops and also add some timothy hay in the litter box so she can eat well she does her buissness.

Clean litterboxes (everyday if necessary). If the whole box is not dirty, you can just take a cat litter scoop and scoop out the dirty part and refresh with more litter.

In most cases, the bunny does not smell, it is the litterbox and cage that is smelly.

Your boy is neutered, so he should not be stinky now.

The ultimate goal with rabbits or with any pets, is that a person should be able to walk into your house and not smell any animal odor. No cat urine, no wet dog smell, no rabbit stink.

For the cage I would use nic gridsand zip ties, but make sure its inside

Make sure to limit her activities after getting spayed, you dont want her to rip the stitches. I kept Monkey in her cage for a day, the let her out into her pen, wheich I had shrunk so it was smaller, for a few days after that. After a week or so I let her out into the rest of the apartment again. Just keep an eye on her to make sure she doesnt tug at the stitches, and that she is eating within 24 hours, and she should be good.

Pick the poos up and put them in his litterbox. Make sure he has a litterbox (or 2) with hay in his running area. You want him to be encouraged to get into the box. If you’re giving him too large of a running area, you may need to reduce him to an xpen until his habits improve…

Just keep popping them back in when you see them. They are dry like cocoa puffs, so I don’t even bother with a tissue anymore… I pick them up with my hand and toss them in the box. Just be aware of what you’re doing and wash your hands after you are done playing with him.

I’m not sure you do.

The more boxes he has and the more inviting they are, the better the chances he’ll use them. You can put hay and maybe some favorite healthy treats in there…

How long have you been living together? It can take some time for a rabbit to bond with his person. Just always be available and have treats. If you let him get to know you on his terms, it will be easier.

I agree with Hooty. Also, try sitting in his cage with him just ignoring him (maybe bring a book or magazine). Don’t try to pet him or grab him, but offer him a treat if he comes up to you. Sometimes rabbits get hand shy and just sitting with them quietly helps them get over it.

That may be another thing, he hasn’t been inside long. He has to get used to his new surroundings, as well as get used to you.

It took my bun probably 6 months to become really comfortable with me (though he still only wants to be petted on his terms and not picked up; somethings never change) so you just need to be really patient with him. Buns take way more patience than most pets.

When I first got my bun, I spent a ton of time sitting on the ground with him, not touching him, and letting him have a treat if he came up to me. Then I moved on to petting him sometimes when he came over. Initially he wasn’t crazy about pets, but after months of doing it anyway 😉 especially when I gave him treats, he decided he loooved pets. I didn’t chase him around petting him, but I let him decide to come over to me and interact. Eventually you can initiate the interaction by approaching your bun, but if the bun wants to leave, you have to let them. They like to be in control of when and how you interact, which is why so many people suggest sitting quietly and letting your bun approach you.

I also like to play games with him. Having him stand on his hind legs, or spin around, or run up and touch something all make him more comfortable with me. It’s like he knows what he needs to do in that situation, so he’s so confident – it’s really great to watch. Bunnies are often unconfident creatures, which is why routines are so important, and I find playing games like this or teaching tricks gives them a way to control their world and get something good out of it (ie treats).

Honestly, I think a lot of it comes down to spending quiet quality time together – it just takes a lot of quality time for some buns to come around. Just hang out with your bun while watching tv, reading, doing homework, whatever, and he’ll realize you’re kind of nice 🙂 Especially when you bring treats 😉

I started with monkey by just hanging in her space with a book on the floor. I’d just read while she bounced around. Many times I’d end up with a bunny on my back She follows me around now sometimes, and when she’s out playing and I sit ont he couch, she instantly runs over and hops up… when we first let her intot he living room, we’d call her up on the couch with raisins, and she remembers it So she sits on my knee til she gets one

Aww, I’m so jealous of your couch bunny! Monkey needs to give Otto some lessons on how to jump on to the couch.

Moose jumped ontot he chair int he living room for the first time last night. He got all excited, but hasn’t gotten onto the couch yet. hehe

Aw, I’m glad you’ve seen how wonderful house bunnies can be! I will freely admit that I wouldn’t find my own bun that interesting if he was outside – I just wouldn’t get to watch him and interact with him the way I do inside.

Home improvement stores liek Home Depot or Lowes have concrete forms, which are pretty much just extra thick cardboard tunnels, quite suitable for tunnel loving buns

We have 3 kinds of tubes.  The leapord print cat tube (flexible 6′), a nylon one about 4′ long from Walmart ($7) & just picked up (2) like the ones Monkeybun mentioned.  We got them from OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) for around $8 for 5′ w/10″ diameter.  We cut one in half & left one as is.  We put some corrogated cardboard runner in them so they were not slippery, but Lainey is slowly chewing her way through the runners.  The original surface doesn’t seem to bug them, but they won’t go on tile or hardwood floors!?  We cut arches in boxes & put them between the tunnels & make all different shapes & sizes every day or two at the most.  They “help” us when we re-arrange their areas & then explore & play until they finally crash out.  I’ll post pics when I get some time to get them to photobucket.  GET SOME…REALLY FUN FOR BUNZ & YOU TOO .

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I just don’t want to start two separate threads about the exact same thing.