Hmm, I know they have a palace for a cage, but could you pen them off to a smaller area not on the carpet?

Hopefully Jersey will have some ideas, since I think she’s been dealing with something similar.

I’m going to make a suggestion. It may sound wierd, gross and crazy but I really think it worked for me. My bunnies were doing that when thier litter box had just a little poop in it. They would refuse to use it anymore. As much as they poop, I couldn’t just scoop it out every 20 minutes lol. So, when they pooped on the floor, I grabbed our old vaccuum and vaccuumed it up. After a while of them having to go through the vaccuuming, it completely stopped. It took about a week and vaccuuming a few times a day but the problem is gone. Bella is even free roam now. She has been for a few days and she has not even had one accident I don’t know if that helps at all but I sure don’t have to deal with it anymore. Good Luck.

I think you might need to take away exercise priviledges for part of the day at least and confine her to a small area. I know it’s hard, but I think it usually works if you stick with it.

Wow, she is tough. lol

Skibunny, it won’t matter how long you will have had Sandy for, unless they are bonded, this will not stop. It may ease up, and then slip back again. I suggest you house Sandy somewhere other than adjacent to Gracie.

Some of Gracie’s pottying behavior might be due to you having been on vacation, though, and should improve.

You will have these rabbits most likely for a long time, many years to come, and keeping them separate is twice the work. Especially in the event you want a baby, you would be much better off if they were bonded. — Having said this, is there any HRS chapter or rabbit shelter near you that would bond them for you?

If you can’t move sandybun somewhere else in your house, try blocking Gracie’s view to her. She will still smell her but it may help with the markng.

I think you need to cage when she pees. It was the only way I was able to get Coco to STOP, even after she and Jackson were bonded. Whenever she is angry with me ( specifically) she does the tail lift ( in eye sight) and lets loose. I will forgive a once every 4 months, but every day is not acceptable. I felt awful doing it (the cage) since they are free roam BUT…. After 4 days of very limited out of cage time ( and I would put her right back in when she peed), She seems to recall that the carpet is not her bathroom. Every now and then we have to have a refresher with her – and always Only HER – Jackson Never NEVER pees out of the litterbox.

I honestly think Girl Buns are about a billion times tougher. Could she also be angry that you were away? I know Coco can seriously Hold a grudge, which she expresses with urine.

My girl bun hikes her little butt up as far as she can in the corner of her litter box and pees right over the side of it Time to get a different litter box.

Oh Ski – my commiserations! It does sound like a territorial thing due to Sandy. Sometimes thats the reason they start and after a while it becomes habit. It can take a while to combat a bad habit. (I’m so bad at it). My advice is keep them contained until she improves. They have plenty of room in their condo. Her marking up the cage is also my problem with Jersey. Gracie will probably continue to do this but hopefully she will feel she has sufficiently marked their territory and it will reduce. It is said they can mark with poo and underline their signature with urine – Oi ! If they ok with you cleaning the condo while their in it, just persist in cleaning it up. It will feel like you’ll be doing it alot but it’s better than having to clean pee on carpet.

I wonder if putting an extra litter box where their and Sandys cages meet would help any. Wild rabbits supposedly have latrines on the boundaries of their territory also.

I think with buns that have access to much of the home view their territory to be a larger range – so they’ll mark it up also. Well, that’s what I figure anyway. I’ve been trying to nut it out for a while.

Posted By skibunny8503 on 05/13/2010 08:42 PM
Petzy, I think you’re right, the only way it’ll stop is if they’re bonded. Maybe I’ll try again next month when things settle down. It’s so scary and hard though because I don’t want to see them fight. We don’t have a HRS near us (I think the nearest one is in Columbus). The only shelter that’s close to us that deals with rabbits is an hour away but she’s only bonded two and has never tried a trio before. So I think we’ll have to do it themselves….unless I personally fly you out here and you can do it for me!

You can do it.

Gracie is one tough bunny to bond, no doubt about it, due to her history. I would make a whole new game plan if you start bonding again. I would have no sessions in the main part of your house but do car rides, basement sessions, bathtub, yard session at your parents’ — this sort of thing. Gracie is charged up with territorial attitude in a big way by now, and harboring anti-Sandy sentiments. For this reason it is vital that she be taken out of her comfort zone (your home).

Also, as you have never found a stressor that worked with Gracie, use the bowl of water technique to stop a real attack. It will work.

You might have already read this but I will link this bonding info from HRS here.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-4/tough-bonding.html