Re-Toilet Training

FORUM

What are we about? Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules.

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 11sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 7 months ago by jerseygirl.

Viewing 11 reply threads

Author

Messages
- 07/11/2011 at 9:48 PM
  Bunnikins
  Participant
  5 posts
  My 3 year old female lionhead cross is refusing to go onto her toilet tray, and has taken to fouling around her room. This seems to have happened at around the time she has had other issues and I need advice. She has always been very clean since we bought her. She stays out of her cage all day and I only lock her away on an evening. She has has the following issues and not sure if these are related (and have taken advice from the vet).
  - She has been getting poop mattered in her fur around her anal area – vet says she a little overweight and this could be why, as she can’t wash herself so she is now on a diet
  - She has developed a watery eye – vet says its a blocked tear duct and she has been given drops to flush it and clear it up
  - She has developed dry, bald patches right above her tail – vet advises she has fur mites and has started a course of treatment over 3 weeks (drops of medication between her shoulders)
  - Stopped using her toilet tray – vet suggests re-toiler trainng her by leaving her longer in her cage, only allowing her small periods out of it and to place her toilet tray in her cage
  This has all lead to a rather sad bunny. She is eating ok, her teeth have been checked and are fine and she is less placid than usual. The toilet in her cage has not been taken well. She has pulled the hay and paper out of the tray and does her business on the outside of the tray. Have bought a new tray but she still refuses. She used to run to the gate of her cage to be out as soon as she saw us on a morning, very excited but now she sits sadly in the corner and only comes out when we are out of sight.
  
  It’s breaking my heart seeing her like this, unhappy in her cage and struggling with toilet issues. Can anyne help me out regarding re-toilet training her and what else I can do to cheer her up and get the old bunny back?
  
  This is my1st time here and hope you can help me.
  
  Thank you so much.
- 07/11/2011 at 10:05 PM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  First off, welcome
  
  Is your rabbit spayed?
  
  Mites are normally transmitted via contact with other animals. Do you feel comfortable with the vet that you are taking your rabbit to?
  
  I would watch where she is doing her business, and put a second box there. I’m not sure what type of box you are using, but a large cat sized litter box is really good, and a bunch of hay in it.
- 07/11/2011 at 10:31 PM
  Bunnikins
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thanks for your welcome and your reply. She isn’t spayed – was advised against it by the vet. She said the chance of her having problems under anaesthetic (bunny’s don’t always react well) were higher than the chance of her developing issues through not being spayed (ovarian cancer etc)I have no reason tothink the vet isn’t a good one and ely on her advice. Her tray is a large cat litter tray and I have tried following her with the box (putting it where she has done her business) but this failed. Will try a second tray or a third, it might work. I have the tray lined with newspaper and a layer of straw. Vet says that,as she is left out somuch, she has accepted the room as hers and is marking her territory.
- 07/11/2011 at 10:53 PM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  Well.. I would advise that you see another vet for your rabbit. There is always a chance, but if your vet has never lost a rabbit, it is worth doing the procedure. Your rabbit’s litter habits will improve.
  
  I do not believe that the vet has experience in rabbits :/ A lot of vets may see rabbits, but not all are very experienced in their care. There are a lot more concern over cancer – 80% chance before the age of 4. I would advise you finding another vet We want to see your rabbit live in a long life
  
  http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html
  
  Also, your rabbit is marking her territory.. another reason to get her spayed. It is scary for us, but rabbits will bounce back within a couple of days.
  
  Here is an article on spaying and neutering from the house rabbit society.
  
  http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html
- 07/12/2011 at 4:40 AM
  Bunnikins
  Participant
  5 posts
  Thank you for you replies and information. At 3, Im guessing she still isn’t too old for spaying then?
- 07/12/2011 at 6:13 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  It sounds like she needs a full work-up. I’d recommend blood work first to get an idea of her health. Unfortunately, now is around the time tumors and cancerous cells may start showing up. By the time a rabbit displays signs of being ill, it is often too late.
- 07/12/2011 at 6:37 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I agree with Beka – she is not too old to be spayed but she does need a full work-up including bloodwork – it may be something more than hormones that is causing her to not use her litter box.
  
  Definitely try to find a vet who has more experience with rabbits, this one doesn’t sound like he/she does.
- 07/12/2011 at 10:00 AM
  Bunnikins
  Participant
  5 posts
  Im from england and not sure wnhat you mean by a work up and bloodwork. Im guessing you mean what we call an MOT – A full health check and blood samples taken? Please don’t hint she has anything terminal 🙁
- 07/12/2011 at 11:15 AM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  I think Beka meant a full check up, which is examining the entire bunny, listening to her heart, checking ears, teeth, etc.
  
  I found a list of vets in England for you from the site I linked you to:
  http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/Vet_EU-UK.html
  
  It is not uncommon to have to drive 30 minutes to an hour to see a vet, as exotic (as rabbits are called) vets can be hard to find.
  Please keep us updated
- 07/12/2011 at 11:33 AM
  Stickerbunny
  Participant
  4128 posts
  It may not be something terminal, but there is a chance as her age is around the time when cancer cells begin to show, is what they mean. You want to have blood tests and a full health checkup to test for cancer and other issues before having her spayed, to make sure she is healthy enough for it. Agree with wanting to find a different vet – any vet that advises AGAINST spaying a female rabbit unless the rabbit has some sort of health issues already, is not one you want treating your rabbit. There is a very low mortality rate for spay/neuter surgeries if the vet is experienced with rabbit care and the rabbit is normal and healthy.
  
  I hope your baby has nothing serious.
  
  As for her litter habits, what is her cage like? You could build a run area outside the cage to help her be happier, but not destroy your house/flat. Linoleum flooring, with NIC panels or an x-pen would be easy to clean and she could still be relitter trained but with more room to run. If she’s overweight and having trouble cleaning herself, a low-edge box perhaps would be easier for her to get into and a more absorbent litter (like carefresh) might make it more appealing if her bum is bald, so she doesn’t get urine on her skin when she uses it.
- 07/12/2011 at 4:05 PM
  Bunnikins
  Participant
  5 posts
  Aw reading howmuch you care has made me weep..This is my 1st time on a rabbit frum and its great to see you all lve yours as I do mine
- 07/13/2011 at 8:44 AM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Welcome Bunnikins : ) You can be assured you are amongst fanatical bunny slaves here!
  I can’t stop looking at that cute face of your bunny!
  
  Is it both peeing and pooping outside of the box? You might want to start with a urine test to check she doesn’t have a urinary tract infection. Rabbits that get poo stuck around the bottom can be more susceptible to tract infections.
  
  I do have to agree with others concerns about the advice your vet gave you regarding a spay. Not to say your vet is a bad vet but perhaps not as well versed with rabbits as others? It’s not uncommon. The training can cover the basics but rabbits being classed as exotics, this requires further training. Your current vet is probably handy to have to help treat common problems but if you do decide to have your rabbit spayed, another vet would be advisable. I hope we can help you locate one if you do decide on a spay. We do have other English members here and various rabbit vet databases at our fingertips.
  
  I think Dr Frances Harcourt-Brown is regarded as the leading rabbit vet in England and she states uterine tumors are the most common tumor female rabbits can get. The incidence of it increases with age.
  
  The spay is a full hysterectomy so if a cancerous tumor has begun but not spread, a spay removes this from the rabbit. It is certainly not too late for a spay at 3yrs of age . Having bloodwork done helps get a better picture of the rabbit health before undergoing the spay.
Author

Messages

Viewing 11 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.