We have only had our bun 2 1/2 days, so please understand that I am not trying to rush…I am simply making certain that I am following all the appropriate steps to ensure successful litter training. Here is what we have done so far.
1. When we got home, bun went immediately into his xpen set up. There is a hay rack full of timothy hay, a heavy ceramic bowl for pellets, water bottle full of fresh water (recommended by breeder) and a couple rugs and toys. We left the litter box out at this point to see which corner was the ‘chosen one’ for potty time.
2. Once he chose a corner we allowed him out of the pen, cleaned the mess thoroughly (he is on laminate flooring) and placed a litter box in that corner. Box is a large plastic dish tub with high sides, cut down one side for easy access, one inch deep with feline pine litter and covered in fresh timothy hay. We placed the urine soaked paper towel into box as well as his poos. We allowed bun back in and then waited for results.
3. Result was for bun to shove box out of that spot and then to pee and poo on a rug on the OTHER SIDE of his pen. At this point we removed soiled rug AND clean rug, so there is nothing absorbent for him to urinate on. Cleaned floor under rug and moved litter box back to original corner he pottied in. Added a smaller litter box to other corner. This box is actually a small, low sided cardboard box. Placed paper towel soaked in urine in bottom of this one as well, feline pine litter and fresh timothy hay. I used cardboard because I thought maybe the slick bottom of the plastic litter box was unappealing to him? Waited for results.
4. Bun has completely ignored small cardboard box. Continues to move large litter box into center of pen. Pees and poos wherever he chooses…I am not finding a pattern to this at all. He doesn’t even necessarily choose a corner, he goes along the side of the pen too.
I should add that we did move the wire hay rack so that it hangs over the edge of the large litter box so to encourage him to get into that box. So far that has not made a difference. He is eating and drinking really well. When we open his pen and allow him out for play time, he is not urinating or pooing at all…WHICH IS GREAT!!! He is so funny when out of his pen! He runs around and jumps up and down on boxes, binkies like mad, hops in and out of everyones lap…he can’t sit still long enough for pets yet but we are okay with that!
So bunny experts…please tell me what I have done right, what I have done wrong and what to do next. Patience is key…and I understand that. We just don’t want to make the wrong move and set litter training back. I have to say, he is already 5 lbs at 8 weeks old and he pees a LOT! LOL!
PS we considered zip tying litter box to the pen sides but I am not sure if that is the right move. He does move the litter box around, but once he moves the box, he does NOT go potty where the box was…he potties somewhere new everytime!! So will zip tying it in place really make a difference? I can add pictures of his set up if that will help! Would there be any value to moving his food bowl into the large litter box?