We have a bonded pair of rabbits: Persephone, a two-year-old female rex (spayed at six months) and Bugs, a 1.5-year-old male lop (neutered at five months). They have a nighttime enclosure but are free range during the day in our living room. They are both well-loved and well cared for buns with space to run, lots of enrichment, and a spacious bunny box/hay feeder.

Before Bugs arrived, Persephone was fully litter trained with no problems. Bonding took a few months as Bugs was not old enough to be desexed when he joined our family, and started spraying free-roaming Persephone through his cage (this behavior stopped when he was neutered). His behavior led Persephone to leave territorial poops all over the living room where their enclosure lives.

They have since bonded and are inseparable. However, Persephone’s litter box behavior has not improved. It’s obvious she knows what she is supposed to do in regards to the litter box- she’ll wait to make eye contact with me before hopping over to use the bunny box if she’s hoping for a treat. But she poops and pees at all corners of their enclosure (including the exterior perimeter of the cage). Today I discovered that she peed on the couch with no reasoning as far as I can see- every part of the morning routine had been observed (she eaten breakfast, we’d played, she’d been groomed). When I do catch her going the bathroom outside her litter box I will pick her up and put her in the bunny box, but as it the case many times I discover the “evidence” after the fact.

I am desperate to find a solution, my family is beyond frustrated with her behavior and I am at a loss of how to correct it. I really appreciate any guidance anyone has.