Bonded bunnies and litter box habits

[SpottyBunny]

Roscoe (neutered) and Lily (unneutered and elderly) have been bonded for a few weeks now.  Roscoe has always been fantastic with his litter box (few droppings here and there, but always pees in litter box).  When I did some research, many people suggested that an un-trained bunny can learn from a trained bunny.  This has not been the case. 

 I moved their pen from the floor to the top of the desk with two giant litter pans (under the desk boxes), because the floor could not be kept clean.  When I had Roscoe on the floor before they bonded, the pen was always in good shape and he never had the yellowing feet.  The same thing happened on the desk.  Despite my frequent desk/cage washing, they both have black and yellow feet from her marking and running through it.  

I made them a new NIC cage because the desk got to be too awkward to clean often.  This one seems to be great– but now she’s still peeing on the shelves.

Do I remove her and try to litter train her separately?  Or do I work hard at wiping down the shelves whenever I see pee?  I washed their feet gently last night because I was worried that the effects would be long lasting.  I feel terrible! 

[RabbitPam]

Because of her age it may be hard to train her now. First, I would make sure she has a low-sided litter pan, or even one that’s open at one end. Often a geriatric bunny, even one with good habits, has poor use of their legs after a certain age and that’s why their litter habits go. You can also try training her with positive reinforcement (though Roscoe may beg for it, too). Put her in the litter pan every time you see her tail go up. When she does go in it, praise her and give her a small treat, like a raisin. When you see her go into the pan by herself, also praise her and give her a little treat – even a pellet. You want her to learn to associate the pan with a reward. Do this for a week or 2 and see if there is any change for the better. When you clean up her pee by soaking a paper towel or tissue, put that into the pan as well so she associates her pee smell with the pan, and nowhere else.

[SpottyBunny]

Thank you for the advice. I’m going to try it once I clean the cage super well (to try to reinforce good behaviours) today.

[Author]

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