Disrespectful Bunny? HELP

[Katy_J]

Angel is my 4.5 month old Flemish Giant. I know a lot of this behavior can be prevented by spaying, but right now I’m off at school and can’t afford to cough up $350+ to get the procedure done. It’s the first thing on my list though! I love having her out to play and cuddle time with her on my bed is fantastic! She’s really doing well for going back to her cage to use the bathroom. BUT she’s been peeing on my bed, on me, my clothes-its so frustrating!! I’ve heard of buns marking their territory this way AND that it can be a great sign of disrespect. If you have any ideas that would be great. Again, I know that spaying is the #1 preventative, but it can’t happen right now.

Any ideas?

[LBJ10]

I don’t think a rabbit is capable of respecting or disrespecting. That is a human thing. She could, however, be trying to show she is top bun. That is how it is with most bunny relationships. Bun=boss and human=slave. By peeing on your bed and your clothes, she is trying to make those things smell like her and not you. It is her way of claiming things. You’re right, getting her spayed would probably help with some of that. She is feeling the need to mark right now.

[RabbitPam]

Rather than being disrespectful, it is more likely that she is marking you and yours which claims you as hers. So it may be just “My Human”. You want to train her not to do that by keeping a litter pan handy in that room and put her into it the minute you see her lift her tail, then praise her for going in the litter pan in time. Even offer her a small treat if she does it on her own, like a raisin. She will behave better once she is spayed as you know. But in the meantime, the bed could become a No Bunny Zone if she doesn’t take to being trained to stop peeing on there.

[Katy_J]

Thanks for the reply!

I know bunnies aren’t like dogs where you can show that you are alpha and they listen when you say no. How can I show her that I am displeased when she pees where she isn’t supposed to? Also, she pees around my other buns cage. Does this mean she is showing the other bunny that the outside area is hers?

[LBJ10]

Well, you could present yourself for grooming. lol

Seriously though, a rabbit will not understand that you are displeased. They do understand that “no” means they shouldn’t do X (at least not while you are looking). Believe me, Wooly knows what “no” means. It is okay to tell your bun no when she is doing something you don’t like and then redirect her to something else. Like Pam suggested, if you see her getting ready to pee then firmly say no and then put her in a litter box. Praise her when she goes in the box. Sometimes treats are the only kind of praise rabbits understand, but I do tell Wooly he is a good boy when he does something I want him to do. At night I will tell him it’s bedtime. He gets in the cage and Leopold usually follows. They get their bedtime pellets. I tell Wooly he’s a good boy as he starts munching on the pellets. I don’t know how much good it does, but I do it anyway.

[LBJ10]

Oh and yes that would be why she is peeing around the other bun’s cage.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Welcome to Binky Bunny.

I agree, spaying will most likely cure this problem. Female rabbits are super territorial. Everything they see is theirs. Until she is spayed, you might have to restrict her access to your bed and other places you don’t want her to pee.

[peppypoo]

Welcome to the forum! Yes, that is most likely why she is peeing around the other bunny’s cage – she smells the other bunny and wants to establish her territory. Is your other bunny fixed? Do you plan to bond them in the future?

[RabbitPam]

I just want to add that there is a small way to convey you are an alpha animal, which helps on occasion if you need to pick her up. You place your hand gently on her shoulders just behind her ears. Press firmly so she hunches down lower. It is a slightly dominant position that tells her you are in charge (as a mother would when she was a baby). You don’t actually pick her up by the scruff, but it helps you to scoop her up with your hand moving to support her hind quarters. I learned this from one of our members who works at a rescue. It won’t effect the pee issue, but can make it faster to move her off the couch to the litter pan.

[Katy_J]

Thanks for all the help everyone! Angel (my giant) is getting better at knowing that its okay to pee in her litter box, and not okay to pee on my stuff. She’s becoming more playful and less worried about marking territory. Coco (my dwarf) is also doing the same. I want to bond them, but I know its really hard without getting them fixed first. (Both are females).

[LittlePuffyTail]

Are you planning on getting them fixed? I definitely would not attempt bonding two unspayed females. They are super territorial and will most likely fight and be stressed out.

[Katy_J]

Yes I am planning on getting them fixed! Its going to cost over $600 to get them both fixed though. As I said, I’m away at school so I don’t have an extra $600 hanging around. (who does these days lol)

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