Free roaming buns = litter box troubles???

[snoopy]

 Ok, so I posted here last week about my rescued bun snoopy.  When I got him I was told he would pee in his litterbox and maybe poop outside sometimes.  I figured we could work on the poop part and being that he was recently neutered that can only improve things.  Well,  at first when we got him he was just sleeping in a little makeshift home out of a card board box and had his litter box in the corner at the time he was peeing and mostly pooping in there.  At night we would shut off that area (eat in kitchen) with a gate.  He was also leaving marbles under a chair that he liked to hang out in the kitchen.  Maybe two days after he started exploring the home.  He left a marble or two in the living room the first time, but he would always go back to the kitchen to use his litter box.  After that he didn’t go anywhere, but his box.  

About a week ago we set up a condo for him.  The first day was fine and maybe the second too.  Now he leaves poop around his food bowls every time he eats!  I was not stressing it because since it is his space and he is good about not going anywhere in the apt. I let is slide.  But, this morning I found he had also peed.  Now Im starting to wonder…the more comfortable he gets roaming around the place the more mess he’s making.  He’s still does some of  his business in his litter box.  What’s also confusing me is that he was neutered two weeks ago and I thought things would be perfect by now.  I don’t know if he’s still marking his territory.

I wiped up his pee and left the paper towel in his bin as a hint.  So should I just keep scooping the poop and putting it in his litter box?  Should he eventually get it?  Those who have gone through something similar let me know.  And is there some connection with the freedom and litterbox carelessness? 

Thanks….

Michelle 

 

 

[PEPPA GEORGIE]

i think that about my bunnies, they seem to get really comfortable and leave more poop. When i have been out for a day and they have been in their space they seem to come out and be a bit more respectfull and hesitant lol. if that makes sense.
Dont know how you get the right line between not smelling too different so they mark their territory and not smelling too much like their area and they dont care and think it ok. I am starting to think that smell has a lot to do with it and it does sound silly but when i am burning smelly candles they dont seem to poo so much and is prob totally unrelated but keeps happening. xx

[Sarita]

I think that most rabbits will leave a few poops here and there and still be litter box trained. I have one free roaming rabbit and there are fecal pellets here and there but he does use his litter box. It could be that some poo’s are kicked out of the box when they depart from the box or it could just be a few lazy poo’s here and there – not much you can do with those few lazy poo’s really.

If they start peeing outside the litter box continuously then you may have a urinary infection to consider and you would want to take the rabbit to the vet.

[wendyzski]

He’s only been neutered recently, so this may be leftover hormones and territorrial pooping.  I’d keep him in the condo/kitchen until his habits get a little better before introducing him to the rest of the house.

[KatnipCrzy]

If it is only 2 weeks post-neuter- he still has a high level of hormones in his system.

Since you are noticing some issues with his bowls can you put his bowls where he would be standing in the litterbox while eating.  Rabbits like to poo while they eat- so most of us hve our hay bins over the litterbox.

It usually takes some adjustment even for perfectly trained bunnies to go to a new home or have a change in environment.  You might need to restrict his time out when you can watch him (if he is doing this outside the cage)- and being in a smaller area can reinforce the litter training also.

[Author]

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