how to get bunny to stop pooping everywhere?

[stella'smom]

hi. stella the boy (thought was a girl, now found out he’s a boy) is totally potty-trained when it comes to pees. BUUUUUUT… how do i get him to stop pooping everywhere?! i got him neutered 2 days ago (when can i see a difference in marking territory after a neuter? weeks?)

 

let me tell you his set-up: he lives in the family room. he has his own area, fenced in by an exercise pen. with a litter box in it, toys and a cardboard box to hide in. he poops all over his area. i now realize that that is normal, as he is marking the space as HIS (am i correct?!) however, i want him to be able to run free all the time. i wanted to get rid of the exercise pen, but now realize that it might be a good idea to keep it, so he will always have a place to call HIS. (is that correct? should i keep it?) so if i keep the pen, and just keep the door open, so he can come and go… how do i keep him from pooping EVERYWHERE? i mean, if he just pooped in one or two spots, i would put a litter pan there, but he drops poops everywhere! HELP!!! i really wanted a bunny who could live in our house with us. the poor thing bites at his cage, and tries so hard to get out, to play with us, and play with the cat, but i can only let him out when i have to the time to clean up his poops (and my husband isn’t too fond of this whole thing. he thinks it’s disgusting to come downstairs and find poops everywhere.) Also, speaking of territory… i go into his pen to pet him. is that ok? or should i totally stay out, except for just cleaning the litter box? he doesn’t seem to mind me in there. he gives me kisses and everything.

 

ANY ideaas on how to get bunny to stop dropping poops everywhere?!!! OR will i start to see a difference in several weeks when his neuter takes effect (and if not, i can ask my question again?)

 

thank you so much for ANY replies!!!

[LoveChaCha]

It will take about a month for his hormones to settle down. I would keep him in a small area first to get him used to his litter box. I would continue tossing the poos that are out of the box, into the box. So that he gets the idea

Tell hubby that the poos aren’t really that gross – it is just hay and pellets So easy to pick up lol!

[bunnyfriend]

Usually people have to re-litter train their bunnies after they reach maturity after they are altered. Like Lovechacha said hormones will take about a month to settle down, which is what causes bunnies to forget their good litter box habits. You can also try putting hay in the litter box if you don’t already.

[stella'smom]

yah, his food, water, and hay are all in the litter box (the bottom of his cage is his litter box). he does all pees in there, and alot of poops, but still drops poops everywhere he goes. ugh. i’ll wait for a month, and see if it gets better on it’s own… if not, i’ll be b ack again!

thanks guys!

[LoveChaCha]

The bottom of his cage is his litter box? Are you using a litter box of sort? If not, he could be quite confused. Maybe I’m reading this wrong, lol.

[Beka27]

^^^Brit, I think she means that he has an xpen as his permanent habitat, and the litterbox is an old cage bottom.

Dropping poops here and there are normal with some rabbits, neutered or not. It’s a way to mark territory. It might stop as his hormones calm down, or it might always occur. But in the grand scheme of bunny “issues”, a few scattered poos in relatively minor. Consider yourself lucky ;o)

[zpipes]

Mine does this also, to the tee. Pee is good, Poo is so so. Alot in the box, and alot out lol. Funny thing is he only really poos in his xpen, when i let him in the living room he rarely poos, and if so its in the litter box. Odd!

[LoveChaCha]

Thanks Beka

I have a good litter trained rabbit, but she loves leaving territorial markings in my bedroom. It is quite hilarous if you ask me..

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