I have done EVERYTHING – HELP!

[Bibi]

Hi guys,

I have two rabbits, each have their own pens but sometimes they do get switched around. They have big litter boxes – the entry to the litter boxes have been cut out and there is hay there to encourage them to eat. 

They poop all over their litter box – they are pretty good at not pooping outside their litter box during their play time. There is some sprays of urine  in the pen but they generally are urinating in the litter box. 

I have tried reducing the pen sizes, I have tried cleaning up after them, I have tried putting their poop back into the boxes. I thought it was territorial behaviour but even my spayed rabbit is still exhibiting that behaviour. I don’t know what to do. I think they think the whole cage is a litter box.. sigh. I really want to expand the cage as soon as my male rabbit is neutered but I do not think I can even do that since they seem to leave small puddles of urine and litter drop everywhere. 

I clean their cage twice a day – I put fresh newspaper and hay in the boxes and I try to clean up after them as they drop into their litterbox. I thought my litter box was small at first but I fixed that issue too. 

Is there anything else that can be done? How long did you guys take to litter train your rabbit? Not just urine but its pellets too. I know that they can do few droppings here and there but the current state does not look like territorial behaviour its more them not sure where the bathroom is! The things is as soon as I clean the box up and put it back in its places, the rabbits hop in an urinate and they do leave some pellets in there. After sometime, they slowly start being naughty and start pooping and peeing! Its so frustrating! Someone please help  

[sarahthegemini]

They are probably being territoral because they aren’t the only bun. Especially if you’re switching them around. Is this for pre bonding? Territorial poops are likely to continue til they are bonded.

[tobyluv]

You may not have good litter box habits from either rabbit until your male is neutered. Even though the female is spayed, she could be reacting to his hormones, which is causing her to pee and poop all over. Neutering the male should help him with his litter box habits and it will hopefully help the female too. Until the male has been neutered and a few weeks have elapsed, it might be better to wait to switch their cages. Then you won’t be dealing with all those hormones.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I have two bunnies that are not bonded and they’ve been a pooping pair since the dawn of time. As long as they are not bonded (even if they are fixed) no amount of training is going to make them stop pooping outside their boxes. It’s territorial.

[Bibi]

I see, I was not aware how the bonding could affect the pooping situation. I do let them out together during playtime and they seem really friendly they are bonded but i am just separating them for the time being when they’re sleeping/ pen until he gets neutered.

I will be mindful about switching them around in different pens!

Would it be helpful to extend their pens when the male is neutered?

I am cleaning up their urine with vinegar.. it is on carpet so hopefully the vinegar should at least eliminate the odour.

[Asriel and Bombur]

I’m sorry, but they aren’t bonded and they really shouldn’t even be together if one of them isn’t fixed. Fixed bunnies can feed off the hormones in an unfixed bunny, which can cause issues. You really just don’t know what could happen on that front, and bunnies can fight pretty badly when they’re hormonal, and if they aren’t bonded/bonded properly.

Bonded bunnies live together and can never be separated. The fact that they are being territorial shows that they are not bonded. They both need to be fixed and gone through the proper bonding process. Once the other one is fixed, you can’t let them out together until sessions start. Scents change after a spay/neuter and it can cause the other bunny to perceive them differently.

[tobyluv]

Until both rabbits have been spayed or neutered, and you have gone through a regular bonding routine, they are not bonded and they should be kept separated – no playtime together. An unneutered male can start obsessively humping the female, and that can lead to fighting and severe injuries. Or there can be territorial feelings which lead to fighting. You have been lucky so far that your bunnies have gotten along, but that could change in an instant.

[DanaNM]

Not being neutered also makes litter box training very difficult, and his hormones are likely making your girl more territorial. So I would just try to hang on as best you can and wait till his neuter!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Author]

Messages