Litter box question?

[luvmybunny]

Hi all,

Bella is really doing great with her litter box trainng – YAY!

First, I will a picture of her cage, so everyone understands my question

I was cleaning her cage and litter box today and noticed that she pees outside of her cage, in the playpen area in the right hand corner, by the green pan. So should I put a litter box there too? I didn’t know if this would be too confusing or not, since she uses the one inside her cage?

Her cage setup:

Thanks for any suggestions!

[Monkeybun]

I have a box in Monkey’s cage, and one in her pen outside. She uses both So if your Bella likes to pee in that spot, I don’t see a problem with another box there. better than no box and have to clean up the icky mess :p

[luvmybunny]

Great thanks!! I just didn’t want to confuse her, since she is making such great progress!

[Barbie]

I see no problem with giving her extra litter boxes. Leroy has 3 – one in his cage and two around the house, since he’s mostly free range – and has excellent litter habits! Anyway, when litter training your bun, it actually works best to give the rabbit plenty of litter boxes (especially when they’re young and have short attention spans), and since rabbits are stubborn little buggers, you should put the boxes in the places that the bun chooses as the potty. Then, if you have to, gradually move the boxes later, after she’s trained.

Also, is that litter that you’ve put in her play area? Is it at least a different material than the litter in her box? She might be confusing her play pen as a litter box because of the litter. If she doesn’t like the slick surfaces – since it looks like the bottom is a plastic liner – try laying down some old towels and blankets or a grass mat (safe to be chewed/eaten!).

[Barbie]

I just thought of something else. Though it’s completely unrelated… I can’t tell from the picture, but Bella may be able to jump on top of her cage, and from there, over the side of her pen, since the pen doesn’t look much higher than the cage. Especially as she gets bigger and more adventurous. Also some buns like to sit up high and she might view that as a comfy hang out place – which would be fine, as long as she doesnt hurt herself or one day go over the pen.

Anyway, it’s just a word of warning. She may never try it. Though, if you have something flat and at about the same height as the pen’s fence sitting right next to the pen on the outside, like a chair or some boxes, she’ll be more bold than if it were a straight drop. If you think it might be a problem, you could get a big piece of cardboard and cut it to fit the top of the pen over the cage – the other half can be open, i doubt she could jump that high – and then punch holes around the edge and zip tie it in place, or use binder clips to make removal easier. It wont be pretty, but it’ll be safer. Or a nice sheet of thick plastic (I’m thinking about something similar to a chair mat for desks on carpet – pokey carpet grippers up, so she doesn’t cut herself on them!)

[luvmybunny]

Thanks for the info Barbie! I am glad that you can use multiple boxes – I was afraid that more than one would make her stop using it all together. She does great at playtime! She has a few poop accidents, but no pee…yay! So I put her a corner litter pan in her corner that she has been going in. I will get her another box next time I am out so she has one in the kitchen, her “play area” for when she is out. Thanks again!! Good to know!
To let you know, my dad had made me a gate for when we got Valen and I use that for a “lid” when we are not home. I put it on the cage at an angle and it sits on the edge of the playpen and attach it. We were worried that she may try to jump out. She hasn’t attempted it yet, but you never know! This is just her temporary cage until we see how bonding goes and make them a HUGE bunny mansion. If that doesn’t go well, we will just build her a mansion for herself, like Valen has.

[Monkeybun]

Monkey’s been eyeing the top of her cage when she’s out… guess I better build her a condo

[Lara]

Yeah, I agree that Bella will sooner or later scope out the top of her cage. And, to be honest, I have no idea how people get their bunnies to stay in playpens. If there is any way possible for Calypso to get out, he will try and try until he does! When he was just a teeny baby, I caught him trying to CLIMB out of his pen. Since that day, everything that I put him in has a cover, just so that he’s not tempted to escape and potentially hurt himself.

[Monkeybun]

I keep my monkey in her playpen only due to the fact she’s tiny! lol. just under 1.5 lbs, she can’t reach the top edge of it. The only time she has come close is when she does her straight up in the air binky, and thank god she can’t aim that! lol

[luvmybunny]

Yes lately, Bella has been sitting on top of her fiddlesticks cave…..plotting her way out I think!

[Beka27]

I’d recommend removing the bedding from the playpen area, try some blankets or just leave it empty. The coroplast is waterproof, so even if she has an accident, it won’t soak thru. Having bedding/litter in the entire cage is very confusing for a bunny and it is really not necessary. Have you considered removing the cage and just using the pen as the cage? It would make the pen feel bigger.

[Pam2]

Hi,

Yes, I am going to remove the bedding from the bottom of the cage. It seems like a lot of people are recommending this and I am going to give it a try. Today, in fact. I’ll probably put down a towel, just to see how he takes to it. I can’t remove the cage, I have two cats and it wouldn’t be safe, but I understand what you’re saying. Thanks so much for your suggestions. So many people have been great on this site. I am gong to try it and I will post to let everyone know how it is going.

Thanks again,
Pam

[luvmybunny]

Posted By Beka27 on 09/13/2009 08:16 AM
I’d recommend removing the bedding from the playpen area, try some blankets or just leave it empty. The coroplast is waterproof, so even if she has an accident, it won’t soak thru. Having bedding/litter in the entire cage is very confusing for a bunny and it is really not necessary. Have you considered removing the cage and just using the pen as the cage? It would make the pen feel bigger.

That’s a good idea, I am going to take out the bedding and try that! Removing the cage is a good idea too, I just ordered the cubes to make their new cage, so she will just be in this setup for another week. Can’t wait to start on the Bunny Mansion!
 

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