litter trained… but only at home?

[zoologist]

My parents are allowing FInn to come home with me for Christmas. This is a HUGE deal because despite how different kinds of pets I’ve had over the years (cats, hedgehogs, rats, mice, ferrets, etc) they would NEVER allow them to come with me when I visited. 

We did a test run with Finn over thanksgiving when we visited my boyfriend’s family and stayed at his brother’s house. Finn had the whole room to himself with a litter box in the cage and in the room. At home his litter box habits are immaculate. He goes into the cage or out on the porch to use the box, like he should. At the brother’s house…. not so much. Instead of using the boxes he decided our dirty clothes pile would make a much better spot. 

The brother also has a rabbit who has never been in the spare bedroom (it’s all tile and she hates tile). Finn and the rabbit have never seen each other and the spare bedroom was kept closed at all times. 

So knowing how grudgingly my parents said yes to Finn visiting and part of them saying yes was because I told them he was box trained, I am really nervous to bring him home. 

He will probably be in the basement and won’t be allowed to free roam. He will have his cage and his pen to create a large enough run so he won’t despise me at the end of the week (he’s used to being out and about now!). He will have a litter box in his cage and one in his run, like his old set up. I’m just nervous that he will pee all over the sheet I put down instead of using the litter box.

Does any one else have this problem where their buns lose all litter training traits when in a new place?

[T-Bun]

I’m no expert by any means, but from what I’ve read it’s not uncommon for rabbits in new spaces. Some say it’s a territorial thing and/or just stress from a new place. I just adopted three adult buns, and it took them awhile to start using their pans consistently, though (after a week) they’re still a little hit and miss, but improving every day. That’s probably not much help since you’re just talking about a short visit to a new place. The upside (in my mind anyway) is that there really isn’t much of a mess when it comes to buns.

[LittlePuffyTail]

He may do some territorial marking. Getting a second litter box may help. For the first few days, you might have to check on him frequently to clean up any mess and put it in his litterbox.

[Brandy]

I took my buns to a rabbit freindly holiday party and they went all over the floor. I was so embaressed! I think they could smell other rabbits and it was a new place so it made them feel more secure. Thank goodness it was tile so I could clean up easily.

[LoveChaCha]

It isn’t uncommon to hear rabbits marking their territory when they are in a new place. I didn’t have much of an issue when I moved to an apartment with my Dad (Chacha was already litter trained way before then) but some rabbits are different. It is their way of saying “THIS SPACE IS MINE!” so we all have to think like how a rabbit would

[zoologist]

But isn’t there a difference between territory marking and full on using a place as a litter box? I mean, our clothes were soaked with urine and covered with pellets. This didn’t seem like a territory marking….

Just curious

[LittlePuffyTail]

Sounds like he was was just confused and thought the pile of laundry was an acceptable place to go.

[Author]

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