Litter Training

[Scarlett Dellow]

Hi all,

We adopted our bun in October and had her spayed in November last year and ever since she has been perfectly litter trained for the majority of this time, however in the last 3 or so weeks she’s been having accidents almost daily when on our bed and couch. At first we noticed pooping when she would get on the bed and occasional peeing but we thought that it must be territorial as she’s getting more comfortable/confident with being on the bed but it has not stopped and she’s now peed on the bed 6 times along with countless pooping. In the last 2 weeks we have been putting her in her hutch the second we see her go outside of her litter box but it doesn’t seem to be doing anything and we now worry about letting her on the bed in case she pees. Is there anything else we can do to fix this?

Thanks!

[DanaNM]

Hmm, is she only peeing on the bed? Or other places too?

Since she’s spayed and this was an abrupt change from her normal behavior, it makes me think she might have a UTI or some other medical issue? Sometimes when bunnies are ill they only have one symptom, so any change in behavior could indicate a health problem.

I will say that many bunnies pee on beds because they are soft and they smell strongly of humans… I would try first blocking access to the bed and see if she’s still having accidents. If she really is only peeing on the bed it is likely marking. One member here put a shower curtain on the bed, with a blanket over it, which blocked the smell of human a bit, and also protected from accidents.

The other thing that can help is to try to have her take “potty breaks” when she is out playing to make sure she uses her box. You can guide her to her box but not lock her in the hutch.

Do you tend to lock her in whenever she goes in? She could be afraid to return to her hutch for fear of not being let out again.

. . . 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.  

[Manda]

I gave up on letting my Cinni on the bed- every single time she would pee- it was as if to say screw you! She also did this on the bathroom carper every time I would bring her in the bathroom to hang out while taking a relaxing bath(me not the rabbit) but I think it might be a territorial thing even if they are spayed. Cinni was spayed. I’m not sure if it an age thing too- once my Cinni got older she had a harder time getting in the box so I laid down puppy pads and it worked GREAT. You can maybe try putting down a puppy pad or 2 when you have her on the bed? I had that bun 13 years and from when she was small to 13 she would ALWAYS pee on the bed. Dana is probably on to something when she says it might have something to do with the humans or smell

[Scarlett Dellow]

She is only peeing on the bed, however pooping everywhere else. No we don’t lock her in, we just put her in her hutch and put the poop into her litter box to remind her where she is supposed to go to the toilet. Thank you both for your advice, I’ll try guiding her to her box before she goes instead of after and see if that helps otherwise we may have to block off the bed.

Up until the last few days it has only been scattered poop and peeing on the bed, however she now seems to be properly going to the toilet all over our room. Instead of scattered poop in the last couple of days she has been leaving piles of poop on the bed and on the floor of our bedroom, as well as all over her hutch instead of just her litterbox. She really does seem to have lost her litter training, how can we get this back at least to the point where she isn’t going all over her hutch and the floor of our room?

[Deleted User]

It really could be a UTI if she’s doing it in other places. A vet visit wouldn’t hurt to test for one along with bladder stones. If it’s medical, you won’t get her to pee normally until the issue is resolved. Until then, just do what you did to train her. Block access to places, give her a smaller area to roam, put the pee paper towel in her litter box. Putting her in her hutch as punishment won’t do anything. Bunnies don’t realize they are being punished, so it won’t really accomplish anything other then her feeling sad she isn’t out playing.

[Author]

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