litter training woes

[sasama1]

I just got my bunny almost a week ago and we have been having the same litter box problems from the beginning.  He just loves to go everywhere but in his box.   He does like to do one thing in his box though: sleep.  I read in a book that I should offer a cozier bed for him so I went out and bought a nice little place to snooze.  The first thing he did was poop in it.  He pretty much stopped pooping in the bed I bought but he goes everywhere else in the cage.  I move his droppings and some of the wet bedding into his litterbox but he still doesnt get the clue. I also made the litter a different color from the bedding.  My vet does not want to neuter him until he is a little older (he is three months now).  I have tried all of the tricks and I know that it takes a while but I just want him to start going in the box, even if it is just a little. Are there any other tricks I should try?  Should I buy a different box that looks less cozy?

[MooBunnay]

Hello! What kind of bedding does your bunny have in his cage?

I would suggest having a cage or pen bottom that is a rug or linoleum. He may not like the bedding, and also by providing a cage bottom of rug or linoleum (you can buy cheap rugs or mats at Big Lots or something like that) the bunny will not confuse his bedding with litter. Also, by having a flooring like that, you can pick up all the poops, and use vinegar to clean up any pee, so that way there will not be any oos or pees left on the his cage floor so he can start to realize thats not where he’s supposed to go!

Also, have you put a layer of hay over the litter? That is the only trick I use to litter train bunny – by putting a big layer of hay over their litter, they tend to eat and poop at the same time, and hence are going in the box! You can see some pictures in the habitat section with litterboxes with hay in them, as well as pens with rug or linoleum flooring.

Lastly, bunnies tend to make “territorial poops” in new places, so he may be making some territorial markings, but in my experience that only lasts a few days.

Also, there is some litter box training provided on this page of this website: https://binkybunny.com/Default.aspx?tabid=62

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

I had luck by taking the litterbox out to see where he peed on his own, then put the litterbox in that corner. Once he started peeing in the litterbox, I put a few poos in there and he eventually got the idea.

[sasama1]

thanks to all that replied, I will definately try these tips. <3

[BinkyBunny]

Welcome sasami1!!

You’re bunny is reaching sexual maturity and unfortunately this is going to be the messiest time for him as his hormones are driving him to mark his territory.

But it doesn’t mean that you can’t train him to at least be better until he’s neutered. But he will most likely be a bit messy, until after he’s neutered (it takes about a month for the hormones to die down after surgery)

You may want to get a few litterboxes – depending on how big is cage is. He may choose one to lounge in and another to poop in, but some people try this method, and slowly decrease litterboxes once he begins going regularly in one or two of them.

Also, how much freedom does he get right now?

[sasama1]

Haha….i knew that a large part of the problem was the fact that he still has his man parts. Too bad for him that wont be long because I work at my vet clinic and have been trained to love castration beside the point, I let him out to run around my bathroom daily when I clean up his messes and whenever I am home from work. He is a 1.5 lb bunny in a cage that is about 1.5 by 2.5 feet (i am planning on building him a bigger one in the very near future, i just have to get supplies). If more space will help out, I have a puppy fence that I can set up in the bathroom to let him run around in until I can build him a bigger apartment. The ressureance that this is probably just hormones helps out a lot.

[poopy]

YES! GET HIM NEUTERED!

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By sasama1 on 07/01/2007 12:58 PM
He is a 1.5 lb bunny in a cage that is about 1.5 by 2.5 feet (i am planning on building him a bigger one in the very near future, i just have to get supplies). If more space will help out, I have a puppy fence that I can set up in the bathroom to let him run around in until I can build him a bigger apartment. The reassurance that this is probably just hormones helps out a lot.

Even after he’s neutered, he may need to be trained a bit. I am an advocate for limiting space while litter training, but just not as limited as his cage dimensions are right now.  So I think your idea of using a puppy pen would be good, because you can offer more room so he can get enough space to exercise while he’s in training.   Pens are also great for expanding territory as he gets it.  (by blocking off sections of rooms, areas etc)  

[Author]

Messages