Litterbox Training Question/Discusion

[KytKattin]

 

I figured that the question I have is more related towards behavior, but if it’s in the wrong section please move it!

Commonly hay is used to help encourage rabbits to use the litterbox as it gets them in the box and they often ‘go’ when they are eating. I have read that everywhere from BinkyBunny to the House Rabbit Handbook to the House Rabbit Societies website(s). It is probably one of the fastest ways to get a rabbit to use the litterbox and possibly the most reliable as it is an instant reward for going in the litterbox. I wonder though if this limits some rabbits in the long run.When I was training Nova and Hubble the hay was accessible from the litterbox and while Hubble never used this aid, Nova was in a way forced to go into the litterbox in order to eat hay, even when she didn’t necessarily need to go to the bathroom. I no longer offer hay in or near the litterbox, instead I put it in a medium sized cardboard box so it is a toy as well as a food and it stays contained. While both no longer go to the bathroom in the box, Hubble got the idea much faster and has never gone in his box, whereas Nova had accidents for a few months after I introduced it (I am not including her most recent accidents as I believe them to be a marking behavior due to new cage arrangements). I wonder if I had encouraged her by simply putting all or at least some of her droppings in the litterbox instead of also adding hay if she would have picked up on the box filled with hay as a toy, not a toilet idea a little faster. Does anyone else have opinions on this? I still fully support putting hay in the litterbox for training, this is just something I’ve been thinking about!

 

[Sarita]

Many people do that and they say it works for them so I say give it a try. It won’t hurt and it might help. Does she pee outside the box too? Some people use tissue paper to soak up the urine and stick it in the litterbox too so that is something else to try.

[BinkyBunny]

I think that though there is the basic liitter training ideas, that with bunnies, it is never as predictable as we hope for, and that there can be many solutions do the same issues. So i say, if you find something that works for you, then that is great. I know that part of the reason that hay is used in boxes is that not that it is a reward but that part of the digestiion process is to eat while pooping. I know with mine, they’ll munch on hay there while they poop, but they eat more hay from the hay bin that’s outside of box and they don’t poop outside of the box.

HOWEVER, Vivian who was used to having hay over her box at the shelter, at first did poop wherever she ate hay even if the hay was outside of her box, but for some reason, she figured it all out on her own, just makes sure to poop in her box regardless of where hay is.

For some bunnies, figuring out the their litter routine is a science!

[jerseygirl]

I have continued to put hay in the litter box and also in a cardboard box too. I am having same problem though, the cardboard one ends up becoming a litter box. Even empty ones do, so I think it’s a bit of claiming going on. I tried a hay manger type thing to but still poop & pee all about. So now I’m just putting it in the litter boxes only. I find they can access it from outside the litter box also as I put it up at the front. I’m hoping this will contain the hay better and improve their litter habits again.

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