My bunny pee’s next to the litter box!

[Fanman]

We recently purchased a rex and have been letting her have the run of the house.  She is pretty good with not leaving poops around the house but we’ve noticed recently she has been peeing next to the litterbox and rarely in it!  Is there anyway to deter her from this behavior?

Thanks!  (first time rabbit owner)

Kevin

 

 

[Beka27]

does she do that all the time or just when the box is pretty dirty.  some rabbits get mad if their box is not as clean as they think it should be. 

have you just recently increased the running space?  you may need to startover by restricting the running area until litter habits begin to improve.

also, is she spayed?  if not, that is a large factor in littertraining.  females can usually be spayed betw/ 5 and 7 months.

[ReeNa]

Thats the only reason I have heard a bunny not going in their box is if it is not up to “clean” par to their standards. LoL

 

Like…..”your not gonna clean my box, Im gonna show you”. LoL

[Fanman]

Im not sure if she’s been spayed as we bought her at 1yr of age from an add.  We also have cats which may or may not have used her litterbox.  Are rabbits sensitive to other animals scents? Like would she refuse to use her litterbox if a cat decided to use it? The litterbox gets cleaned twice daily so unless she is extremely picky, there shouldnt be an issue.

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[MooBunnay]

Welcome to BinkyBunny Fanman!

The first thing you should take care of is finding out if she is spayed or not, in addition to really helping out with the litterbox habits, spaying reduces the risk of cancer in your female bunny, and ovarian cancer is very prevalent among female bunnies – so it will keep her healthier as well.

The reason may be the cats, she probably wouldn’t want to go in there if she knew a cat was in there as well. I had two bunnies that really like to pe next to their box because they were actually trying to mark the corner of their cage, so I got them a bigger litterbox and now they use it all the time. Is where she is peeing now a corner or a room? If so, try moving the litterbox to where she is peeing, or try getting a slightly larger box that will cover the area where she is peeing.

Generally you wouldn’t have to clean out a bunny’s litterbox twice – what kind of litter do you use? I use a pelleted litter, and I clean out my bunny’s litterboxes twice a week. Do you have a layer of litter and then a layer of hay on top of that in the box? Also – is the litter you are using cat litter? If it is cat litter that may be another reason that she won’t use the box. Try a litter like “Carefresh” or “Yesterday’s News” which you can generally find at pet stores (do not use pine shavings!). Also, “Feline Pine” could work in your bunny’s litterbox.

[Fanman]

Thanks for all the information!

Her litterbox is a large corner box usually intended for cats and we are currently using the clumping cat lttter (previous owner was using it).  If we switch it to the other style of litter will the smell be more noticeable? or do we empty the entire contents of the litterbox twice a week?  (unfamiliar with other types of litter).  And what would be the purpose of putting a layer of hay on the top?

Kevin

[Beka27]

clumping litters are not good for rabbits.  here is an excerpt from HRS (rabbit.org) about the different types of litter

Pros and cons of the various types of litter include:

• clay litter is dusty–if your bunny is a digger, the dust can make her vulnerable to pneumonia
• the deodorant crystals in some clay litters are toxic
• clumping litters will clump inside the rabbit’s digestive and respiratory tracts (the latter if they manage to make enough dust to breathe) causing serious problems and often leading to death
• pine and cedar shavings emit gases that cause liver damage when breathed by the bunny
• corn cob litter isn’t absorbent and doesn’t control odor, and has the the risk of being eaten and casing a lethal blockage.
• oat- and alfalfa-based litters (available from Purina, Manna-Pro, and King-Soopers groceries [not sure what the geographical range of this chain is]) have excellent odor controlling qualities, but if a rabbit eats too much, they expand and cause bloating; these, too, can be added, with the bunny’s waste, to compost
• newspapers are absorbent, but don’t control odor
• citrus-based litters work well, offer no dangers, and can be composted, but may be hard to get and expensive in some areas of the country/world
• some people have reported success with peat moss which can also be composted
• Many people have great success with litter made from paper pulp or recycled paper products. These litters are very good at absorbing and cutting down on odors. A litter called CAREfresh is available. You can find out about local places that carry Carefresh by emailing
  [script removed]
  
  [script removed]
  absorbs@absorption-corp.com or by calling 1-800-242-2287. A similar litter in a pelleted form is called Cellu-Dri 1-800-382-5001. These litters are harmless if ingested.
• Compressed sawdust pellets: are inexpensive, highly absorbent litters used in many foster homes. They are made from softwood or hardwood sawdust, but they are not toxic because the phenolic compounds are removed during their manufacture. Their wood composition helps control bacterial growth and odors. Wood stove fuel pellets and Feline Pine are two examples of this product.
• Litters made from Aspen bark are safe and good at absorbing odors. One brand is called GentleTouch 1-800-545-9853.

 

another reason why a rabbit may pee next to the box might be a urinary problem.  try changing the litter to one that is safe for rabbits, and schedule her for an exam at a vet.

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