New bunny not using litter box

[megs]

I got my daughter a Mini Rex for Christmas.  She was born on May 29, 2018.  The previous owner was a nurse with 2 jobs and didn’t have the time Larkin deserved.  Ever since she brought her home from the breeder she used the litter box without fail.  Every once and a while a stray pill, but nothing more than that.  She would go back to her litter box to use it when she was out of her pen.  She is not caged, she is in a large exercise pen.  I picked her up on the Saturday before Christmas and her old owner gave me her litter box and some of the wood stove pellets she used for litter.  Ever since she came to us, she will not really use her litter box.  She does seem to pee in it, but she also pees out of it a lot.  We added a second one as well hoping that would help.  Her pen is literally covered in pills this morning.  She also peed all over her blanket that she is obsessed with, so we had to take it away to wash it.  Her litter box has hay in it, we also put her pills in it when we pick them up off the floor. When we feed her all her food goes into the litter box.  When we clean up her pee, we use a paper towel and then put that into the litter box.  I was thinking at first it was stress,or territory marking, but she has been with us 10 days now and it is not getting any better.  I do plan to get her spayed, but I was afraid of adding that stress on top of  her going to a new house.  I thought maybe I should wait a little bit to do that.  Plus, her other owner was not having this problem, so I really don’t think that has anything to do with the litter box.  Any ideas?  I am really getting worried this isn’t going to subside.  

[DanaNM]

Hi there, welcome

So, if she was born May 29 that puts her at about 7 months old, so she is now a hormonal teenager. Couple that with moving to a new home, and I’m guessing that explains her loss of box habits. It’s pretty normal for new buns to take a bit of time to sort out their potty spots in a new home.

I do think it would be good to wait a couple weeks for her to settle in, but spaying should help! I’m guessing the old owner didn’t have this problem simple because she hadn’t hit puberty at first, and there weren’t any big changes to trigger the marking.

What type of flooring does she have in her pen? Any soft flooring can confuse them a bit (as you saw with the soft blanket). Some buns also are encouraged to use their box with soft bedding, like care fresh.

. . . 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.  

[megs]

Thank you.  She has a rug in her pen.   We have tons of paper bedding, we also have guinea pigs.  We could definitely try that.  I just didn’t want to change anything else up and stress her more.  Should I spay her now, or wait until she settles in more?  

[DanaNM]

You might start the process now, since who knows whether the vet will have openings right away.Not sure if you are new to rabbits in general, but it is important to have a very rabbit savvy vet for spays. You might ask them how many they do and what their success rate is if you are unsure. The vet should send you home with pain meds as well.
I think a few weeks of settling in might make her recovery easier for you monitor. You’ll have a better sense of her personality and habits, so you’ll know how she is doing in the recovery (“is she just acting scared, or in pain?”). And of course if she is less stressed about her location, she will be less stressed during her recovery as well.

. . . 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.  

[megs]

Yes, We have numerous vets here that specialize in rabbits. We also have a very good rescue in town that can help me find one. I think I will wait a little bit, my husband and I are going on vacation in 2 weeks anyway, so I will need to wait. Thank you for the help!

[Author]

Messages