Not using litterbox

[Anis]

Hi all,

My parent’s bunny recently started pooping and peeing outside her litter box. She’s never done this before and as much as we clean it and place the poop/paper towels with pee in the litter box, she refuses to use it. I’ve attached a picture for reference: the litter box is inside a drawer that has an opening on the side (her hay is there as well), and she now poops and pees outside on the floor.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Sudden behaviour changes can be hormonal or age-related. How old is your bunny, and has she been spayed?

[Bam]

Hi and welcome to the BB forums!

First a few questions: How old is the rabbit? Is she spayed? Has anything changed in the household, like the addition of another pet?

How is her appetite, and have there been any changes in amount and/or size of her poopies?

 

 

 

[Anis]

Hi both! She’s about 1.5 years – and nothing has really changed – eating normally, poop size/amount same as before. I’m visiting with my bunny but they are in separate rooms and don’t interact (its also been about a month and a half that I’ve been here and she started doing this last week) She’s not spayed.

[Bam]

If you are visiting with your bunny, I’d say it’s highly likely that this is marking behavior. Even if the two buns are kept separate and don’t have any direct contact, the rabbit sense of smell is so sensitive that they pick up on mere molecules of scent. An intact rabbit is more prone to react to the  scent of another rabbit, but spayed/neutered rabbits can react too.  When there’s another rabbit in the neighboorhood, the bun’s instinctive response is to make sure this new “intruder” knows whose territory they’re in.

If she chooses to pee and poop in much the same spot, you could put a temporary litterbox there,

Obviously keep a close eye on appetite, water consumption, poop and pee and general activity level, to make sure this isn’t about a health problem, like a UTI. Signs of a UTI can be straining to pee, and/or peeing tiny amounts all over the place.

[Author]

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