SPRINKLES : Drinking her Urine!

[Deleted User]

I have had Sprinkles for about 3 years (she was given to me through my friend’s boss as she was no longer wanted).

When I first had Sprinkles she would drink her urine and oh god I thought this was strange.  It was brought to my attention that perhaps she was neglected by her former owners and was not given fresh water daily, so her survival instincts were set in motion.

I have noticed on occasions she will still drink her urine off the floor … she has always had terrible potty habits and tends to pee/poop everywhere (luckily its a hard surface floor).  It does not bother me now (or obviously her) but her drink bowl is always full of water, yet she insists on drinking her urine!

Maybe she still has this inbuilt habit of hers. 

[wendyzski]

I have read about cases like this – a neglected rabbit gets into the habit because they don;t get enough water.  Some grow out of it, some don’t.

Same thing with bolting their food.  Some rabbits seem to feel that they have to eat it all up right away in case it goes away.  Pepper used to be like that, but now I think she knows that it will still be there if she leaves and comes back.

Poor thing.

[Gravehearted]

I’ve never known any bunnies who drink their own pee, but I think that is could be an instinct from early neglect she may have suffered. I don’t think it will make her sick or anything.

[Deleted User]

Funny you say that cos Sprinkles is always the first to finish her food … she generally snatches it out of my hand.  She eats her greens like she has not been fed for a week and leaves nothing.

[BinkyBunny]

Hi Dawn, From everything I have read around the net, and asked a vet about, the conclusion is that there is not definite reason why some rabbits drink their own urine. I guess a study hasn’t been done, or I can’t find it on the net. But from what I can gather, there does seem to be common theme (as you and others noted) that some bunnies who were neglected drink their own urine because when they were young that’s how they survived. Once safely in a wonderful home like yours, some stop doing it after many months, while others continue to do it throughout their life. Also from what I researched, it is not harmful and does not seem to signify any underlying health issues.

I am just so happy she has a loving human that accepts her quirky tastes. I’m sorry she’s still such a stubborn pooper. Does she still spray as much as she used to?

Bailey no longer poops anywhere around the house, but she’s always been a mess in her area. But she can do whatever she likes in there (she doesn’t pee anywhere but her box though)

Bailey was a neglect case too and she for years she used to scarf everything up in sight as fast as she could. The last year, she has really calmed down. She’ll come over and eat, but then go off and do something else for awhile, play, lounge, groom, whatever, and then come back and eat some more at her own leisure. But I would say she was a scarfer for the first three and half years I had her.

[Deleted User]

Hi Chooky

Unfortunately I cannot have Sprinkles out roaming the house … or even one room as she will pee everywhere and even when she is in her pen she tends to still pee on the floor sometimes. When I clean her out, I open up an area where she can go, and by the time I have finished the floor is puddled. The cleaning up is enormous and very time consuming … I feel bad sometimes cos she is in her pen so much, but I cannot handle the mess she does! But nevertheless, I do bring her out with me wrapped up and she gets petted for 30 mins a night. She enjoys that and does not mind being in her blankie. She gets annoyed and thumps when she has to go back in her pen! LOL.

One way, I am lucky as she adores affection and attention and dotes on being petted, whereas some bunnies will not have a bar of it or very little. So I guess one great thing has come out of it all.

[BinkyBunny]

I know you have really tried to litter train her for years. How was she over at your friends house? Maybe she just loves it so much over at your place, that she has to let everyone know “MINE, MINE, MINE!” There are a few bunnies in this world that really are stubborn.

My bunnies really love their pens. They have alot of freedom to explore if they want to. We cut little doors in the pen that we can open and close. Each gets about 6 – 8 hours a day to come out, but I find them hanging out in their pens alot of the time. Bailey comes out in the morning and for some snuggling in the afternoon. Jack and Rucy will run throughout the house in the evening, but all in all, I’d say they spend about 70% of their time in their pen. They never used to be like that at our old place, but we really gave them some fancy schmancy pen homes that they seem to be very content in.

[Deleted User]

That’s so cool … your pen designs as I remember them were terrific.  No wonder they don’t want to come out that much LOL.

Sprinkles was at my friend’s place for about 7 months … she went there initially because I was having the house painted, but guess she just ended up staying there longer.  Lily was there also, but I bought her home with me as she had her first episode of flopsy syndrome.  My friend built Sprinkles a huge pen for inside which she loved.  She would come out each night to roam around in 2 rooms but she was a constant pooper everywhere and did pee in two corners … paper was put down in those corners which she used to go on.

I have virtually given up trying to litter train her (impossible in my books).  She is hard work but I love her to bits.  She never bonded to Lily and for that matter I am not even going to try with Luey (he’s another bunny I rescued as the owner did not want him anymore).  Sprinkles is a one on one with a Human .. other bunnies around her just cause her to get upset and at the moment she is peeved with the fact that Luey is around.  Last night she did not want a bar of me and her way of showing that is more pee puddles everywhere. Oh god, what do you do?

Luey is pretty good out in the loungeroom with me … he does not  pee (horray!), but poor Sprinkles is in her pen when he is out and I can see her giving us both the evil eye.

Bad Bunny Business in my house at the moment!

[BinkyBunny]

AWW. So what’s Luey’s story? What’s he look like? What’s he like? How’d you rescue him. Such a soft heart! How sweet.
Well, I wouldn’t be surprised if Sprinkles went into turbo poo-pee mode with him around. She might do better with a male though….so maybe bonding could be in their future??? If they could end up being friends, she may not feel the need to make her point that she owns the place over and over.

[cookie627]

yeah. . . my bun when he sprays he starts to drink his own pee.

[Deleted User]

After Lily died (at that time Sprinkles was still at my friend’s house) I missed not having a bunny around … I was quite devastated.  Anyways, a work colleague of mine has bunnies (6 in fact), he knew that I had recently lost Lily and how I felt.  He has another friend  who actually breeds all types of bunnies and she was dumped with a bunny (the owner did not want him (Luey) anymore because of his biting habit).   However, this lady had no need for Luey (he is spayed) and was anticipating finding him a new home.

Well I jumped at the chance, I called in to see her and Luey and of course me being ME I fell in love with him.  He is a dwarf lop, spotty fawn colouring, 2 years old and spayed.  I have had him for about a month now … his biting did concern me, but I think he was maybe abused by the former owner (who knows!).  His biting has subsided, just have to be very careful when placing his food down as he will tend to lunge and bite now and then, but he is getting better.

I took Sprinkles back as I felt my friend was not looking after her. I had to take her to the vet as she had a bacterial infection in her gut, but she’s ok now as you can see! … so now I have a house full – 2 bunnies and 2 piggies.  Such fun though!

[Deleted User]

OOPS … That should have read SOOTY FAWN not “Spotty”

[BinkyBunny]

well if his biting continues, post up the issue, because there a few membes here that have dealt with similar issues, myself included that would be able to help you out.

[Deleted User]

Ok thanks for that … I’ll keep it in mind.

[Author]

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