Toilet behaviour inside has suddenly changed.

[Kafrn]

Hi everyone!

I have a male Netherland Dwarf rabbit who we estimate is 6 months old (he was rescued so we are not entirely sure).

He is inside a lot, but used to always go outside to go to the toilet for some reason, which was GREAT! He never used to poop inside

 

But recently he has started pooping a lot inside, and weeing on the couch and the floor a lot. Poop everywhere! Can anyone help out with any reasons why he could be doing this? We really dont want to have to keep him out of the house because of this.    Is he too old to toilet train? How can we fix this problem?

 

 

[tabalab]

Is he altered? I mean i sure he is because you adopted him…

[Kafrn]

He is not desexed. We got him from someone who didnt want him and who was mistreating him so he didnt go through a shelter.
So no, he is not altered.

[tabalab]

that could be one of the problems mine love to pee and mark THEIR area’s mine are not altered either and everyone told me that was the big issue

[Kafrn]

Thanks Tabalab!
So he is marking his territory…

Looks like he owns the lounge now

[tabalab]

yes but i think you should still try and catch him and put him in the litter box before he pee’s on the sofa again there is a whole page of suggestions ill find u and link you

[tabalab]

https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aff/3/aft/105960/afv/topic/afnp/120377/Default.aspx
that is one

[tabalab]

also if you go up and the litter training it may help

[tabalab]

another thing someone told me is if you get a towel and hold the bun in the towel and kind of rub the towel on the bun and then rub the towel on whatever it is the bun is peeing on or leave it there, your bun should be less likely to pee there because it smells like itself

[Kafrn]

Thank you so much, this is all such a great help!
the other link that you sent me is great also, I am going to read up on litter training him now also, I dont know much about it yet :/

[tabalab]

anyone know what i can use instead of coroplast as a bottom on a cage

[Kafrn]

I dont know what coroplast is, but we put lucerne hay on the bottom of the cage cause they like to forage in it and it is good insulation for sleeping on, and they love to eat the lucerne in it.
We are in Australia. Where are you?

[jerseygirl]

Hi Kafrn, nice to see another Australian member joining! It could be a combination of things that have triggered this but the most likely reasons are – the bunny has entered puberty, and is not desexed. Having him fixed will greatly help if when litter training them. Around 3-6 months is when the hormones arrived and start causing havoc. It also means you can get the bun neutered too – about 4 months old onward. Couches are a favorite marking spot as they smell like us so much. The scattered poop everywhere are territorial – if you can even see they’re slightly shiny then they’re definately territorial poop. Another trigger for loss of habit is something new in the household. New baby, new pet etc.   Have you tried giving him a litter box indoors yet?  He may surprise you.  Put all his poops in there and any pee you’ve mopped up on paper towel in there too.  It’ll help him figure out where it’s acceptable to go.

Tabalab, you can use things like linoleum or vinyl offcuts for flooring. Even large tiles. Vinyl and the like is good as it’s easy to clean and you can curve it up the side of the enclosure to keep hay in and act as a splash guard if your bunnies are sprayers.

[tabalab]

thanks guys I’m jsut not sure were i am going to get it. I rather not spend a ton of money need to save up for the nasty sounding alter

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