uncontrolled pooping, help!

[nicoled]

Hi there, I need some help. I’ve had my two rabbits for 6 or so years now. We’ve lived in the same apartment for 3 years. A few months ago, one of my buns, Lebut, starting leaving poops outside her box. We picked it up as soon as we saw it, but it has gotten steadily worse, to the point where she no longer uses the litter box for pooping at all. Out of desperation we have confined her to a smaller area- basically an area rug, which twice a day, morning and evening, i clean up with a dustpan. There is so much poop in her area that there is literally no place for me to stand without standing on poop.

I know she’s unhappy being in a smaller area while her friend is free, but I don’t know what to do. We haven’t noticed any fighting between them, and I’m not sure what could have happened to have started this trend. She still urinates in her box just fine, but she’s become just recently very aggressive when I try to clean her area, her litter, or give her food. She’ll hardly even let me pet her anymore.

I’m at a loss, because she’s clearly very unhappy, but I don’t know what to do about it

HELP!

[BinkyBunny]

This mixed with new aggression can mean there is actually something medically wrong. A rabbit in pain can get aggressive. You may need to rule out that is not a medical issue by making an appointment with a rabbit-savvy vet.

Also, has she seemed aggressive to the other bunny? I know you said you haven’t seen fighting, but does she display aggression with your other bunny at all? Are they bonded or live separately. Has there been any other changes going on? Moving the furniture around, any new animals scents. (Like even if you were at a petting zoo, or a freinds house that had animals that you pet) Stuff like that can also set off the pooping war.

But the aggression thing, being ongoing lately, makes me wonder more about health, unless she has always had a tendency towards being territorial.

[nicoled]

We’ve been to the vet, and he’s as baffled as we are. The two rabbits are bonded and have lived together since the beginning…we haven’t moved any furniture around and there’s no new animal scents that I can think of.

She’s always been shyer than the other bun, and he’s generally the top bunny in the house. At first we thought that there might be a territorial issue between the two of them, as she seemed a little short with him, but separating them didn’t seem to change any pattern in pooping or behaviour. The one time he managed to sneak into her area while I was cleaning, they licked and cuddled furiously.

At first we were taking turns cleaning her area, but she has since growled at my husband (which she’s never done at all before), and even tried to nip him. Usually she responds better to me, but she seems to be as upset with me as she is with the world.

[jerseygirl]

Sometimes it can be the most subtle change that may have caused an upset. Position of her litter box, new box or new litter. Maybe she wants a different box. Maybe she wants it cleaned more often. Strange I know, but sometimes… Maybe she can hear a visiting animal outside or under the flooring. Do you put the poop back into herbox when you sweep it up?
Seems so baffling after 6 years. Hope you can nut it out. Get into her head space!

[Author]

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