Litterbox Training

Add a healthy treat: I like to add a small amount of a pleasant smelling herb like mint, basil, or rosemary in their litter box. It not only smells good, but it’s a tasty treat for them too, and great encouragement to get in.

Actual Training

Start small: If a bunny is given too much freedom too fast, that just invites a poopfest.  So, I allow my bunny to master one area before moving him/her to the next. If your only space right now is a small cage then I suggest getting an x-pen to allow at least some space to stretch and exercise while he’s confined. This won’t be forever, just until he is litter trained.  Usually takes a few weeks.

Find the favorite corner:  They usually do their business in a favorite corner.  I put the “prepared” litter box in that corner.  If my bunny decides on a few corners, then I put in a few litter boxes. I have found that they begin to prefer one, and I slowly take out one at a time.

Become a Clean Freak and clean up urine mishaps asap:
It also helps to clean up any urine that’s outside the box as soon as you notice it, (including blankets/linens). It can really be tiring at first, but diligence can pay off.
If you notice this increases marking instead, then your bunny may actually need to feel more secure by leaving his scent around a bit, so you may want to back off on the Clean Freak method and see if your bunny marks less

Training Sessions – Catch ‘em in the Act:  I find this to be the most effective training tool. The best way to catch ‘em in the act is to spend time with your bunnies everyday around the time they eat.  This is when they will most likely need to poo too!

Each time you catch your bunny lifting its tail to pee or poo, at that very moment, say “Eh uh!” or “No!” and herd him or nudge him to the litter box. (it doesn’t help to do it after he’s done the deed). You may even want to put the first part of his body in the box. Best to allow him to get in the box so he will understand going into the box himself.

It is also helpful to teach your bunny to understand the word litter box so he will go there when you say the word.  See tips on how to do this below.

Giving More Freedom

This is when great habits can go down the drain.  It’s important to  allow limited  freedom and watch like a hawk.

Should the litter box be only in their cage/pen? Many bunnies will still go back to their cage or area to pee and poop, but if you have a large house, or there is a corner in a room that just seems to be a continuous target no matter how much you’ve trained him/her, then I would put a litter box there.

Make sure to still catch them in the act in any new space.  You’ll need to be diligent about watching until they are completely trained in every place.  In larger spaces, like the living room, I bring a water bottle, and give a quick squirt.  It reaches them fast and right when they are lifting their tail.   Then I herd them back to their litter box.  Again, don’t chase!  If they just refused to get it, I would only then pick ’em up and place them just in front of the litter box, blocking escapes, so they can jump in the box on their own.  Then I quickly back away so they feel safe to stay in there.

Teach the word “Litter box” 

Say the word “litter box” over and over while herding your bunny to his box. Make sure not to chase or terrify him. That will only seem like punishment and they will avoid the box.  Just gently and persistently herd and guide. As soon as they jump back into the box, you back off. Your bunny will learn that getting in the litter box makes you back off

Tip for bunnies who refuse to get in to the box: If after a few minutes of herding, pick ’em up and place them just in front of the litter box, blocking escapes, so they can jump in the box on their own.  Then quickly back away so they feel safe to stay in there.

You can also give a treat, unless your reaching down toward him makes your bunny jump out of the box.  Just see how your bunny reacts. After a while, you should be able to just say the word “litter box” a few times before your bunny goes there.

Tips for Stubborn Bunnies

STAY OUT OF THEIR SPACE:

Some territorial bunnies just figure everywhere is fair game for territorial marking.  And it doesn’t help if you are reaching into or entering their space.  This may confirm that they don’t really have a space of their own, therefore, it’s all their space.

SO………

…..I let their space, their cage, be a place that is THEIRS. I don’t clean or reach in while they are in there.  (I may drop food and water in, but that’s it).  I try not to reach in to get them or physically lift them up and put them back in.
Instead,  I let them come out on their own

And if I can’t herd them back in after play time, then when I do pick them up, I place them just outside the entrance, blocking an escape so they go back in on their own.

Once they become litter trained,  then I can usually reach in and pet them and offer affection in their territory.  But if you find that that makes things worse, then of course don’t do that anymore.  🙂

Bailey – The Persistent Marker

My solution w/ Bailey:Spend time with her on the floor.

Even though Bailey mastered the litter box in her area, she has what I jokingly call OMD – Obsessive Marking Disorder, As soon as she gets freedom, she begins marking one small area in the living room with territorial  pills. (and having a litter box there didn’t help)

So I started observing her.  Unlike my other bunnies who want to run and explore, Bailey immediately looks for attention.

…So as soon as I let her out, I lay on the floor in the area that she likes to mark and I pet her. For some reason that has helped decrease her marking. Maybe this makes her feel secure so less need to mark. Maybe since I’m on the floor too, she’s sees it not as just her area, or maybe she feels she doesn’t have to prove her dominance through marking since she’s  getting “dominant rabbit treatment” aka: grooming/petting. I’m really not sure, but whatever the reason, her marking diminishes in that area if I follow that routine.

UPDATE: Bailey rarely marked in the general area, but she took to making her own pen look like a poo bomb went off. But as long as she keeps her poos in her pen, I’m happy.