litter training my bunny

[ilovemypets]

all of it all


i just recently got a lop earred bunny. she is about 3 months old. i hate leaving her in the cage but when i let her out she poops and pees all over my floor. i put out a litter box for her but she will not use it. does anyone have any advice of how i can train her to use the litter box so she can have run of the house? please help.:rolleyes:

[Karen]

See http://rabbit.org - you need to take charge. How big is her cage? Do leave her in the cage, watch where she pees in there, and put the litterbox in that spot. See that site for more info.

[ilovemypets]

should i leave the bottom of her cage empty or should i keep putting the shavings in the bottom of her cage?

[Daisylover]

DO not use pine or cedar shavings, they have been shown to cause cancer is rabbits. The natural oils in softwoods mixes with something is the buns urne and gives off a cancer causing vapor.

You can use aspen (a hardwood as opposed to the softwoods listed above). or bedding made of recycled newspapers such as Carefresh or Yesterdays News. There is also now a wheat based litter for cats that might work for bunnies. As Karen said, go to www.rabbit.org and read all of their litter training info.


Also an unneutered bunnies, both boys and girls, will poo and pee everywhere when they become sexually mature...this is their way of attracting a mate. Get the bun spayed and the problem will go away....not immediately because after the operation the hormones linger in the bunny's body for 4-6 weeks, but after that time the poo and pee everywhere should cut down dramatically. Also adult bunnies, around 1 yr of age, will be more likely to use a litter box than a young one.... Young bunnies are having too much fun and are too excited about investigating their world to stop and go over to their litter box....kinda like trying to get a toddler to stop playing and use a toilet.....

It will get better but in the meantime I would only let your bunny out when you are at home and can watch her. Remember spaying the bunny is they key to this problem. Good luck.

[G.P.girl]

my bunny cadbury is litter trained.
but he still has "accidents" when
he is angry. he tends to lay a bunch
of dry turds allround one spot. do
you guys know why he might do this?
i dont think it's because he is
mad or anything.. i dont know ,
but it is very annoying....

[Daisylover]

The first question is, is he neutered?

Bunnies leave poo's around to attract a mate. They also leave poo's around in order to say to the next bunny who comes through the door that THIS space is MY Space. So either way I doubt the droppings are accidents..... It sounds to me like your rabbit is being a typical rabbit. If he is doing a territory marking that should stop aft. a couple of weeks when he is satisfied that his area is safe from trespasser bunnies.

The best thing you could do for him is to have him neutered by a rabbit specialist vet... Buns are sensitive to anesthetics and the right one in the right amount must be used. Another plus for neutering is that the urine will not smell as strongly once the hormones are out of his system and it also calms the bunny down as well as eliminates the chance for a reproductive cancer. Most vets do not bother to take the classes is rabbit care and therefore have no idea how to care for a rabbit. A rabbit's physiology is dramatically different from a cat or dog and what medication a vet might give to a cat for a specific health problem would kill a bunny even if it was for the same problem. So interview the vets in your area and do not settle for one who has not had the training....we get quite a few sad stories about well-intentioned vets giving wrong or incorrect amount of medications and causing unnecessary deaths. Also have heard of some really bizarre treatments too so it's just better to stay away from a cat/dog vet when you want rabbit care.