MiniLopHop
Well-Known Member
This is going to be long so please bear with me.
Indiana Bunns (Indy for short)is a rescue bun that just came home on Saturday. Hehas been in foster care since February. He came from a horrible abuse/neglect situation where he was so confined he didn't know how to hop, very skinny, dirty, and an infection was let go way too long. He is deaf at least on the right side, not sure how much he hears on the left, but he will respond to some sounds. His right eye had to be removed because of the infection as well. We are not too sure how well he sees out of the other eye, but he will run in a circle when something startles him, so I think he's trying to see it with the eye he has left. He just got the cone of shame removed and a clean bill of health last week from a very rabbit savvy vet. After months of antibiotics and surgery he's finally feeling better.
I am in love already, but there's one problem, his litter box habits are horrible.Indy will go potty where ever he is and not bother moving out of it! I had to give him almost a full bath yesterday because his whole underside was soaked in urine. He was so good about letting me bathe him and seemed more comfortable after he was clean. I gave him a good brushing while at it and he groomed himself all up. I put down plastic with a sheet over it to make the messes easier to clean than off the carpet. The sheet was wet again in two places this morning and he was laying in one. I know he is not just dribbling constantly because he peed in the sink when I was washing him, it was a large volume.
I'm using litter boxes that have only a 1 inch rise and a grate so he can just step up a little and does not have to really hop into a box. I clean what I can off the floor and put it into the box. He sort of sniffs the box but doesn't really seem to know what to do about it. He's not always going in the same place so I can't put a box there.
Could the laying in waste be a learned helplessness from the horrible conditions he came from? Anyway I can teach him better?
He's also bonding to my Becky. She has always been extremely clean and 100% on using her box. She continues to use the box faithfully. As their bond becomes stronger can she teach him? They now lay close together, even partially touching but she stays out of the mess.
Indy is eating and drinking like a champ, he's great at following his nose to food. He explores the area he's in, but likes to nap a lot. He is so very sweet and has been through so much I just want him to be happy and healthy. There is no question of giving him back even though I haven't signed the contract yet. It would break Becky's heart if he were to leave, and mine. We have to figure this out somehow. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
ray:
Indiana Bunns (Indy for short)is a rescue bun that just came home on Saturday. Hehas been in foster care since February. He came from a horrible abuse/neglect situation where he was so confined he didn't know how to hop, very skinny, dirty, and an infection was let go way too long. He is deaf at least on the right side, not sure how much he hears on the left, but he will respond to some sounds. His right eye had to be removed because of the infection as well. We are not too sure how well he sees out of the other eye, but he will run in a circle when something startles him, so I think he's trying to see it with the eye he has left. He just got the cone of shame removed and a clean bill of health last week from a very rabbit savvy vet. After months of antibiotics and surgery he's finally feeling better.
I am in love already, but there's one problem, his litter box habits are horrible.Indy will go potty where ever he is and not bother moving out of it! I had to give him almost a full bath yesterday because his whole underside was soaked in urine. He was so good about letting me bathe him and seemed more comfortable after he was clean. I gave him a good brushing while at it and he groomed himself all up. I put down plastic with a sheet over it to make the messes easier to clean than off the carpet. The sheet was wet again in two places this morning and he was laying in one. I know he is not just dribbling constantly because he peed in the sink when I was washing him, it was a large volume.
I'm using litter boxes that have only a 1 inch rise and a grate so he can just step up a little and does not have to really hop into a box. I clean what I can off the floor and put it into the box. He sort of sniffs the box but doesn't really seem to know what to do about it. He's not always going in the same place so I can't put a box there.
Could the laying in waste be a learned helplessness from the horrible conditions he came from? Anyway I can teach him better?
He's also bonding to my Becky. She has always been extremely clean and 100% on using her box. She continues to use the box faithfully. As their bond becomes stronger can she teach him? They now lay close together, even partially touching but she stays out of the mess.
Indy is eating and drinking like a champ, he's great at following his nose to food. He explores the area he's in, but likes to nap a lot. He is so very sweet and has been through so much I just want him to be happy and healthy. There is no question of giving him back even though I haven't signed the contract yet. It would break Becky's heart if he were to leave, and mine. We have to figure this out somehow. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
ray:
