Help with urine scald, is it related to her bad potty habits?

[Aspen_The_Bun]

Hey everyone, this is one of my first posts. So far this forum has been very helpful for me since I rescued Aspen, my bun. Quick recap, I got Aspen about 4 months ago after I rescued her after she was dumped on a neighbors property. She was very relived to be back with people, even though she was skittish. I don't know much about her, only that she is female. Assuming she's a rex, only 4lbs, so maybe mini? I'm not entirely sure.
For the last few months I've been so focused on her setup, and other issues, that it took me a moment to realize she seems to have some urine scalding issues? A friend was holding her yesterday when I noticed it. I always noticed that her white feet were stained, but I didn't noticed the shriveled yellow hair on her legs until recently. I'll try to get photos today.
What causes urine scald? Is it her setup? She does have very poor potty habits, and it seems like she keeps using the litter box to pee less and less. At this point, she pees on her blankets everyday. I do my best to clean it up that day, but sometimes it sits in her cage for a bit until I can replenish the blankets. Could this be the issue? I have more photos of her setup in my introduction post, but I use a PetMate litter box with stairs because of the low sides. I don't put the dome on the top so she has the option to hop over the side, or use the stairs if she likes. I use paper bedding/pine pellets for litter, usually a mix of the two consisting more of pine pellets. I try to clean to between ever 3-4 days, to once a week depending on how it looks. Note, their is usually much more hay in the litter box than in the photo in my intro. I usually have about 4 times that much.
Along with this issue, any tips on her potty habits? I know they tend to mark their territory and wont always have perfect habits because of this, but peeing outside it everyday, and pooing in it 50/50 seems like it could use some improvement. I use Natures Miracle Cage Cleaner to deodorize, and try to pick up her droppings a little after she leaves them so that she wont drop more to remark her territory.
Also, she did have some dirty bottom issues until I stopped feeding pellets. I read another post and that seemed to be the cause, so I haven't been feeding veggies/fruit/pellets for about a week now.

 

[Blue eyes]

I'd suggest skipping that strangely shaped litter box and get a LARGE rectangular litterbox. Place the box in a back corner (more secluded) area of her space. Keep her space limited until she begins using the litter box. Until she does, remove all blankets from the floor of her cage. They like to potty on soft things, so if she's been going on blankets, they need to be removed. They can always be added back in later after she fully establishes proper habits.

Here is a link that shows a litterbox setup with a low-sided storage box from walmart:
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

I'd suggest skipping that strangely shaped litter box and get a LARGE rectangular litterbox. Place the box in a back corner (more secluded) area of her space. Keep her space limited until she begins using the litter box. Until she does, remove all blankets from the floor of her cage. They like to potty on soft things, so if she's been going on blankets, they need to be removed. They can always be added back in later after she fully establishes proper habits.

Here is a link that shows a litterbox setup with a low-sided storage box from walmart:
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

Awesome, thank you! I actually bought a cheep bin the other day that I might be able to use. I'll make those changes. Do you think this will help with the urine scald? I hope so.

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

get a LARGE rectangular litterbox. Place the box in a back corner (more secluded) area of her space.

Done,

Keep her space limited until she begins using the litter box. Until she does, remove all blankets from the floor of her cage. T

Done, and done. Thank you!
Just a quick question. Not to long after I got her I pulled the blankets because she was peeing on them. After that, I noticed that when she hopped around the house, her back legs were rotated to the left almost like she was hoping in a flop position. I have another thread that I actually need to update with more info on that. I asked a friend about it ,who said that me pulling the blankets might be the issue because their isn't a lot of traction in the floor of her pen, hence, adding blankets. So, I added them back in. Since then her hopping behavior is normal. I haven't updated my other thread because I haven't been able to get a photo of the awkward hoping since I made the change.
So, now that I'm pulling the blankets, should I be worried about the limited traction causing to rotation? The littler box did sit over the grippy area of the pen, so maybe now that its moved and she has that area it'll be aright?
Thanks for the help!

 

[JBun]

Have you tried a non slip smooth flooring, like a memory foam kitchen mat, rubber type mat, foam puzzle mat, non slip vinyl, etc? What you can use will also depend on how much of a chewer your rabbit is. Foam mats won't work for insistent chewers.

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

Have you tried a non slip smooth flooring, like a memory foam kitchen mat, rubber type mat, foam puzzle mat, non slip vinyl, etc? What you can use will also depend on how much of a chewer your rabbit is. Foam mats won't work for insistent chewers.

I did try a rubber mat for around her food and water as a test run. It was chewed by the next day. It did have a lip through, so a mat without a lip that was flush with the floor at the edges may work. I'll have to see if I can find one I can toss in their.

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

Update: Thanks everyone for your help! Her potty habits have gotten much better! She doesn't have nearly as many pee accidents, but were still working on the rest.
Though is there anything I can do about her urine scald? Do you need photos? The fur between her legs is matted, dry, and stiff, It seems so uncomfortable and I feel really bad for her. Since her urine habit have gotten better, should it go away on its own? Is there another reason this might be happening? Thanks for your help everyone! I appreciate it.

 

[Diane R]

Take her to the rabbit vet. The urine scalding is likely due to a health problem.

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

Sorry everyone its taken me so long to update this thread. I did contact a vet and am waiting to see what they say. Hoping to get an appointment scheduled, but I'm also comparing prices since that is an issue for me.
Here are some photos of Aspen's hind legs. I'm concerned that it maybe something caused by her back end that is creating the urine scalding. You can see in these photos the odd position she puts her legs him. Any idea what it could be?



In the above photo she has her feet crossed over each other. You can also see how bad the urine scald is. I do hope to have a vet look at it, but any info beforehand is definitely helpful. Thank you so much!

 

[Diane R]

She could have a spinal problem or a urinary tract problem or something else. We can't diagnose her, you really need to get the poor bun to a rabbit vet.

 

[Aspen_The_Bun]

She could have a spinal problem or a urinary tract problem or something else. We can't diagnose her, you really need to get the poor bun to a rabbit vet.

I understand this. No one on this forum is a vet, neither am I obviously. I do plan on getting her to a vet, I am just asking if anyone with a similar experience may have a guess as to what is going on. I appreciate your help, this is exactly what I plan on doing.