Litterbox training

[Carolyn]

CuddlesMom,

It's not a stupid question. "Bumping this post up" means that it's anolder post, but I'm bringing it back for someone who hasn't read it.Does that make any sense?



I'm so glad you asked that question because if you wonder, certainly someone else is too.

-Carolyn

 

[mhiszxpinay]

hi, i just got a bunny at least 1 week ago..solets say its 1 week old..I dont really no all the facts about bunniesor rabbits so i joine here! and its really helping me! But,idont wanna change the subject, but does anyone know where to buy alitterbox? and how much it usually costs..so i can have an idea for it?

 

[Carolyn]

You can usually purchase a litterboxfor$7on upat any pet supply store orstore that sells things for animals.

Rabbits like corner litterboxes or ones with high backs thebest. You're wise in getting the little one started early onlitter training. They tend to catch on quickly.

Stay away from cedar shavings as they're unsafe for rabbits.If you're using a litterbox, I wouldn't recommend you use a clay-basedcat litter either as it can get stuck between their paws and ifingested, it will make the rabbit very sick.

Keep the litterbox and cage area dry of soiled litter.

-Carolyn

 

[mhiszxpinay]

thank you Carolyn!

 

[Carolyn]

I'm bumping this post back up for gjsara.



-Carolyn

 

[Carolyn]

Bringing this back for blacklily.

-Carolyn

 

[Davemattewsbunny]

All this litter training info has been veryhelpful and entertaining. I'm relieved to know that theforest of droppings in the house will eventually diminish as they getolder and get fixed. They don't drop in corners nor anyparticular place, unless you consider the entire living room and diningroom their "particular" places. Here is where my questioncomes in...they are hutch bunnies but they come inside once or twice aday. their hutch is designed so that their droppings fallthrough (so I can collect the compost) except in their master nestbox. But I seem to find more droppings in their bedroom andbed and pee!!!! (I don't get this at all if they're supposed to be soclean) than under the cage where it would make sense. Anyonewho could shed some light on this , I would be most grateful.So I guess my question is how can I litter train them in theirhutch? I also have three little cottage cheese containerswith the newspaper litter in the corners of their bedroom, and I findas many droppings in those as I find in the bed and floor.(Big sigh). Thanks ahead of time. Naomi

 

[heth]

I'm trying to litter trainmy little bun, but for some reason, all she wants to do is sleep in it.Is there anything I can do to prevent this?

 

[FreddysMom]

My lil freddy loooves laying in his litter boxtoo. I think its so gross but he seems to love it. He's really goodabout urinating in it and he manages to get most of his lil poops inthere too. but here's the wierd thing when either my boyfriend and iare laying down with him cuddling and stuff he tends to have accidents.is this because he just so relaxed and doesnt feel like moving? b/chonestly when hes all comfy and relaxed is the only time he does haveaccidents. does anyone else have this problem and if so what did you doto correct it? i immediately place in him in his litter box when ithappens and give him like a little time out in his cage (i feel soterrible but he has to learn.) i thought maybe that if he associatesdoing something wrong with not being able to have attention that hewould try harder to not have accidents.

 

[babbersmom]

my babbers will not use her litter box at all. ihave one in her cage but the only time she gets in it is to peer out atme when she wants to be let out. i put a litter box outside of the cagebut the cat kept using it instead so babbers would not think aboutusing it. babbers pees everywhere in my apartment even on my bed andcouch if i don't watch her. is there a different way that i got tolitter box train her with a cat in the house?

 

[ChinaBun]

I've read through this thread, even though Ihaven't started litter box training yet. One person mentioned that whenyou see your little cutie hunching down, you should move him/her to thelitter box. Well, my three-month-old female Qingqing squats down topee, but I've seen her standing to poop. The first time I saw it, itscared me, because I had thought that hole in her stomach was forreproduction not elimination. She'll sometimes stand on her hind legsand I'll see a pellet come out of what I would call her stomach. Iguess I should have studied up on my rabbit anatomy before getting her!She also poops while sitting.

Nancy

 

[lmolloy]

I'm having a similar problem as Naomi in that mylittle bunny pees (and poops)everywhere in his cage except the litterbox. When I first got him about 4 wks ago, he peed in the boxvery well. I was sooo happy. Now he goes mostly byhis food bowl, and I've heard that this is a territorial thing making astatement that "this is mine." Is that true? He'spretty secure and never pees outside the cage (which isgood). When I clean and refill his litter box, he promtlygets in there and starts scratching all of the litter out.Normally I would think he was bored, but he has paper, cardboard boxes,wood chews and another throw toy to play with. I'm going tochange litter and see how this does. Anysuggestions? He is young (2 1/2 mos) and non neutered, so I'mthinking this has something to do with it, but he was so good at first;it's confusing. I'd appreciate any input. Thanks,LMolloy

 

[ruka]

My girls are both nine months old and REFUSE touse the litter box. They just nudge it aside and go in their spot.Luckily, they both use the same spot. I put the poop in the box andthey just ignore it! Or if they don't move it, they go around it. It'svery frustrating. I don't know if there is any hope for them. Doesanyone else have rabbits who are older and do not use their litter pan?Any suggestions?

 

[naturestee]

Are they spayed? That helps a lot.

Mocha is pushing on 6 months and always pees in herlitterbox. She poops both in it and on the other side of herfood bowl, though. Naughty girl! She was perfectafter her spay until I brought Loki home.

 

[ruka]

Yes,both werespayed in May.

 

[2bunny]

Thanks everyone for your advice I'm going to trygetting a bigger cage so I can put a litter box in each corner. I thinkthey're almost ready to be spayed and neutered(yes a boy and a gir), soI hope that will help.

 

[Davemattewsbunny]

Just an interesting side note about DaveMatthews and "Lavender". I just took them to the doc to getthem neutered and spayed and after the fact, the doc calls me and asksif I remember the song 'A boy named Sue" - no I didn't but I knewimmediately that "Lavender" was a boy (who also happens to be the agroof the two) and I'd be mad too if I was a boy named Lavender.He is now called Tim. But I'd have thought that theirbehavior was very male/female but it just goes to show thatbunnies have a culture all to themselves. Doesn't really havea whole lot to do with pooping and peeing, but then again it may andwe'll never understand why they nudge their lovely little litter boxesout of the way to go to the bathroom. Then again, in oursociety most toilets are cleaner than the faucets.

 

[gizimln]

rabbits wrote:

One reader wrote:
I recently got a New Zealand White and she was already 4 mos old. I amhaving a problem box training her. She pees in the box but poops besideit. She was living outside when I got her and brought her in the house.She is such a sweet rabbit. Do you have any suggestions?

I have Netherland Dwarf with exactly the opposite problem.She poops in the box, and pees in the corner, usuallybringing down her hay to do so. She only startedthis a few months ago and up until that time, she was doing both in thelitter pan. I've tried different pans, moving the pan toanother corner, cleaning it more often - nothing works. Anysuggestions?

 

[naturestee]

Have you tried using multiple litterboxes?

Do you have any idea what caused the change? Did she hitpuberty, switch to a different type of litter, health problem,etc. If it's something like the litter, that can be changed.