no cooperation with potty training!

[Chloe Duwelius]

Hi! Powder got spayed about a month ago. After she recovered, I made her a litter box and began her free roaming journey around my bedroom. But, she just doesn't get it. She poops where she pleases. I clean them up right when I see them, and I show her me putting them in her litter box, hoping she will understand. I have given her lots of time and chances and I've had to resort to keeping her in her cage for now until I can get it figured out. Even though she loves her cage and goes in voluntarily, I would like to get her trained and permanently free roamed ASAP!
Here is the litter box I made her. I fill it with wood pellets and hay. She sits in it to eat hay but goes potty all over my carpet instead.

I also gave her time without the lid on, because I thought maybe the enclosed feeling was the issue, though that didn't solve anything.

My biggest worry is that she has gotten into the habit of going potty wherever she pleases because she knows I will just
clean it up for her. If any bunny parents have any ideas as to why she is acting like this and how I can try to get her to cooperate please let me know! Thank you! <3

 

[TheSketchyBunnies]

I have this problem as well! Do you have any other rabbits in the house? Because some buns do this to ‘mark’ what is their territory. I think maybe my bun does this because she is very dominant towards her husbun. Your space for your bun is beautiful by the way!

 

[Blue eyes]

Is she urinating in the litter box? Are you just talking about poos?

 

[Chloe Duwelius]

Is she urinating in the litter box? Are you just talking about poos?

I am talking about #1 and #2

 

[Chloe Duwelius]

I have this problem as well! Do you have any other rabbits in the house? Because some buns do this to ‘mark’ what is their territory. I think maybe my bun does this because she is very dominant towards her husbun. Your space for your bun is beautiful by the way!

I actually don't have any other buns in the house! I do have a small dog, could this maybe be the same? Thank you so much by the way!

 

[Blue eyes]

If she's urinating outside the box then she is not litter trained.

You'll need to start over and that means no more free roaming (for now). She needs to be confined to a cage with a solid bottom and her litter box. She stays in there until she is urinating only in the litter box.

Once she's consistent with urinating in the litter box, then you can let her out in a limited area. Use an exercise pen (or similar) to keep her roaming area small. That limited area has to include her cage and litter box so she can return to it as needed.

Gradually her space can be expanded -- only as she remains consistent with urinating. (don't worry about poos)

 

[JBun]

What blue eyes said. But also keep in mind that some rabbits, no matter how well litter box trained they are, can't resist peeing on soft surfaces like carpet. Which means you would have to put down a waterproof barrier like lino, to let her free roam.

 

[Chloe Duwelius]

If she's urinating outside the box then she is not litter trained.

You'll need to start over and that means no more free roaming (for now). She needs to be confined to a cage with a solid bottom and her litter box. She stays in there until she is urinating only in the litter box.

Once she's consistent with urinating in the litter box, then you can let her out in a limited area. Use an exercise pen (or similar) to keep her roaming area small. That limited area has to include her cage and litter box so she can return to it as needed.

Gradually her space can be expanded -- only as she remains consistent with urinating. (don't worry about poos)

Thank you! This was super helpful. The youtube tutorials I watched did not have as much detail as this, and I will for sure try it this way.

 

[Chloe Duwelius]

What blue eyes said. But also keep in mind that some rabbits, no matter how well litter box trained they are, can't resist peeing on soft surfaces like carpet. Which means you would have to put down a waterproof barrier like lino, to let her free roam.

This is really good to know. I hope it doesn't come to this, but if it does, I will at least know why. Thank you so much