Rabbit is peeing outside of litterbox

[oreothebunbun]

Hi!

So I have a question-my bunny Oreo, whom I rescued when he was abandoned in a local park in September of last year, has recently (just yesterday in fact) been peeing outside of the litterbox. He seems perfectly healthy and active: ears, eyes, nose, bum and fur are all clean and in good condition. He is still eating as normal and his poops look normal also. His pee is yellow color with a very slight orangey tinge at times and sometimes a bit of calcium residue and he is also peeing the usual amount: he is not dribbling small amounts. He is peeing just in front of his litterbox, and always in the same area. I’ve only seen him actually pee once, and he doesn’t look as if he is straining to pee or is in pain.

Something interesting that might be worth mentioning is that he did two pees in the same area (I didn’t see him actually do them, I found them in the morning and they were quite dried so I’m assuming he did them during the night) then I cleaned them and watched him for a bit. After I cleaned them, he got up, sniffed/licked the area which I had cleaned, and then peed there again! I am inclined to think this is territorial marking, or maybe he just prefers to pee there instead of on his litterbox? Maybe I should add that we think he is quite young? And we also believe that he is unneutered (I don’t know if this info helps, but I thought I might as well say it in case! )

Attached below is a photo of a pee that he did:

Thank you so much and I look forward to any replies!

 

[LightOfHeart]

have you changed his litter box bedding recently? Maybe he doesn't like the kind you are using? Do you use any strong smelling cleaners on the litter box that could be putting him off? Are the sides of the litter box too high for his liking, so he rather pee on the floor then jump/climb in? Maybe he would just prefer the litter box where he is peeing and would use it if you moved it to that location.

You could try cleaning up his pee with paper towels and then putting them in the litter box like look 'pee goes here pee here'. I recommend he gets neutered if he isn't neutered, rabbits especially boys are better at litter box training when neutered for sure, unneutered rabbits can end up spraying territorially (which looks different typically from peeing, more of a spray)

For a while if he goes into his litter box, and you see it, you could praise him and give him a little treat to make hims more keen to use it. Just some ideas, Hope it can get sorted.

 

[JBun]

In addition to those questions, is the urine thick and creamy or pasty/gritty at all? It looks like it could be, from that photo. Or if dried, is it sludgy at all? If it is, then these pee accidents could be happening because your rabbit has bladder sludge.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bladder_sludge_and_stones
If it's not sludgy at all, this likely is hormonal and/or due to litter box set up. If so, changing the litter box to be more inviting and comfy to sit in may help and/or adding a second litter box. Or if it's just hormones, getting him neutered.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/litter-training.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Litter_training
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://rabbit.org/veterinarians/

 

[oreothebunbun]

Hi!
Thank you so much for the replies!

@LightOfHeart, I have not changed the type of bedding I use in the litterbox, and I clean it every other day. I will try the paper towel idea to reinforce his training, that sounds like a great idea! He actually has gone back to peeing in his litterbox, and there have been no more accidents, however, at least I know now what to do if he does pee out of it again!

@JBun, I didn't notice any change in the consistency of the urine-the whiteness in the photo is more cloudy liquid than sludge. However, I will monitor him closely and if any symptoms or changes occur I will book him in with my vet.

Thank you again for your responses!!!!

 

[oreothebunbun]

Hi @JBun and @LightOfHeart!

He peed outside of the litterbox again today. It was a normal pale yellow, not sludgy at all, and he’s super healthy and happy as usual! But I think I may have figured out why he is peeing in that exact spot! That same spot is the spot I leave from after I have given him attention and I leave to do other things. Do you think it is possible he is peeing there in protest of me leaving? I believe that it is behavioral instead of medical issues because of the lack of other symptoms and how his pee looks fine. I also realized that whenever he pees outside of the litterbox, I obviously realize and come back to clean it with diluted vinegar and paper towels. So perhaps he has connected peeing outside of the litterbox and me returning to clean his pee and give him attention. So maybe he sees it as a way to seek attention? Just some thoughts I am not an expert in rabbit behavior so I have no idea if this is right or not

 

[overhear]

I had the same problem with my bunny, which puzzled me endlessly until I figured out that she was peeing with her rump over the edge of the litter box.

I solved the problem by replacing her litter box with a taller dish pan and it never happened again. I cut out a rectangle at one end of the dish pan so that I could fit in her hay container where she could reach it.

See photos below. She free-ranges in my living room so her cage is always open and serves as a hay, water and litter station.

 

[Preitler]

I had a similiar problem, peeing beside the litterbox. I put some pieces of firewood there, they can get past them but not squat comfortable there. Also peeing over the rim happened when there was too much hay in the litterbox.

 

[oreothebunbun]

Hi!
Thank you for the replies! I’ve actually seen him squat beside it and pee, so I don’t think he’s peeing over the rim of the litterbox. Maybe I will try and put something there so that it’s not comfortable for him to pee in that spot, and he feels more encouraged to use the litterbox.

 

[overhear]

Hi!
Thank you for the replies! I’ve actually seen him squat beside it and pee, so I don’t think he’s peeing over the rim of the litterbox. Maybe I will try and put something there so that it’s not comfortable for him to pee in that spot, and he feels more encouraged to use the litterbox.

Ah, I see. That sounds like a good idea. For a while I did have to use multiple litter boxes when my bunny started peeing in new places. Keep us posted.

 

[Aph10]

Hi!
Thank you for the replies! I’ve actually seen him squat beside it and pee, so I don’t think he’s peeing over the rim of the litterbox. Maybe I will try and put something there so that it’s not comfortable for him to pee in that spot, and he feels more encouraged to use the litterbox.

My lionshead used to do this all the time. I got a much larger litter box and he stopped doing it. It wasn’t super small to begin with but he just wanted it to be roomier