Un-Neutered Male No Longer Using Litter Box

TehCarrot · Feb 4, 2015

I've read through a few threads, and have seen some similar stories. I have a 2 year old male rabbit who has for a while now decided he doesn't want to use just his litter box. Don't get me wrong, he WILL use the litter box, but he also goes all over his x-pen area and anywhere else he's given access to. I clean the area with vinegar and have his TWO litter boxes accessible, but it's gotten so bad that daily cleaning is just not cutting it! I'm beyond frustrated, and it seems like the only thing I've seen that will resolve this in any way is neutering him. Am I correct in this? I haven't neutered him for fear of complications, I've heard some scary stories. Can you allay my fears and help me with this frustrating issue??

Nancy McClelland · Feb 4, 2015

Neutering cured the urine every where problem--some still poop every place there's a place but that's an easy clean up.We have had a total of 14 rescued males neutered over the years with no problems--we vetted the Vet and made sure they do several a week and that they were familiar with bunnies.

ShreddersMom · Feb 4, 2015

I noticed that a lot of Shredder's poops around his box are because they stick to him when he jumps out. He always goes in the litter box but will only drop one or two around it that fall out after he uses it!

woahlookitsme · Feb 7, 2015

I had an 8 month old french lop. He learned to pee primarily in the box and poop was very inconsistent. It seemed that he would go everywhere. I would let him out of his nic cage during the day but he would end up peeing on our carpet. After he started trying to hump me it was under the knife he went. I had him neutered with a vet that I used to work with but she hadn't done a rabbit neuter in a while. She felt confident and I trusted her surgery skills and the techs I used to work with. He had no issues and as soon as he came out of the anesthesia they fed him his pellets and he ate very well. After the neutering he would 100% go in his box and didn't pee on our carpet anymore. It really is a good way to avoid those issues. Find a vet around you that feels comfortable with the surgery. If the clinic tells you to fast your rabbit before surgery then run away.

TehCarrot · Feb 18, 2015

Time flies I guess, I looked up when we adopted Ichabod, he's going to be FOUR this year!!! I hope that's not too old to curb these habits. :/ He's recently taken to chewing the carpet too.... Very aggressively acting out. I just hope we can nip in it the butt!

JBun · Feb 18, 2015

If this is new behavior when he has previously been good with his litter box, I would suspect a health problem to be the likely cause for the loss of litter habits, especially since it sounds like he has been with you for several years. Changes in behavior like suddenly becoming aggressive, can also be signs of a health problem, due to pain and/or discomfort.

Common causes of urinary incontinence are UTI and bladder sludge. Other things like bladder stones, arthritis, e. cuniculi, and kidney issues, are some other possible causes. I would suggest a vet check by a good rabbit vet. If you can bring a fresh urine sample. preferably from as clean a surface as possible, that may be helpful to the vet.
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/urinary.html