What are the Best Ways to Litter Train?

[Hyatt101]

What are the best methods to litter train a little bunny who does not want to go in her litterbox? I've tried putting hay in there, but she just eats it. I used "Fresh News" bedding in a 'corner litterbox' so I can't put it in the middle of her tiny cage that she's in for her leg. Once she's in the big NIC cage, I could put it in the middle if necessary. Also, she is a young bunny, born July 21st. Does age make a difference?

What are methods you used to litter train your rabbits? Is there something I should change? Sorry the way I worded this whole thing makes it sound REALLY confusing, but hopefully you can understand it!

 

[qtipthebun]

I wish I was more help...Tippy figured it out the day I brought her home. She just hopped on in and peed.

I'd say try to figure out which corner of the cage she likes to pee in and put the box there....I wish I could help more...we just stuck some hay in the box and she trained herself....

 

[Blue eyes]

Age does make a difference. Spayed buns train easier.
If she's eating hay in there, that's perfect! That's just what you want her to do. They naturally "go" while they graze, so the longer she spends in there, the more likely she will go.

 

[Hyatt101]

Okay Thanks!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We just put a litter box in the corner of the hutch they were using and it worked by and large. Everyone but Finn uses the left rear corner--he's a right rear corner kind of boy.

 

[Hyatt101]

I hope once she's older she'll choose a corner; right now she goes in the middle of the cage!

 

[ldoerr]

I can not help much. All of my rabbits have just figured it out on their own. Also my rabbits will not eat hay while they are in their litter box. Their hay rack is on their shelf a ways away from their litter boxes. They do not seem to use the bathroom when they eat. I do have a few poops outside the box each day though, from when they jump out of their boxes the poo sticks to their feed and flies everywhere.

Have you tried the paper towel with pee on it in the litter box and putting poops in their box? That is the general way I have herd to train them. Also you rabbit might not like the litter that you have in there. My girls would not use the litter box until I got some Kaytee Soft Granule Blend bedding in there. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JLPIWU/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20. As soon as I put this in their boxes they used it. It is much softer on their feet. It helps with the smell SOOOOOOOOOOO much. I have NOTHING negative to say about it. Also you can normally get it at Petco cheeper than Amazon.

 

[Hyatt101]

Okay, thanks Lauren! i'm using Fresh news bedding, so I'll switch her over to granule and see if that helps. I haven't been doing the paper towel thing, but i have also read about it so I'll try it.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Is there any one spot where she likes to go potty? Put the box there. If she poops everywhere, that's kinda normal I find. But, if they pee in 2 primary spots, put a dish in one spot and litterbox in the other. Keep scooping the poop into the box and clean up any messes asap. Spaying should help a TON with litter training.

 

[ldoerr]

It comes in a few different scents as well as unscented. I use the unscented only because I can not find the lavender scent at Petco. I used to use the lavender scent with my mice and it was AMAZING!!!!!! It is a light scent but enough to help. (Mice are SMELLY). It never seemed to bother my animals. You can easily go a week withought having to clean the box (although I normally do a partial change every 2-3days because I like to clean the box). When I have let it go for over a week the only time I noticed the smell was when I dug in it to clean it and it was not bad even then. 1 of the 27.5 liter bags lasts me over a month with 3 litter boxes being cleaned more than they need to be cleaned.

 

[Hyatt101]

Thanks Mia!

 

[Hyatt101]

Whoa that litter sounds awesome Lauren! We have to clean her cage almost every day because she won't go in the litterbox. I'll look for the granule lavendar bedding! Thanks!

 

[Blue eyes]

I would be very cautious about using anything scented. Bunnies have sensitive respiratory systems and who knows what effects it could have on them. It wouldn't be immediately apparent - just like using pine shavings isn't going to show any signs, but it's known to be harmful.

(oh, and I think we all know better than to trust any packaging which says something is "safe")

 

[Imbrium]

the lavender stuff is WAY more expensive than the regular - I recommend just trying the normal stuff. to top it off, if you buy online (MASSIVE discount if you do, plus free shipping if you spend $49... you could always just buy extra stuff and then return it to the store if there's not $49 worth of stuff you want to buy ), the regular stuff is 36% off while the scented is only 20% off.

http://www.petco.com/product/100574/Kaytee-Soft-Granule-Pet-Bedding.aspx?CoreCat=OnSiteSearch

 

[Hyatt101]

The scent thing would probably vary to each rabbit, so I'll start with unscented stuff I guess. Is recycled paper litter okay for them? She doesn't eat it, and thats what I'm using now.

 

[Blue eyes]

I know Yesterday's News is recycled paper and is perfectly fine. I was told, though, from a rabbit rescue to avoid their scented version and only get unscented.

As far as the scented varying per bunny, that wouldn't make sense. Just like pine and cedar shavings are bad for bunnies - all bunnies - it doesn't vary per bun.

 

[Hyatt101]

Oh... Okay! I have the unscented kind of Yesterday's News, so I'll try the kaytee granule bedding

 

[Nancy McClelland]

One thing I overlooked. I put the pan where they'd urinate as that was a consistent spot. All of ours tend to scatter pooh more liberally--about 70% in the pan and30% wherever they feel like doing it. Only had one of 32 that would only use her pan exclusively like she was a neat fanatic like me.