When litter training stalls out. What next?

[Cocoa]

Our little Willow is GREAT at peeing and pooping in the litter box where it belongs. Storm, who is almost 4 months now, neutered 3 weeks ago, and happy and healthy will mostly pee in the litter box and puts some poop in the litter box. But this kid poops everywhere. We like having both buns out for a couple hours each evening and it seems all I do is crawl around after him and pick up poop. My husband is getting irritated...

When a bunny sort of "stalls" with litter training, how do you help them overcome to the next step? I don't mind an occasional poop here and there, but all over the floor every night... well, I want to work on that with him.

Does anyone have any hints? I'm all ears. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Blue eyes]

It can take awhile ( up to 8 weeks, they say) after surgery for hormones to fully dissipate. So that may be playing a role here.

But you mentioned letting the bunnies ( plural) out in the evening. If they are not bonded ?? then I would think this boy is marking territory because of the other rabbit.

Another thought is that if they are bonded and he is territory marking, let the poos remain while he's hopping about. Clean them up after. After a few days, he might decrease that. But if you are cleaning up after him the minute he drops the poos, then it may be compelling him to keep marking.

 

[missyscove]

Blue eyes has some great suggestions. Rabbits typically use their poop to mark their territory. I personally consider a rabbit littertrained when they pee 99% of the time in the litterbox and you can expect some stray poops basically for life. If the space he's allowed out in smells like another rabbit you can expect extra territorial poops (sometimes affectionately referred to as a poop war). Neutering should help with this but it can take a while for things to die down.
Does he have access to a litterbox when he's out? Try leaving some of his poops in the box to keep things smelling like him.

 

[JBun]

You have a few things working against you. His age- 4 months is still young. At only 3 weeks post neuter, he still has active hormones. As was mentioned, letting two unbonded bunnies out in the same area can cause marking behavior to surge. Then there is that you are letting him out each night into an area that isn't his normal area. So each time you let him out this can cause an upsurge of marking behavior.

It's possible time alone will resolve this. He may just need a few more weeks for the last of the hormones to fade and time to mature a bit more. Or if it is a competition for territory, bonding them may fix it. Or if it is the routine of letting him out each night, then you might have to think up a new plan or just learn to tolerate it. Good thing is bunny poop is pretty clean and easy to pick up.

 

[Cocoa]

the bunnies are bonded and have been for a couple months now. I didn't intend to bond them so quickly but he kept escaping his cage and sneaking into hers. ha ha Guess it was love at first sight.

I'll try to control my OCD and not pick up after him as he leaves his presents all over the floor while they are out playing and running. And I'll cross my fingers and say some prayers that after the hormones die down, he'll clean up his habits.

Thanks for your help and suggestions.