Why are they using their bed as a litter box

I just rescued two six year old lop eared rabbits that where keeped in a 19"x19" cage, I just built a outdoor home that's 4'x8' with an upper level with a ramp that has a 24"x24" enclosed sleeping area with a tray and wood bedding material to keep them warm, the lower level has 1/2"x1/2" wire and I put the plastic flooring over it so the wire won't hurt there feet but allows the pee and poo to fall through, the male was fixed three weeks ago and they are so happy to be together and look really happy but my plan is not going as planed of course because these are animals and they won't listen to instructions, LOL. The male rabbit goes up stairs and uses the cozy bedroom for a litter box and they are sleeping on the lower level with no place for warmth. The cages they lived in had wire bottoms and they had no beding so why would they want to go upstairs and pee and poo in a place that I would think would be a nice warm comfortable bed and then sleep down on the lower level wire where it's cold. Any help would be appreciated to stop them from using there bedroom as a potty. The upstairs has one entrance and it's dark, does it need a window or a second exit, maybe they feel trapped with only one exit.

Thanks in advance.

Bunnies like peeing on soft absorbent things and lying on hard surfaces. You've got things the wrong way around I'm afraid!

Take the bedding out and give them a solid surface for their sleeping area, and hopefully they'll get the idea that peeing there isn't pleasant.

whiskylollipop said:

Bunnies like peeing on soft absorbent things and lying on hard surfaces. You've got things the wrong way around I'm afraid!

Take the bedding out and give them a solid surface for their sleeping area, and hopefully they'll get the idea that peeing there isn't pleasant.

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Ok, thank you I'll try that. Is there any material that I could put in their sleeping area that would keep them warm that they would not like to pee on like straw maybe. Is it ok for their sleeping area to be dark or do they want a window.

Thank you for your help.

Rabbits do what they want to, so the only answer is maybe. I use a -an with shavings in it for the toilet needs in the hutch and a piece of carpet for them to lay on. Also, because is a carpet chewer, he get a board to lay on. Works for us--it's all a learning experience anyway and they are great at teaching you. Nice hutch and looks very secure too--first time I've seen rabbits living in their own trailer.

You could also put a litter box in their sleeping area. Rabbits often tend to like to potty in more secluded areas. They could quickly catch on to pottying in the box if you use litter and hay in the box and keep the rest of the floor clear as Whisky suggested.

Once they get the hang of being consistent with their potty box, then you could add in other bedding to the rest of the sleeping area.

Thanks whiskey, Nancy & blue eyes for your help, I just got back from Tractor Supply and bought another 24" x 24" catch pan, I took the one from upstairs with the pine bedding material in it and moved it down stairs, I cut a piece of plywood for the pan upstairs so they have a solid floor to lay on and the pan is there just in case they pee. There is one thing I don't like about the pine bedding is that when they sit their little butts to pee they get all wet and when they go on the wire they are nice and clean. Maybe I should try your suggestion of litter and hay or straw on top. Well tomorrow I will know if they will pee upstairs or not. If this doesn't work I'll try a small litter box upstairs like suggested. Can anyone tell me if both rabbits will sleep together upstairs or are they Territorial of their sleeping spots because I'm afraid that the male sleeps upstairs and the female spends the night below were there is no protection from the cold and I need to buy a hay box for her, any suggestions are very help full.

Thanks again for your help.

Nancy McClelland said:

Rabbits do what they want to, so the only answer is maybe. I use a -an with shavings in it for the toilet needs in the hutch and a piece of carpet for them to lay on. Also, because is a carpet chewer, he get a board to lay on. Works for us--it's all a learning experience anyway and they are great at teaching you. Nice hutch and looks very secure too--first time I've seen rabbits living in their own trailer.

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Thanks for the help and the nice comment about the hutch, I first only had wire on it and figured the bobcats or coyotes would tear through so I really secured it so the little guys would not get eaten. I put wheels on it so I could move it around under another tree for shade if I had to. Unfortunately all my trees are eucalyptus and I read that they are poisonous for rabbits, my luck. And of course the leaves land next to the wire so I might have to put wire on the outside so they don't eat a leaf. Thanks for the help.

Ok this morning we has partial success, after moving the tray with the bedding material to the lower level and putting a hard surface plywood upstairs both rabbits where upstairs this morning so we have marital bliss unfortunately they are also using it for a bathroom, I guess I'm going to have to install a bathroom up stairs in their master suit because who want to go down stairs in the middle of the night to use the bathroom when you can just pee in the corner. I guess I made the mistake of putting these pine shavings up there, why in the heck does the package say "bedding" material, I guess for gerbils. Oh well live and learn.

whiskylollipop said:

Bunnies like peeing on soft absorbent things and lying on hard surfaces. You've got things the wrong way around I'm afraid!

Take the bedding out and give them a solid surface for their sleeping area, and hopefully they'll get the idea that peeing there isn't pleasant.

Click to expand...

Because these rabbits are six years old and had to live in a small wire cage they pee and poop every where and being unpleasant is not a factor for them right now, I put a litter box upstairs on the plywood but they still pee and poo on the plywood, maybe they will figure it out because their feet are covered with pee and poo, if they don't learn I'm going to have to put wire over the catch pan and those plastic floor pads to keep them from standing in their urine.