Potty training

OK so we have adopted our first rabbit yesterday and she is pooping everywhere in her cage. She's almost a year old so this is old habits she came with. Her old owners say this is part of the reason they gave her up.

So now she's in a new house, new people, no other bunny around like at her old place, new cage, new floor.... and she's pooping all over the cage in the litter box and out.

So where do I start with the potty training?

Do you have a litter box:litterhealthy: in her cage? Take some of the poos and put them in the litter box. Put hay in the litter box also, as bunnies like to munch on hay as they are doing their business.

Just keep putting the poos in the litter box. Maybe if you can put her in the litter box every once in a while that may help too.

Good Luck

Susan

Make sure the bottom of her cage isn't covered in litter material (like cedar or pine shavings)

Hi guys... I have read somewhere that girl bunnies sometimes prefer to have 2 litter pans so I went out and got another. She now has two litter pans. with two different types of litter. I just cleaned out her pen and we'll see how or if this makes any difference.

BTW, can someone tell me where I could get wood fuel pellets ? I can't find those ANYWHERE!. I went on a wood fuel pellet wild goose chase today and ended up buying petco brand compressed paper pellets.

thanks!

I perfer the recyled paper pellets, if you use wood be careful that they are not pine, as pine secrete an oil that is toxic to rabbits and other small animals. The above advice is right on, make sure that you leave a nice pile of poo in the corner of the litter box, even wipe some urine up and place it in the bottom under the pellets and hay. Make sure that you put her in the box a good 2-3 times a day and give her a treat when she uses it and praise her. They usually come around quickly. Benjamin even has one corner of his yard that he uses and nowhere else.

I use the wood stove pellets and love it. I started out with the compressed paper, but the wood soaks up the odor better. It can be rather hard to find this time of year since not many people are heating their homes when it is 100+ outside.

Perhaps you can use the yesterday's news for the rest of the summer and then give the wood stove pellets a try in the fall? I get mine at Home Depot or Lowes. Late winter I stock up for over the summer.

I agree with making sure the bottom of the cage is just the plain plastic until the litter training is complete. If you put down litter everywhere it just confuses the bun.

I'm litter training my 3 year old lop that I just got. At this point when he pees in his box he looks at me and I have to cheer for him or he gets upset.

Is cat litter ok? I hope so cause thats what im using! I see in the other post that thats maybe what it looks like in the pic so I hope cat litter is ok!

If the kitty litter is clay, especially clumpable it is not recommended for rabbits. They have a tendency to eat litter and it can clug their intestinal tracts.

ok, thank you! I wont use it then I guess, back to the shavings

I personally would use some sort of recycled paper product rather than shavings. Shavings have a tendency to stick to rabbit's fur and are not as absorbent. If you are going to use the shavings make sure you cover them with a layer of hay.

The cat litter "yesterday's news" is the same as the bunny recycled paper that they sell, just cheaper.

that is exactly what I use, I put a layer of hay over it, that way I can shake the poop down once a day, Benjamin also like to nibble hay when he is using the toilet. I put fresh
hay every day and change the whole litter box about every 4-5 days.

So litter is or is not ok? I am using shaving and seems to be ok, however I feel (my opinion) that hay is to expensive to use as a toilet.

Hoever I am watching her because hse is just potty training, however I did put the poo in there and she peed on her own in there...so that is good. The shavings don't really get all over when she jumpes all over in there. But I do agree it doesn't abosorb very well but im ok with that.