xtinab0920
New Member
So as title says.. Buns were in a cage for first year and a half of their life with daily free roam time, sometimes all day. Im willing to bet that I granted free roam living too soon as the litter habits in the cage were already bad. They do use the litter for pees but poops are anywhere and everywhere. At first, when free in the living room, they would actively use the litter for both. The cage was suspiciously cleaner and I was super pleased (till I looked under the couch, which I promptly removed access)
Anyway, as soon as the roommate moved out, I (prematurely, for sure) granted them free roam in the whole house but locked in the living room overnight (well, I try. They know how to open the gate and are expert escape artists) Theyre still using the litter yet they also drop poops anywhere they want. Under the couches, under the chess table, in any of their favourite sleeping spots, anywhere. They're usually happy just lying in their poop spots lolol.
Secondary behaviour issue I am also currently working on is highly related. The picky poopheads are not eating hay. again. sigh. so were on a strict very little pellet diet. I went through this before and what I did was I put the small amount of pellets in the hay feeding litter bin. It was successful before so we gotta do it again.
Litter set up: 2 litters in the living room, one with a hay dispenser attached, the other with hay on top. Pine Pellets.
Third litter in the bedroom on the other side of the house. Pine Pellets with Hay layer
Pellets and water bowl are across the living room from the litter.
any veggies or fruits cause horrific runny poops so Ive eliminated all that. very minimal treats for same reason
Their absolute favourite treat, although Ive blocked it all, they still manage to find access: My baseboards. Paint. Drywall.
Im recluctant to resort back to the cage but man am I at my wits end.
photo of THE GUILTY BUNS
Thank you sooooo much in advance
Anyway, as soon as the roommate moved out, I (prematurely, for sure) granted them free roam in the whole house but locked in the living room overnight (well, I try. They know how to open the gate and are expert escape artists) Theyre still using the litter yet they also drop poops anywhere they want. Under the couches, under the chess table, in any of their favourite sleeping spots, anywhere. They're usually happy just lying in their poop spots lolol.
Secondary behaviour issue I am also currently working on is highly related. The picky poopheads are not eating hay. again. sigh. so were on a strict very little pellet diet. I went through this before and what I did was I put the small amount of pellets in the hay feeding litter bin. It was successful before so we gotta do it again.
Litter set up: 2 litters in the living room, one with a hay dispenser attached, the other with hay on top. Pine Pellets.
Third litter in the bedroom on the other side of the house. Pine Pellets with Hay layer
Pellets and water bowl are across the living room from the litter.
any veggies or fruits cause horrific runny poops so Ive eliminated all that. very minimal treats for same reason
Their absolute favourite treat, although Ive blocked it all, they still manage to find access: My baseboards. Paint. Drywall.
Im recluctant to resort back to the cage but man am I at my wits end.
photo of THE GUILTY BUNS
Thank you sooooo much in advance
from the sound of things, it might be time to limit the free roaming and restrict access (at least when unsupervised) to just a few x-pens put together until good litterbox habits are fully restored! Add more litterboxes when you do allow them to free roam and slowly take away any extras as they improve (hopefully). Pick up any stray bumbles and place them back into the litterbox.
