How to discourage rabbits from using inside of hutch as a place to urinate and deficate

[schneck612]

We have twomaleNew Zealand rabbits we aquired in August when they were about 8 weeks old. After temporarily housing them in a dog crate in the garage, I built a rabbit hutch (I'd post a photo of the hutch but don't know how). The hutch is approximately 6' X 6' and has two separate inside and outside areas. The inside is completly insulated for the winter. The outside has a wire floor with metal pans below to catch the urine and droppings. At least that was the plan. The rabbits never seem to go in the outside portion of the hutch. The inside I line with straw for bedding,and they only urinate and deficate in the straw. I tried a litter pan inside but that doesn't seem to work. Right now they are still being housed together on the one side because they get along together just fine. Plans are to separate them when they are older.

Is there any way to discourage them from urinating and deficating on the inside of the hutch?

 

[Sabine]

Rabbits usually like to poo and pee where they eat. So you could encourage that by putting the food/hay near where you want them to go. You could also line the inside of the hutch with paper or fleece blankets so that it doesn't look too much like a litter tray. That usually worked with mine

 

[schneck612]

It's definetly not the food and water. They are on the outside portion of the hutch. I guess I could try to change their bedding on the inside.

 

[Sabine]

I wonder if the wire bottom on the outside may feel uncomfortable on their feet and they don't like to linger? I am not very familiar with wire floors. I just use litter trays with absorbant litter and hay+straw on top. If there is no other litter around that is where they go except when they are outside in their run.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

If there are no resting boards in the wire section of the htch, their feet likely feel a bit sore... less comfortable, so way bother hanging out there?

The litter pan inside could work...
- needs to be pretty big... I use a rubbermaid drawer for my guys (and they're small)
- usually works best in the corner that they typically pee in.
- Good to have different substrate in the litter box, than the floor. (Ie: wood pellets in box, straw on floor.
- Keep putting their into the location where you want it, and they'll get the hang of it

OR
I would say use a vinegar solution to disinfect the inside of the hutch, and place the poops outside in a pan, with some hay to munch on beside.

The wire floor section... does it have walls around it? I'm wondering if your buns are feeling insecure in the outside section.

Here's the instructions for posting a photo of your setup:http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=25443&forum_id=66

 

[snap]

Rip out the floor and replace it with wire. It's just easier, and the wood is probably damaged from so much waste.

Are you using hay in the litter boxes? Can they get IN the litter boxes? If you use hay and put the soiled hay in it they might get the picture.

ALSO, if you're extremely desperate, shut off the inside area and force them to find a new place to go. Once they consistently go there open up the inside portion again. If they still go there, just replace the floor with wire and give them a board to sit in the outside section.

 

[Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears]

My sister and I have the same issue as our rabbits just go w/e they feel like. We've tried to feed their hay in their litter trays, but they'll still go wherever they feel like. In a real caged cage they would go only in their box, but now that they have a lot more freedom it's wherever they desire. It's never constant. They'll sometimes go in their litter tray... in a random corner where they decide not to get up to use the tray or where they decide to get up and just peer looking cute and innocent...... It's really frustrating. :grumpy: :nonono: