Is my rabbit litter trained or not?

[Ratsorizzo]

We recently purchased our rabbit from a woman who said he was litter trained.

Though I am not sure because the only bedding she would supply for him would be in a corner litterbox and he would have nothing else but the plastic bottom of the cage. >:/

He seemed to not go to the bathroom on the surface.

I think he just didn't go because there was nothing to go on and she just figured it would be a lazy way to make him use the box. We are using two separate kinds of bedding and he is going toilet on the cage bottom now. Am I right in thinking he just didn't go poo on the cage because she was being cheap and lazy?

 

[JBun]

No, that's actually the way you litter box train and keep them consistent. Rabbits tend to like to pee on soft surfaces. Having bedding throughout the cage and in the litter box can also make it confusing as to where they should go potty. So that is why the previous owner didn't have bedding/litter in the rest of the cage and only in the litter box, because it makes it easier for them to understand that's where they should go potty. Because rabbits won't usually just pee right out on a hard surface or it can get their feet and bum wet, which they don't like.

If you don't like the rest of the cage just being the hard plastic bottom, and want your bun to have something soft to lay and hop on, you could try some fleece fabric to see how your bun does with that. But if your bun decides to start peeing on it, then you'll want to remove it. Sheets of newspaper might be an option too, though buns will usually like to have a go at shredding it. A rug with soft fibers could be used only if your bun doesn't like to chew at it, as that could be a hazard if those fibers were consumed. You want soft fibers and not rough because it can be abrasive to their feet and your bun could end up with sore hocks, which is inflamed skin or sores on their heels.

Technically rabbits are considered litter box trained when they consistently pee in the litter box. Poop is a whole different matter. Poop is used to mark territory, so unaltered rabbits in particular, may leave their poop around more that altered rabbits. Also depends on the individual rabbit. Some are better about pooping in their litter box than others. If their hay is in their litter box or in a hay rack over it, that helps keep the poop contained as well, because rabbits tend to poop where they eat.

I don't personally like the corner boxes because they tend to be too confining for the rabbit, so some rabbits may have accidents outside of the corner box cause they don't like to go in it, or they pee over the edge. I prefer the larger rectangular boxes, like for cats or storage bins. Then I have hay in a corner they don't tend to pee in or in a hay rack at the edge of the litter box.

Here are a few links showing different litter box set ups.
http://bunnyapproved.com/litter-box-set-up-for-rabbits-what-are-the-choices/
http://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-care/litter-training-your-pet-rabbit/
https://www.sandiegorabbits.org/lb.php
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/odor-free-home.html

 

[Ratsorizzo]

Thanks so much, boy do I feel like a fool. So that explains how I let him run about the house but no poop. (I'm an idiot) Now can I still put the hay around they love to chew on?

 

[JBun]

If your bun doesn't poop while you let him run around the house, then consider yourself lucky. Most of them use being let loose to explore as an excuse for a poop party, and set to leaving marking poops everywhere. Some are really good about respecting your area and not leaving poops, but most think your space is my space and love to leave their little poops everywhere so you know it. Sometimes when they are in a new area and busy checking it out, or have been in an area a while and have sufficiently marked it in the past, they won't be inclined to leave their poops around. Just all depends on the rabbit. I have some that are really good about keeping it in the litter box, and others that are little piggies and leave droppings wherever that little bum hops.

You should always have grass hay available for your bun to eat throughout the day. Rabbits always need their digestive tract moving, so they are constantly eating, and they need the fiber from their hay. So free feed hay, any variety of grass hay. I feed timothy, orchard is good too. I keep it in the litter box in a non peeing corner or easy access hay rack next to it, because of their tendency to pee and poop while they eat it, but you can offer hay to your bun wherever you would like. If it's out of the litter box, you may just end up needing to clean up pee accidents, but that depends on what your bun is like too. Just keep hay available at all times. I top up my buns twice a day. This is what my set up looks like.

 

[Ratsorizzo]

Bookmarked and taking notes. where can I find a hay rack? Is it next to Iraq?
Haha, dad jokes.

 

[JBun]

Not quite that far I made mine as most of the ones available out there have too narrow of spacing between bars for buns to have decent access to getting the hay out. If it's too difficult for a bun to get the hay out, they won't eat the hay as well as they should. I like there to be at least a 2 inch spacing between bars.

There are old threads on here with hay rack ideas if you want to search around to find them. You could also google 'hay racks for rabbits' and click on the google images for ideas. There's lots of different ones. You'll likely have to make something or use something intended for other uses. You may have to try several different ideas before you find the perfect one for your bun. I've gone through several different ideas before ending up on what I'm using now, as some things just don't work out very well for some rabbits. You'll also want to keep in mind making whatever you choose, rabbit safe. Buns like to hop up on and in things if they can manage it. So you don't want your buns foot or head getting stuck anywhere, as that could potentially cause an injury.

 

[Ratsorizzo]

Should I get a square small box for indie his cage? Right now it's a corner one and it doesn't seem big or comfortable for him, much less for adding hay. Know any small but good sizes? Especially ones where "cocoa pebbles" don't fly out all the time?

 

[JBun]

The rectangular ones come in all sizes. I use large mortar mixing trays from the hardware store. Check pet stores, amazon, walmart, etc, for different cat litter boxes that might work. Also look at plastic storage and kitchen bins. I use a plastic kitchen dishwashing tray from walmart, as a secondary litter box, but I also have dwarf rabbits that can fit in smaller trays. How big of a one to get will depend on the size of your bun(when full grown if a baby) and the space you have available. Corner boxes can work for some people and some rabbits, but I've just found them too small to work well as a primary litter box.

If your buns living space is a cage without a run attached, expanding the litter box too much might not be possible, without making the living area to congested for your bun. You want your bun to still have space outside of the litter box, to lay down and stretch out, and hop around.

 

[JBun]

If you want to look at different ideas for litter boxes, google 'litter boxes for rabbits' and look at the google images. Lots of different options. Some are good ideas, some aren't. So if you aren't sure, just ask here.

 

[Ratsorizzo]

That's what the setup is now, minus the bedding in the cage, thank you btw.

I put a small blanket down but had to take it out until I think of something else as he pooped ALLL OVER it.

 

[JBun]

Oh yeah. That is tiny. You'll just have to decide how big you want to go without it taking over too much of the cage, and see what's available close to the size you want. You basically want something big enough that he could easily turn around and comfortably lay down in if he wants. It's really a lot of trial and error. I've gone through multiple litter boxes, water and food dishes, flooring surfaces, hay racks, etc, until I found something that I liked and worked well for my situation. Problem is that you don't know how something will work out until you actually try it, and then find out it doesn't and have to try something different.

Don't let the poop scare you. It's usually temporary marking that won't go on for more than a few weeks, once he's satisfied he's sufficiently marked it as his, and rabbit poop is easily swept up. I would still give him a blanket as long as he doesn't pee on it. That's the biggest problem is when they decide they'd rather pee on it. As long as he doesn't(or doesn't too often), it's nice for them to have somewhere soft and snuggly to nap. It can also be good entertainment for them, as most buns enjoy digging on and rearranging their blankets.

 

[Ratsorizzo]

Haha yeah, he's been doing that, trying to make a tunnel with the blanket. It's really cute. I can wash it a million times if I need too, I'll just put it back in.

As for a litter box, I can find something small but I but want low enough for him to climb in but not too low where his poopies fly all over.

As the water dishes, I bought some ceramic ones for the cats. I would rather go that way and buy the same type. Water can get icky. You are probably like me and change it whether it needs it or not. They get stagnant real fast.

 

[JBun]

The water dispensers work for me as it's for a group of buns, so they drain it in 2 days, then I wash and refill. But I can see how it might not work as well for a single bun that won't drain it as fast. They're a bit of a pain to thoroughly clean too. And it takes up more space. So yeah, a ceramic dish sounds like it might work better in your situation, and easier to clean.

For the litter box height, I've found about 6 inches to be a good height for being low enough it's not hard for them to jump in, but high enough to keep things pretty contained and prevent over the edge peeing accidents.

 

[Ratsorizzo]

It's easy for me as I always change and wash the water and food dishes daily. Now I just need to find a litterbox with the specifications. I find the corner one ick, but he still sits in it for 10 to 15 minutes.