I have the x-pen around the cage so Storm can decide to come out and go back in his cage freely instead of me trying to handle him since he doesn't like that too much right now. I open his cage in the morning when he is most active and in the evening. I am thinking about giving him this access 24/7. I have 2 apprehesions: I don't know if that will cause him to get bored to have this type of freedom at his will. Also, he isn't neutered yet and lately he has been pooping all over the tarp. It's not that big of deal cause I have no problem cleaning it out, I just don't want to start any bad habits. When I do put the litter box in the x-pen; he pays it no mind. However he loves laying on it when he's in his cage and his food is near by it so he poops in it quite a bit. So what's your thoughts on zero limitation from cage to x-pen?
Limit freedom?
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Most of ours poop all over so we use a shop vac. The main thing is that they use their pan to urinate in, and they do.
briemommy
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I am probably one of the least experienced people on this forum, as I've only had Brie for almost 6 months, but I've found that limiting her space makes her "freedom" more valuable. She has live in a store bought cage, an upgraded version where to attached a 2x2x2 NIC to the cage, a 2x2x2 NIC (when I was upgrading her condo and got sick and couldn't finish), a 5x2x2 NIC, and now she's finally in a 4x2x2 and I think it's perfect.
The way I see it, as long as she has enough to do in her condo, the time outside is running time. Oh, and petting/bonding/grooming time. During the time she was in the 2x2x2, she was really forced to learn to use her litter pan. I didn't realize it until after I upgraded her. Before, she was pretty good, but she still occasionally pooped here and there. After being confined to a smaller space, she really bonded with that litter pan and rarely pooped outside anymore.
When she was in the 5x2x2, she got bored. Inside the condo, outside the condo, didn't matter. She started destroying things both inside and out. Now she's happy in her 4x2x2. There's a wicker basket turned upside down, a timothy cave, a digging box, a cat scratching house, and cat scratch pad, a few carpets, a tube... it's cozy. I wanna go live in there! And when we let her out (that's as long as we're home), she explores and runs.
Well, that's my long two cents. Hope it helps!
The way I see it, as long as she has enough to do in her condo, the time outside is running time. Oh, and petting/bonding/grooming time. During the time she was in the 2x2x2, she was really forced to learn to use her litter pan. I didn't realize it until after I upgraded her. Before, she was pretty good, but she still occasionally pooped here and there. After being confined to a smaller space, she really bonded with that litter pan and rarely pooped outside anymore.
When she was in the 5x2x2, she got bored. Inside the condo, outside the condo, didn't matter. She started destroying things both inside and out. Now she's happy in her 4x2x2. There's a wicker basket turned upside down, a timothy cave, a digging box, a cat scratching house, and cat scratch pad, a few carpets, a tube... it's cozy. I wanna go live in there! And when we let her out (that's as long as we're home), she explores and runs.Well, that's my long two cents. Hope it helps!
agnesthelion
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Tough question. Mine are free run all day. I let them out as soon as I get up early AM and don't get "locked up" til late at night. I believe, because they get so much free run, they are less destructive. It's like.....because they know they don't ever have to worry about being confined, they don't go CRAY CRAY when released
I also think this depends on each rabbit. My female is not a chewer at all. My male can be a bit but nothing like horror stories I've heard. Also, they have each other to keep company vs a lone rabbit that may get bored more easily.
Lastly, I'm a huge proponet of neutering/spaying. So even with what you've said I would never have a pet house bunny free run who isn't neutered or spayed. That's too much space and too many hormones, haha lots of territory to mark and I just don't seeing it being successful. So long answer short my advice would be to neuter before even trying it.
I also think this depends on each rabbit. My female is not a chewer at all. My male can be a bit but nothing like horror stories I've heard. Also, they have each other to keep company vs a lone rabbit that may get bored more easily.
Lastly, I'm a huge proponet of neutering/spaying. So even with what you've said I would never have a pet house bunny free run who isn't neutered or spayed. That's too much space and too many hormones, haha
lots of territory to mark and I just don't seeing it being successful. So long answer short my advice would be to neuter before even trying it.
Troller
Well-Known Member
I had Conan for 9 months before I fixed him and he only went in his litter box, with a few stray poop pills let occasionallyout and about. Though he did have this magic corner he would obsessively pee in if allowed. I never got to the point where I would let him out 24 hours but I can't say I would have been opposed to it since he's so well behaved and I think once he's bonded I would let him and Xena run the apartment as long as Xena is as well behaved as he is. He does chew curtains and houseplants however, and he gets angry if we keep him in his cage too long. I guess I'm long windedly saying all of this is very dependant on the rabbit in question personality and while we here can share are thoughts and experiences, a lot of it is trial and error and what you feel is right and works with your rabbit.
ZoeStevens
Well-Known Member
I remember sweeping up the kitchen floor 2-3 times a day before Abe was neutered. He knew how to use his litter box and kept his cage clean, but once out he would poop all over, especially if he got into somewhere new (like a closet he hadn't been into before). I tried various tricks without success. It stopped a couple weeks after he was neutered.
Bunnylova4eva
Well-Known Member
I wonder if this possibly may happen when Ripley's neutered.. YAY just at the thought of possibly cleaning up less bunny poop! :happyrabbit:
Well I did a trial with my bunny since he is still new to me. I gave him free access to freely go in and out of his cage into his x-pen. During his nap time he went into his cage and even when prompted to come out, he would not until he was ready. However once out for a long while, he pooped all over the x-pen although he goes in and out of the cage to eat. I'm hoping too after the neuter there will be a lot less poop.
Shmoo06
Well-Known Member
omg this. When I had my buns separated for those few weeks, they were driving me batty. Chewing on everything that they weren't supposed to, mainly the baseboards. Now that they're back together, they hardly chew on them.
Mumbles was the same way with pooping everywhere, so I had him in my kitchen for a while w/an xpen for easy clean up(he'd pee wherever too). After I got him neutered and let him out in the living room for the first time, he pooped everywhere for a couple of days. I think once he realized that it was his place & there was no need to "mark it", he started going in the litter box. He still randomly leaves poops, but nothing like he used to.
I haven't found a pee accident outside the litter box since I've had them both neutered.
