Litter box training help

[stargazerLily]

This is my first experience owning a girl bunny. Are they generally harder to litterbox train than the boys? All three of my boys were so easy to train, even the one I got as a baby. My girl on the other hand, I have tried everything I can think of. She does go in the litterbox, but also all over the cage. It wouldn't be that huge of a deal if it weren't for the fact that she is also peeing outside the cage, or it's running out of the cage, but I'm sure that's what I get for having her in a dog crate. She is getting spayed on Tuesday, will that help? Any tips for litter training would be wonderful.


Betsy

 

[Flashy]

She is probably marking her territory, most likely because of the smells of the other buns.

Spaying should help.

In the following weeks after her spay (like when she is fully recovered) you will have to work really hard at scrubbing the places she goes with a distilled vinegar and wtaer solution which will stop the smell and stop her thinking it's all her litter tray. You might also have to look at a different type of litter tray because different buns like different types.

Do you make hay available in the tray for her?

 

[crystal]

I'm very new to rabbits so I don't really have any advice for you. I am interested though on whether boys are often easier to train... what do people think about that? it is possible that one persons experience doesn't make it a universal truth.

Rather than making another topic on litter training... I hope you won't mind if I add my own question here.

I finally got my bunny a big enough litter tray. His previous owners said he was litter trained, which I wasn't sure about but now that I put the big litter tray in the room that he has to himself atm, well I am slightly relieved because he only does wee in the box now. which is great! I haven't done anything to encourage him, he just did it himself. but he is still pooing around the box, and not in it. it's like pooing is a less conscious thing for him, and it just happens while he is eating etc.

Does anyone have any advice about how I can get him to poo in the box?

 

[sephira]

Yeah the poops are hard. Neutering him may help with the litter habits, though. My two girls use the box to pee and poop, but still poop all over the place. I think they keep trying to mark their territory... :?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

every rabbit is an individual, so there's no fixed formula. Commander Bun-Bun, a female, was the best rabbit we ever had. She would always go into her hutch and would pee in one spot only and poo in one spot only. Mostly you have to determine where they are voiding and then put a pan in that spot. Also, using some soiled litter in a pan will give them something to fix on. When you clean up, use a mix of 25% white vinegar to 75% water in a spray bottle. Avoid using a cleaner with ammonia, as it mimics urine smell and will cause them to use that spot more. Neutering mostly eliminate them from territorial issues--all of ours now use their chin to mark with. You may not be able to eliminate the problem altogether--Nikki and Spike still go in front of the litter pans, so I still have to do a lot of clean up.

 

[stargazerLily]

Stratus will go potty in her litterbox, but I don't know if it's intentional or not. If I put a box in every area that she went, she wouldn't have any room to hop around her pen. I am praying that her spay tomorrow will help things. She is just a hair over 4 months old, so she should be plenty old enough for the spay. I put all her hay in her litterbox, but I find her sleeping in her box more often than not.

 

[crystal]

Hmmm as far as I know he has been desexed. I just got him, and he is somewhere around 2 years old... his first home was with an animal nursery so I'm pretty sure they would have had him desexed.

Thanks for the tip about the vinegar and water, and not ammonia. I didn't know that it smells like to them! I'll keep that in mind.

 

[crystal]

oh dear. he did wee on the ground again... near his litter box. how annoying!

 

[penguinsrxcore]

stargazerLily wrote:

This is my first experience owning a girl bunny. Are they generally harder to litterbox train than the boys? All three of my boys were so easy to train, even the one I got as a baby. My girl on the other hand, I have tried everything I can think of. She does go in the litterbox, but also all over the cage. It wouldn't be that huge of a deal if it weren't for the fact that she is also peeing outside the cage, or it's running out of the cage, but I'm sure that's what I get for having her in a dog crate. She is getting spayed on Tuesday, will that help? Any tips for litter training would be wonderful.


Betsy

My unaltered doe does this but just pees and poops in the box but then poops everywhere! I got a handheld vacuum and it seems to help lots! frequently cleaning everything with vinegar but the box is a great idea! She'll only relate 'her territory' to the box and that should reduce random spraying. Good luck!

 

[Johnna]

Hi there, I have had Mel for 7 years and until recently she always peed in her box-now, she throws around her litter, moves the box from the corner and pees in the corner. Help!! Why now? I like the idea of mixing the vingear with the water in a spray bottle which I will use, but theres gotta be a solution, doesnt there?

 

[* ~ Pumpkin ~ *]

Johnna wrote:

Hi there, I have had Mel for 7 years and until recently she always peed in her box-now, she throws around her litter, moves the box from the corner and pees in the corner. Help!! Why now? I like the idea of mixing the vingear with the water in a spray bottle which I will use, but theres gotta be a solution, doesnt there?

Me too ! im having a simliar problem with my 10 week old doe, i mean with the moving her litter box around and peeing and pooing around the litter box. She also does it in the litter box but not consistantly and shelikes to sit in her litter box! Does anyone have any advice ?