Litter Box Un-Training?

[PepnFluff]

Roughly a week after the bunnies have been in their new hutch they have virtually stopped using their litter box. They havn't changed poo spots either they have just randomly scatter pooed EVERYWHERE. I'm starting to get concerned as they both have sore hocks and obviously the surfaces they're on need to be clean. Ruby used to have pristine white paws and now they've gone orangey because she's stopped using the litter box. each morning and evening it gets swept out and wiped with a vinegar water solution, it's just starting to get grotty though and Rub's hocks arn't healing and this may have something to do with it. Anyone have any ideas?? Im DESPERATE!

Phoebe.

 

[Bunny_Love]

PepnFluff wrote:

Roughly a week after the bunnies have been in their new hutch they have virtually stopped using their litter box. They havn't changed poo spots either they have just randomly scatter pooed EVERYWHERE. I'm starting to get concerned as they both have sore hocks and obviously the surfaces they're on need to be clean. Ruby used to have pristine white paws and now they've gone orangey because she's stopped using the litter box. each morning and evening it gets swept out and wiped with a vinegar water solution, it's just starting to get grotty though and Rub's hocks arn't healing and this may have something to do with it. Anyone have any ideas?? Im DESPERATE!

Phoebe.

Are you putting their poop and pee in her litter box, when its scattered in their cage?


Hope others will be able to help more,
Jessica

 

[PepnFluff]

Yeap, when ever I sweep I put what would equal a large size handful of pooh into the box.

 

[Lover_Of_Lopz]

do you keep them inside or out

 

[PepnFluff]

They're outside on the deck.....

 

[Lover_Of_Lopz]

well if you make their cages smaller it maybe easer to re litter train them

 

[Lover_Of_Lopz]

:biggrin2:

 

[PepnFluff]

They're in a condo on the deck. I don't want to make it any smaller as Fluff is a pretty active wee guy. Even If I wanted to, I couldn't as there is no way to downsize it....

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Here's our thread on training, maybe it will help:

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12084&forum_id=17

 

[PepnFluff]

Thanks for that, I read those before I posted hehe. It's quite a sudden thing and it's getting worse......Rub's not spayed most prob won't get done as I don't know her age or anything so I'd find it all a bit scary with risks etc. Fluff Is neutered and he seems to be the biggest culprit. What would trigger this? you'd think they'd prefer a nice clean place but no lol..... Lazyness? Illness?

 

[Flashy]

Maybe they were marking their territory? The vinegar might stop it smelling like this (which I know is the point of it) but if they feel it needs to be theirs maybe it needs to be waited out until they stop doing this and start going in a corner again?

It may also be some sort of illness. Is it just poo? Or wee? Or both? How are they both acting in themselves?

 

[PepnFluff]

It well could be that, I'll switch to just a plain water and see if that helps, thanks Tracey!:

If your looking at the hutch, on the right had side that has their hay box its only poop and I've found one pee about 5 days ago. On the left hand side however it is poop and pee, and lots of it :-( They both seem to be acting ok but Ru's not liking me at the mo because of this cream applying. They have white rags under their water bowl and when they pee on it, their pee is red???

 

[Flashy]

Have you tried moving their litter tray to the other side?

It might be someone has cystitis. Red urine can be normal (diet can vary the colour of the wee and some foods in particular can make it red) but equally urine with blood clots in can be a sign of a problem. If you are concerned maybe it might be worth getting them both checked out?

 

[PepnFluff]

I'll move it to the right hand side and se if that helps

They're on a hay only diet for their ISS but i'm at the stage in it were i'm introducing very small amounts of greens and 4 pellets a day back into their diet. They currently get 1 leaf of spinach, 1 leaf of dandelion, 1 leaf of mint and a pinch of parsley every second night.....Do you think I should cut the greens back out?

Again thank you!

 

[yaya551]

Not that this may help, or pertain exactly to this exact case, but I learned with my last bunny to just use weewee pads and place a few through out the house. She's really good about it.

 

[kherrmann3]

I just had this problem. I made Toby & Emma a bigger cage and they started pooping and peeing EVERYWHERE! I just had Will clean the carpeting of our room, too! Part of their cage is over our carpet, so that nice clean carpet smell did not last long! It has been a few days, and their habits are getting back to normal. How long have they been in this new cage?

 

[PepnFluff]

Shoot, um good question lol.It was before I went to fathers so about the 20th of Dec. The first week in there they were great, only a few small poo accidents...