Litter Training-HELP!!

[Bunnylova4eva]

I'm bunny sitting for a several-year-old spayed rex doe for a couple weeks. She has a wire cage that i put a litterbox in to help her stay clean since she's got sore hocks and otherwise sits in her own pee/poop. Due to the size of her cage, I had to put a small litter in there so maybe that's not the greatest. Anyhow, she's going all over her cage, wetting her carpet and everything. Tips? Our other bunnies got it like it was nothing-(the litter training). Hopefully I can get a picture up of her in the near future
Till then, her peeing all over...yeah, I just may go crazy anic: LOL

 

[JBun]

So it's not a wire bottom cage? You could try pulling the carpet out of there to see if she'll feel more inclined to use the litter box. Sometimes with new litter box training, if they have a comfy surface (like carpet) then it's easy to just pee on it, but with smooth surfaces like a plastic bottom cage, if they pee on it then it will get on their feet, which they don't usually like. If that doesn't work, you may just have to put a nice thick layer of litter in the whole cage. If it's thick enough, then the pee will drain to the bottom and she won't be standing in the soiled litter as much.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Hmm, well right now there is newspaper everywhere except where the box is (it's a small kind of cage as it is). She's peed about everywhere now (I clean in up each time...) so there's no specific corner preference it seems. I could try putting bedding/litter around, but they didn't bring any so it will end up costing *me* alot. Plus, the bottom of the cage is very shallow so all of the litter will just fall out. The cage it like this kinda: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3057123&lmdn=Pet+Type&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo except the bottom is only half as deep.

Plus, to make things worse, she pees and right away tried to drink it. yuck!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

ok, anyone???! I'm getting kinda desperate here-clue me in on and litter-training secrets I havne't heard! She's peeing and pooping everywehre but in the box. I do have hay in the box there for her but she won't go in it..she just sits in it when she pees (newspaper doesn't absorb anything when it is in there) and she's got sore hocks that are getting worse from sitting in it. Plus, I tried taking everything off the floor but the litter box and she's still going on it..

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

If she has never had access to a litter box and has just been peeing and pooping all over, it can be hard to change that behaviour in an adult rabbit, but it is not impossible.

First I will suggest giving the cage a really good scrubbing. Scrub it out with soap and water, then rinse and use white vinegar to clean. If the are bad urine build up, then let the vinegar sit for about 5-10 minutes and scrub really well. Rinse well and maybe use soap again to make sure it is really clean. The cage probably smells like pee to her, so she just keeps peeing all over.
If you can, put some dirty litter in the litter box to help her want to go there to pee and poop.

Try using towels in the cage. I know it won't really help too much with the litter training, but will be good to help absorb the urine. If you think she might chew them, but fleece on top and the towel on the bottom. You may need to change them out daily to keep the cage dry. At least towels you can wash.

I did have a foster bunny for a little while that took the litter training very easily. He had lived on shavings with no litter box, so didn't really have one spot to go. I clean out the cage and put a litter box in with shavings since that was what he was used to. Except for a few poops, there was no problem with him using the box.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

That's a great idea as far as cleaning the cage really well. I've cleaned it but probably not well enough to fully get rid of the urine smell. I'll definitly go do that.

Yeah, this is hard because all of our other bunnies (the 5 we've had) have easily taken to litter training. Like Taffy for instance-I never thought she'd learn so didn't bother with the box as she's always been messy and goes all over. I put the box in her cage a day later, she was ONLY using it. That's the first time in her life she's gone in one place and not even on the carpet or anything! And she's 6 years old, so I have hope for htis one learning. So glad for any suggestions!

 

[agnesthelion]

Does she have an adversion to getting in the box at all? For example Agnes refused to even physically get IN a triangle shaped box. So is it big enough for her? Low enough for her?

Also, does she seem picky abput the litter at all? Maybe she doesn't like going on the hay? Does the litter hurt her feet or anything? If she's peeing on newspaper maybe only put newspaper in the box at first.

Also, one time I spilled a drink near Archies litterbox. He hated the smell of the drink so he wouldn't go in his box. So make sure there is nothing that she doesn't like about the box.

Good luck!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Those are all good thoughts-

First, no, she has no problem with getting in the box. She spends much time in it and loves the thing. It isn't big enough for her as she barely fits. It's a pretty small cat litter box-the reason its so small is I bought the biggest I could get that would still fit in her cage-which ended up being the smallest kitty box there was.

She seems to have no problem with the litter, though she'll just go wherever. She goes on the newspaper but will go anywhere else as well.

You may have something there about her feet-she has chronic sore hocks that I'm medicating and trying to treat while she's here. That had been one of my ideas that maybe she just goes wherever she's standing at the time because her feet hurt and she doesn't like moving more than she has to.

 

[sharonb1515]

I have a bunny that only wants to hang out in the litter pan...Never pees or drops pellets in it...She thinks its a bed...I have tried moving it. Putting droppings and urine in it..She just wont do it! Oh well ! I hope u have better luck.