Litter Training

[blacklily28]

I need to litter train my year old dwarf namedLeigh Ann, but since we just got her a few days ago, she still won'tlet me touch her/pick her up. What's your advice on this?

Also, Leigh Ann doesn't know how to use the water bottle. Will this just take time, or should I get a new bottle or new bowl?

She doesn't seem to eat a lot of her hay either. Anything I can do about this?

 

[panacrent]

as in your last post someone said that her moveof environment can be stressful, she may not be eating too much. justmake sure that you keep some out for her all the time. my rabbit angiewas like this, but once she got comfortable in her new home, shestarting eating like crazy.

for water, you should put a bowl in for her to drink from. if you dontwant to stay with the water bowl, you can try to teach her that watercomes out of the water bottle by pressing on the roller to let waterthrough with her watching. in case she doesnt get it right away i wouldleave the bowl out for a day or so until you can be sure she knows howto use the bottle.

as far as litter training goes, someone else can cover this. im havinga hard enough time with my own. fortunately she has figured out to pooponly in her cage and not around the rest of the house. the box in thecorner is the next step. the first thing to do for it thoughis to put the box in the place where she poops the most.

 

[HankHanky]

Ann doesn't know how to use the water bottle. Will this just take time, or should I get a new bottle or new bowl?


Hey Blacklilly,

will come around eventually. Every rabbit has their own idividualpersonality quirks. As for the water Bottle: I dislike Bowls as theyare a vector for horrific gastro intestinal infections. Rabbits oftenurinate and fefecate in their water-bowls then the drink it causingvarious illnesses. I would stick with the water-bottle. If you want toget the bunny to learn to drink. Try plasing a matchstick or toothpickin the nozzel to create a slight drip. The rabbit will soon get theidea and will drink once the stick is removed to stop the drip. I hopethis helps.

Dennis,C.V.R.

 

[Carolyn]

Welcome to the forum, blacklily!

Love the name Leigh-Ann. I'm sure she's as pretty as her name.

Wholeheartedly agree with panacrent about her eating habits and howshe'll gobble it down once she's relaxed a bit. Also agree withHankHanky about waterbowls. That said, many people with outside rabbitshave to use waterbowls in the wintertime because the water bottlesfreeze up during cold temperatures.

I've 'bumped up a post' (put it back on the top of the pile) entitled:Litterbox Training. I hope it will answer some of your questions.

As to the picking her up and touching her, let her settle in a bit. Geton the floor and let her hop around. Talk to her alot. It took timewith Tucker, my Polish rabbit; it took barely a day for my Holland Lop.Some rabbits are quirkier than others. What really helped for Tucker isto each night say good night to him and sit next to his cage and pethim for at least 5-10 minutes so that he'd calm down and get used tothe fact that I wasn't out to pick him up, just out to love him. Henever really has enjoyed getting picked up and I don't really mess withhim until I have to cut his nails. He's gotten quite good about notfighting me anymore when it comes around to that time.

She's getting used to the new environment, smells, sounds, etc. Let herdo her thing and I'd focus on litter training at this point.

Happy to have you here. Keep us posted on your progress.

-Carolyn