Loss of potty skills

[Callaway]

Hello everybody! First of all thank you for being awesome. Now onto my question.

Callaway has always had excellent litter habits. Always peeing and pooping in his cage/ litterbox. Recently (when we temp took in the homeless bunny) it is almost like he has forgotten them. He is leaving poops all over the place. I'm not talking about the random territorial droppings. I mean like actual piles of droppings. So far he hasn't pee'd on the carpet but I did notice that on the tray we place his food and greens on, he peed.

Is this just rebellion since the other rabbit is no longer here? It started after she left. Or did he generally just forget? Any tips for getting the situation under control? He is free range in the house all day. I thought about putting him away during the day and get him out when we get home To help him learn that this is where he goes potty. But then I remember his awful behavior at night sometimes. So not sure if that would help or if there would be a more logical way of doing it.


Sent from my iPhone using Rabbit Forum

 

[DUSTBUNNY-CLYDE]

I would try to limit his space until he gets it again!! my buns are usually great but there are some days when they're messy! best of luck!

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

I don't remember, is he neutered? I also find limiting the space or providing an extra litter box may help. Also, keeping hay near the litter box can help so they nibble and poop at the same time. Some bunny owners use hay in the bottom of the litter box, however I feel its not as cleanly to be eating the hay he's urinating/pooping it; I like to stick it in a hay rack right by the box.

Also, do you keep the litter really clean? Maybe he's gotten picky about it?

Or, have you changed the type of litter or bedding in the box recently? Ripley stopped pooping in his box when I started using wood stove pellets at litter so I had to go back to carefresh.

 

[Callaway]

He is not neutered. Unable to due to his medical issues. Which is why I'm not sure if this is a rebellion thing from not being able to be at the other rabbit.

We use a hay rack that hangs right on his litter box. His litter box also has a grid in the bottom so the droppings and urine go straight through.

We haven't switched litter in quite some time so I don't believe it is that. We clean the litter box at least once a week and the cage bottom itself every day or every other day.

We line the bottom with newspaper and have a grid that goes across the bottom. We did recently switch to newspaper after using packaging paper that was left by the moving company when we were relocated. But we used newspaper prior to the packaging paper.

We did recently rearrange the living room (where his cage is kept) probably two to three weeks prior to this issue. So he might be a little angry? Other habits haven't changed. Just bathroom.

I also discovered a foul smell seeping through our air vents so an animal must have gotten under the house and died. Landlord is having someone drop by tomorrow to locate and remove it as they have a lock on the door to the crawl space. Could he have smelled the animal before us and it threw him off?

Thanks for your help and questions. We had to practically beg the landlord to allow us to keep him indoors when we moved. So I'd hate for this to get completely out of control and we'd have to move him outside to a hutch. He is my bunny child!


Sent from my iPhone using Rabbit Forum