Needing a definitive litter box training tutorial!

[jen92473]

I already searched through the RO forum and library, but I think it would be great if someone (obviously more knowledgeable than I am!) put together a sticky on litter box training-something with all the tips/tricks/timeline, etc.

Anyway, here's my story: we have an almost 4 month old intact Dutch female, Cappuccino, who had a cage, but was also allowed to roam free in our den. I felt she was needing more attention, so we moved her to the living room and my husband built her a three-level NIC condo (2 panels wide, 3 high and 5 across) from which she constantly tries to escape. (She's also thumping a lot both in and out of her cage-what's up with that?) I put her food, water, hay and litter box (the large corner kind) on the top level so it's easy to get to and clean/refill. She poops on all three levels, all over the cage and pees on the top and bottom levels.

Here's what I've tried so far: I have tried placing her food container over her litter box (she stands outside the litter box to eat/poop), spraying the area with 50/50 vinegar and water, putting hay in her litter box, scooping up poop and putting it in the litter box, placing urine-soaked paper towels in the litter box, and yesterday I put a larger cat litter pan on the lower level with hay in it because she's claimed that level as her bathroom as well!
My last bun, a mini lop, took to litter box training right away, but this one is baffling me. Is it because she was allowed so much freedom initially? Does Cappuccino need more time in her cage until she's better at the litter box? I'm tired of vacuuming up a room full of "coffee beans" she's left behind after some time out! About how long can I expect this to take (understanding that all bunnies are different)? Love my bun :anotherbunbut she's got me baffled! :?

 

[PaGal]

I have three buns, one intact male and two intact females. The male I had since ten weeks old. It took him three days to be litter trained. Until then he did pee outside of the litter box but never outside the cage. He did drop poos around the bun room up until about seven months old. At first it was a lot because he was marking his new territory. After months it slowed down to about five a day. He still drops a few.

The girls I rescued at about 1 1/2 yrs old. They were not litter trained when I brought them home. It took two weeks to litter train them. They still sometimes will pee or spray outside of the litter box when the hormones really ramp up.

First of all your bun is at puberty age so it is time to start thinking of having her spayed. That should really help with the litter habits. I don't think with the girls you can expect them to be perfect while they are intact. The hormones can really hit them hard. At least from my experience.

The thumping may be due to all of the new changes, cage and living area. She may just need time to adjust. Thumping is a fear action.

How does she try to escape?

For litter training you may want to think of getting a few plastic storage boxes. One area of one side can be cut down just enough for the bun to be able to easily hop in and out of it. The higher sides help to contain messes including spray. You may want to have more than one both inside the cage and out at least until she is better with her litter habits.

Remember, you moved her into a new cage as well as a new room. That means she has new territory she must mark to claim it as hers. Bunnies mark both by spraying and by dropping poos. These behaviors may slow down and even stop once she has adjusted to all of the changes.

Hang a hay rack above any litter boxes so the bun must be completely in the litter box to munch on the hay. Buns tend to potty while eating so this helps to litter train them. That's one thing I like about using a plastic storage box, it is easier to make sure they are completely in the box. Any hay falls into the box instead of into the cage or out of it where you have to clean it up. Think outside the box and many items can be used as a hay rack. Make sure it is not big enough for the bun to fit into or she may just sit in the hay rack munching and pottying. If you don't want to use hayracks you can place a pile of hay in a corner of the litter box.

Continue to clean up all poos outside of the litter box and place them into the litter box. Continue to soak up urine with paper towel and place that in the litter box. Continue to clean all surfaces with vinegar.

I would limit her space to her cage for now. You may even want to limit it to only one or two floors of the cage. Until she shows improvement in her litter habits. Once she is using the litter box(es) well in the cage then slowly allow her to have a little space outside the cage. As long as her litter habits remain good then add a little more space over time until she has run of the whole room.

Keep litter in the litter boxes and never in the rest of the cage otherwise she'll view the whole cage as a litter box. Also until she is litter trained you may want to keep all soft items out of the cage such as fleece. Buns tend to pee on soft items.

Keep in mind though that since she is at the puberty age her litter habits may not be perfect until she is spayed. Rabbits are considered litter trained when they pee only in a litter box and nowhere else. Buns drop so many poos it is very rare to find a bun that won't drop at least a few.

 

[galvanizedlilly]

I have litter trained my Flemish Giant. i brought him home at 9 weeks old and it was a cinch to train him. I brought home a 3 month old female and its like all the training that the male had went out the window. He is spraying and more little nuggets are being deposited on the ground. This is very discouraging as he was completely trained. The female is not taking to her litter box as you said. I have tried all the things that you have. I just cut down the size of her living quarters in hopes that this will solve the problem. I also wash her cage with the vinegar water solution in a desperate attempt to discourage her. If you found a solution please let me know. My male is going in on Friday March 21 to be fixed. I am hoping that this will solve a lot of problems with the spraying.

 

[PaGal]

Neutering your male bun should help stop the spraying. You didn't say how old he is now but if he is being neutered then I assume he is at puberty age. Between this and you bringing home a new bun he feels the need to mark his territory. Buns mark not just with urine but also with poops so that is why he is dropping more.

The female may be dealing with the same issues. Not only is she in a new home but also there is another bun present and an intact male at that. All of these situations have her wanting to mark her territory as well.

Having him neutered and later her spayed should help the situation.

What is the set up for the two buns? I assume they are in separate cages. Are they kept in the same room? Are they allowed free time outside of the cages? Is it in the room they are kept in?

I have an intact flemmie buck and two intact females of some mix. The male has a cage and the females share a cage. They are kept in the same room. My buck has never sprayed and stopped marking territory with poos long before I rescued the girls. At first I just blocked off their cage directly outside of it knowing buns can mate through a cage. My male did start spraying. I fixed this by using an X-pen placed around the cage so that my male cannot get closer than three feet from their cage. Luckily this stopped his urge to spray and mark with poos. It also confines the girls to their free run area. When the male is in his cage I allow the girls time out of theirs. When I let the male to free run then the girls are kept in their cage as well.

 

[galvanizedlilly]

Thanks for the reply, Gunther is coming up to 6 months old. I have them both in a room that is theirs only. The room is 10 x 10. Gunther has always had his xl dog cage in one corner with the door opened. His litter box had been placed in corner of the room and i had not problems with him at all. I brought home Mable who is 3 months and already the same size as Gunther. She also has her own xl dog cage in the same room on the other side of the room from Gunthers. Originally i hadn't secured Gunther in his cage as there was no reason to confine him. I would alternate him in his cage several times a day and her out for exercise plus i wanted some bonding time with her as she doesn;t have the same tame look in her eyes as Gunther has. I soon realized that it was best to lock them both up while i wasnt in the room. The rug has been sprayed with his constant running around her cage trying to get in with her. I have sprayed the carpet with vinegar and tried to watch him when he was out. AS i was cleaning up a spot today, he ran by me and completely sprayed me and the wall with a lot of urine. Subsequently he went back into his cage. I don't know how long it will take for him to stop doing this after he is fixed. I am hoping that after hes fixed i can let them out together and maybe the spraying will stop.

AS for her litter training. I blocked off half of the cage to keep her in a smaller area hoping that she will be forced to use her litter box instead of peeing where ever she stands. She chooses one corner i move the box, then she goes to another area along the side of the cage not even in a corner. This has been happening for over a week. i keep putting in the soaked tissue with her urine and scooping her poo's and putting in there as well. I don't know what else to do. Im wondering if there is a product out there that i can use or should i move her to another part of the house like in the basement away from Gunther to see if she will litter train more easily. She is chinning everything even me when she is out. and she is only 3 months old. I have to wait at least another 3-4 months before the vet will fix her. I am told that he doesnt like the fact that Gunther is only 5.5 months old and hes fixing him for me.

I am regretting getting Mable now. I work 12 hour shifts and i thought that it would be great company for my sweet Gunther as he loves to play and cuddle. i felt guilty not being able to give him more than an hour a day some times. Im usually in and out of his room several times a day to play with him when im off.