Non stop digging of litterbox

[LaylaLop]

They seem to think the litter belongs everywhere but in the litterbox... then they pee on it when it's kicked out and start pooping everywhere. It soaks into the carpet I have in there and makes the room smell like a barnyard. Their pee has come out the front of the xpen they're in and stained part of the carpet which is not good since I'm renting and not even allowed them..

If all else fails I'm going to have to keep them in a wire bottom cage with tiles on most of it to protect their feet until I can build a new cage when I move. Or I was thinking of buying a walmart plastic kiddie pool and building an NIC circular pen inside it to keep everything contained from now until I move. They also don't seem to like pooping in the litterbox and it's driving me crazy. It's not a new thing either, they've never liked pooping in the litterbox and even with me throwing their stray poos into the litterbox I turn around and 5 more turds are defiantly staring at me while they give me an innocent "feed me" face.

I can't let them free roam since they poop everywhere and insist on chewing on the wall trim/dig at the carpet in the corners. If the place we move to is all carpet they'll probably have to live in the garage or basement.

I know Layla still needs to be spayed, but Mumford is the worst culprit at the flinging the litterbox and peeing elsewhere. He's not sick, but seems to just hate the litter being IN the box. He likes to pee on it when it's on the rug best. The newly created litterbox has deterred them somewhat from digging, but they completely emptied their 2nd litterbox and flung hay (they tried climbing into the trash can hay rack and it went everywhere!)...

I swear, they're trying to drive me nuts! :grumpy:

 

[Elliot]

I have seen a plastic container thing that can go in the bottom or top of a pen, like this~ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GIGRRA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[tamsin]

Complete litter training is difficult without neutering as they still have the urge to mark their territory.

What's the base? I'd try getting a bit of lino flooring that is a little larger than the pen to go underneath, the spare around the sides with protect the carpet around it and it gives you a wipe clean surface.

Try a larger tray with deep sides, an underbed storage box gives plenty of room for two bunnies plus hay. Clean the floor regularly, to remove the scent but don't be too splotless with the tray itself, no smelly chemical cleaners and put a bit of dirty litter back so the right scent is there.

Digging is a normal activity for rabbits so the best option is to provide the opportunity to dig without causing damage/making mess. Plus plenty of other things to do so they spend less time overall digging.

 

[pla725]

I know the feeling. Woody, my lop, is the biggest offender. I decided to buy a two piece litter box to see if that control his digging. So far so good. I also gave one to my bonded pair Sawyer and Maddie for the same reason.

I know that some litter boxes come with an edge around it to prevent the litter from being kicked out. There is also a litter box that come in to pieces with the box and the strainer on top. Some people use a screen to put in the litter box. I believe Busy Bunny and Binky Bunny sell these. The two piece litter box was not cheap.

I remembersomeone on here saying that they got some grids from a craft store that worked.

 

[LakeCondo]

Those Marshall's mats are thin & will get torn to shreds quickly. The craft store things probably are plastic needlepoint canvas. I think the largest size it comes in in 11x17". I have found that fiberglass window screening works well. It needs to be held down at the corners or taped onto a piece of wire mesh. I've used this for 3 months now & the duct tape hasn't even needed replacement yet.

Getting a dig box can divert some of this behavior. Just a cardboard box filled with paper will work.

 

[LaylaLop]

I tried a digging box.. they use it to pee in so I end up with a soggy cardboard box and they dig up the litterbox still. They flung it everywhere again today. No matter how high the lip is, they fling it out. If they were more reliable/not as lazy about it, I'd make a top-entrance litterbox but they would just poop by the entrance.

I tried a double-layer litterbox but there wasn't enough room between the litter and the top tray so they'd fling their poops from the day everywhere...

The worst offender is Mumford, who is neutered. It's getting to be a daily thing even if I let them out, and they have a lot of toys. It doesn't seem to happen after any specific event like feeding time, or cleaning, etc.

I think it's out of spite for not being fed 24/7...

 

[LaylaLop]

I think I'm going to get a plastic storage tote and cut a hole up higher and put a platform outside and inside the litterbox to see if that will help..

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Or, we put litter boxes inside cardboard with a small hole for egress--works well for us and when the cardboard gets too chewed away, we just replace it. Cheap, easy, effective and gives hours of chewing fun at relatively small costs.

 

[LaylaLop]

Here's what I've changed it to for now...