Peeing in their food dishes.

[JenniferCameron]

Yesterday I changed Winston's litter and Charlie's cage, and put in some cage liners which I then covered with a thick layer of bedding. and then filled their big bowls with hay. I woke up this morning to check on them and both of them had done all of their business in their food dishes. They both have giant bowls (like the one in the link but bigger) http://www.collectiblewebs.com/bowls/images/brown-crocksoup-interior.jpg

This made a giant Mess in Winston's room, because he backs up so a lot of the pee ended up on the floor, Charlie wasn't so bad but I still found it odd that they both decided to pee in their food dishes. I'm guessing they didn't like the bedding or the cage liners (I usually buy the materials at Pet Smart but I went to pet value today and got the same bedding but a different brand).

Has anyone had this problem before, I found it so odd that they both did it the same night and in the same fashion.

Any help would be appreciated.

Ok I have to go and clean everything up now!

Cheers!

 

[BlueGiants]

Are both bunnies used to using a litter box? Were the bowls in a corner? Did you re-arrange or move the bowls when you cleaned? (I mean put them in a different place in the cage?)

Could be the new smells from the different brand of bedding. (Some bunnies don't handle changes well! LOL! ) They may have been trying to get up off the bedding if it bothers them. It was easier to stand on their food bowls. I'd try to get some of the regular bedding that they are used to and see if they repeat it.

Hope they behave themselves tonight! The food gets expensive for them to be soiling it!

 

[JenniferCameron]

They bowls were in the same place as always, and the bedding is the same just a different brand, but I can see how it could still seem different to them. Thankfully they haven't done it again. I think I figured out why Winston did it, I had his litter tray (one of the rectangular ones with bar, shere is a link of what it looks like http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752717 ) filled up more than usual with bedding, I'm thinking he thought it was too full to use. I haven't had the same problem in the last few days since I emptied it somewhat. I think Charlie did it because she had pulled out all of the hay and just ended up eating it in a position that placed her bum in her dish lol.

Everything has been alright the last few days, so I hope that's how it will stay.

Thank you for the insight and ideas.