Placement of Hay in Cage...

[Jenk]

My girl Emma has almost entirely stopped going potty in her cage litter box. I'm hoping that new cage setup will help; I'm looking for suggestions.

Her cage is one level (a temporary setup until she and Zoe hopefully share a cage again). She has two beds side-by-side on one end;her litter box, food and water are on the other end.

Her hay manger hangs on the inside wall of her litter box, so she can eat clean hay while going potty in her litter box.This setup works wonderfully for Zoe; but Emma wants to keep her cage box as clean as possible. (Ironically, Emma willingly eats and potties in the litter box that's outside of her cage.)

Despite regularly using one of her beds, she still likes to lie in her litter box. It's likely for this reason that she hardly goes potty in it. And that can't be good, her holding her "business" all night long.

Outside of hanging her hay manger apart from her litter box, I'm wondering if there might be anything else for me to try. I'm taking all suggestions.

 

[tonyshuman]

i sometimes put a little hay in the box so they know it's for pooping. also, you might put some dirty litter and poo in the box so she knows what it's for. you could also get her a soft bed to lie in so that she has another comfy option.

 

[Jenk]

tonyshuman wrote:

i sometimes put a little hay in the box so they know it's for pooping. also, you might put some dirty litter and poo in the box so she knows what it's for. you could also get her a soft bed to lie in so that she has another comfy option.

All those areas have been tried/ covered. :? I've put some hay in the front end of her litter box, which she'll eat.My hubby has left some poop/ urine in the corner of her box, where she likes to go; but she didn't really drop a normal amount of additional fecals in her box. And she has two other beds on the opposite end of her cage (a Cuddle-E Cup and a blanket fluffed up within a box).

I'm being outwitted by a bunny....

 

[tonyshuman]

Jenk wrote:

I'm being outwitted by a bunny....

me too...:?

 

[JimD]

I used to brag about how good my bunnies were with their litter habits.....
However, I now have 3 of them that have been making me look like a real rookie for the past several months.

Putting the hay rack over the litter pans worked for some of the buns, but not these 3. They promptly pull all of the hay out of the rack and itall ends up in the litter pan. Then they sit outside of the pan and eat/poop/pee. "Don't get the hay soiled, k!"

 

[Jenk]

JimD wrote:

I used to brag about how good my bunnies were with their litter habits.....
However, I now have 3 of them that have been making me look like a real rookie for the past several months.

Putting the hay rack over the litter pans worked for some of the buns, but not these 3. They promptly pull all of the hay out of the rack and itall ends up in the litter pan. Then they sit outside of the pan and eat/poop/pee. "Don't get the hay soiled, k!"

:nod I feel better knowing I'm not the only person who's stumpedby a bun. Emma, too,has impeccable litter box habits--only now they're too impeccable. She'll now potty onlyin the box that's outside of her cage--which is a problem, since she'scaged for the night. :?

I willseparate the hay manger from the cage litter box (and always keepsome pee/ poop in it to reinforce the idea that the box is the toilet).

Then, I'vetwo additional options:

1)My husband could add a second level to Emma's cage. That way, herbedding could be be placed farther apart fromher food and toilet areas.

2) I canconstruct a larger enclosure for Zoe and Emma using NIC panels. (This wouldn't work until they're ready to live together;I don't want Emma getting territorial over the space before Zoe "moves in.")

 

[tort]

Have you tried one of those wirehay balls that hang? It has worked wonders for Zamboni.

 

[Jenk]

tort wrote:

Have you tried one of those wirehay balls that hang? It has worked wonders for Zamboni.

I've not tried one of those, no. But know that Emma does eat out of her manger; she just refuses to mess in her litter box.

Even worse,she's now taking Reglan and Baytrildue to digestive issues (likely frompellets being re-introduced to her diet). So if the drug is there to move things along, but she's holding everything back during the night, that really can't be good....

Egads! I'm one step away from leaving her cage door open all night to allow her access to the litter box outside of her cage. (But that means she'll also have access to chewing a few things that she shouldn't, e.g. the carpeting. :?)

 

[kirst3buns]

Jenk wrote:

I'm being outwitted by a bunny....

me too...:?

Me three..

Basil's cage floor is mostly litter boxes (3) in hopes that he will hit one of them:?but he does have a second level.

Egads! I'm one step away from leaving her cage door open all night to allow her access to the litter box outside of her cage. (But that means she'll also have access to chewing a few things that she shouldn't, e.g. the carpeting. :?)

Does she just prefer the litter box that is outside the cage? Have you tried putting it in her cage along with her other one? maybe even after she's used it a couple of times so she knows it's hers to use?

 

[Jenk]

kirst3buns wrote:

Basil's cage floor is mostly litter boxes (3) in hopes that he will hit one of them:?but he does have a second level.

Does she just prefer the litter box that is outside the cage? Have you tried putting it in her cage along with her other one? maybe even after she's used it a couple of times so she knows it's hers to use?

So Basil goespotty on his cage floor, rather than in any of the multiple boxes? Maybe he's overwhelmed by so many toilet choices.

Emma definitely prefers the litter box that's outside of the cage (even though it's the exact same as the one inside of her cage :?).

From what we've observed, she won't "mess" in her cage box, but immediately hops into her outside one and poops a lot at once (and, of course, pees, too). She acts more like a dog, waiting until the morning for her potty time.

The only drawback to putting both high-backed litter boxes in the cage is that they'll take up nearly all the floor space. But it's definitely something to try.

I've told my husband that he must create a second level for Emma's cage (hopefully by tonight). Besides putting both boxes inside the cage, it's my next option to try. And if neither of those options help, thenmy next move is to build a larger cage from NIC panels.

 

[JimD]

Jenk wrote:

Emma definitely prefers the litter box that's outside of the cage (even though it's the exact same as the one inside of her cage :?).

Maybe Emma sees a difference between the two pans.
Have you tried switching them....put the outside one inside....and the inside one outside?



Jenk wrote:

I've told my husband that he must create a second level for Emma's cage (hopefully by tonight). Besides putting both boxes inside the cage, it's my next option to try. And if neither of those options help, thenmy next move is to build a larger cage from NIC panels.

I have NIC pens added to all of my cages.
In some cases I've been able to remove the cage completely and expand the NIC pen, but some of the buns refuse to use their pans unless it's in the cage...so those cages remain.

 

[Jenk]

JimD wrote:

Maybe Emma sees a difference between the two pans.
Have you tried switching them....put the outside one inside....and the inside one outside?

That's possible; still, each pan is rotated nightly. So the one that was outside of her cage for the day is cleaned and put into her cage at night (and vice-versa).

I have NIC pens added to all of my cages.
In some cases I've been able to remove the cage completely and expand the NIC pen, but some of the buns refuse to use their pans unless it's in the cage...so those cages remain.

That's an idea....I could arrange the x-pen around her cage opening to provide an extra spacein which we could placeher "used" litter box. The space would be smallerthan what she gets during the day/ early evening, but only because I'd need to cover theexposed carpet with an office-chair mat, which isn'tbig enough to cover the entire area that she normally gets.

 

[kirst3buns]

So Basil goespotty on his cage floor, rather than in any of the multiple boxes? Maybe he's overwhelmed by so many toilet choices.

lol, unfortunately one is too much for him too! (I got him when he was somewhere between 1 and 2 and had him neutered but I don't think he'd ever seen a litter box prior to that judging by the way the cage I got him in looked).

Good luck. I hope something works.

 

[JimD]

Jenk wrote:

I'd need to cover theexposed carpet with an office-chair mat, which isn'tbig enough to cover the entire area that she normally gets.

That's what I use for flooring under my pens/cages.
Free run time is on a carpeted area...that oft times gets peed on....(gotta mark/remark our space :grumpy: ).

 

[JimD]

Brindle and S'more had a pee-fest last night.
I spent a half an hour cleaning up bunneh pee this morning....BEFORE COFFEE!!!



.....not happy:grumpy:

 

[Jenk]

JimD wrote:

Brindle and S'more had a pee-fest last night.
I spent a half an hour cleaning up bunneh pee this morning....BEFORE COFFEE!!!

.....not happy:grumpy:

Wanna know something really sad? I'd rather have Emma peeing/ pooping on her cage floor than not going potty in her cage at all.

 

[JimD]

Jenk wrote:

Wanna know something really sad? I'd rather have Emma peeing/ pooping on her cage floor than not going potty in her cage at all.

I know. I'm so sorry she's not feeling well.

I tried to post in that thread earlier, but got bounced off the forum.

prayers and thought are with her....and you too.

Sub-q's worked wonders for Chippy.I was convinced I was going to lose her that day. It took about 24 hrs, but she was so much improved when I picked her up the next day.

Keep us updated...I'll keep checking that thread.

 

[Jenk]

JimD wrote:

Jenk wrote:

Wanna know something really sad? I'd rather have Emma peeing/ pooping on her cage floor than not going potty in her cage at all.

I know. I'm so sorry she's not feeling well.

I tried to post in that thread earlier, but got bounced off the forum.

prayers and thought are with her....and you too.

Sub-q's worked wonders for Chippy.I was convinced I was going to lose her that day. It took about 24 hrs, but she was so much improved when I picked her up the next day.

Keep us updated...I'll keep checking that thread.

My previous post was referringto the fact that Emma refuses to potty in her cage litter box. (When her body's functioning as it should, she pees/poops a lot in the box outside of her cage.)I've no ideaif her choice to hold it plays a part in her current condition. It's the darndest thing, and I'm scared that she may start this odd behavior all over again once she's home. All I can do is wait on the results of her blood work and fecal culture. :? Hopefully, they'll point to something....

Still, I thank you for your thoughts and prayers for the both of us. All I know is that I'venot eaten nor slept properly over the past 4-5 days. :yawn::yawn::yawn: The stress is taking a toll on me. :help

 

[JimD]

Jenk wrote:

My previous post was referringto the fact that Emma refuses to potty in her cage litter box. (When her body's functioning as it should, she pees/poops a lot in the box outside of her cage.)I've no ideaif her choice to hold it plays a part in her current condition. It's the darndest thing, and I'm scared that she may start this odd behavior all over again once she's home.

I would go with a cage with a NIC pen attached.
That way she could go out of her cage and use the pan in the pen.

Brindle has become very sporadic with her litter habits.
I'm picking up a couple more corner pans to see If I can coax her back into peeing in her pan(s) again. Her problem seems to be more behavioral than medical....however I'm keeping watch for any abnormalities health-wise.



Jenk wrote:

All I know is that I'venot eaten nor slept properly over the past 4-5 days. :yawn::yawn::yawn: The stress is taking a toll on me. :help

I can remember times when I had a bedroll made up between the bunnie cages so I could watch over a sickly bun.
They are our charges and need our unconditional devotion.

...hang in there!

 

[missyscove]

Our Timmy has 2 litter boxes, one that he just sits in and the other that he uses. If we take out the one he sits in, he'll pee on the floor instead of using his boxes.
The things we do to satisfy the bunners amaze me.