Playtime Frustration

[hokankai]

So I'm starting to get frustrated with Theodore. He flawlessly pees in his litterbox while in his cage, but when I try and leave him out to exercise and have playtime he ALWAYS pees on the floor when I'm not looking (or looking...). He doesn't get the whole "Need to pee, return to cage" concept -_-;

WHY is this such an issue? He's been neutered for a month and I clean it up with Nature's Miracle every time. He doesn't pee in one spot, just wherever. Also, it's hard to discipline a rabbit...but he's deaf, so it makes it even more difficult...

Could it be because I've had a lot of foster rabbits in that room and he smells them? Or because for the first 1.5 years of his life he didn't have a litterbox? I'm just sad because it means less playtime for him, and I'm worried about what my parents are going to think once I move back home :expressionless .

Any hints/tips/advice/encouragement?

 

[toyabrooke]

I know when I let Ray out for play time in a little pen that is attached to his crate, I have multiple litter trays out to decrease the risk of him using the carpet. He is slowly getting better as the days go (he is only 3 months and we have only had him about 1 month), and now is almost never doing mistakes on the carpet.

Definitely advise having multiple litter boxes in his play area and even starting him off with a restricted area first and then increasing that as he gets better. That's what I plan to do with Horatio and so far so good!

T

 

[funnybunnymummy]

It's only been a month since he was neutered. It takes a while for the hormones to completely die down. He probably still has the urge to mark (as you said there have been other bunnies in the area).

Definitely have another litter box available outside his cage (and make sure it's got some pee and poop of his in it).

When we first got Gus, he'd sometimes try to pee where he wasn't supposed to (like the couch ). If I saw him go into the 'pee position' (legs apart, tail up), I'd grab him, tuck his tail under him and rush him to his litter box. After a few reminders, he seemed to get the idea.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[LakeCondo]

Could it be because I've had a lot of foster rabbits in that room and he smells them? Or because for the first 1.5 years of his life he didn't have a litterbox?

I'd say the former more than the latter, as he uses the litterbox in his cage. I would suggest confining him to a small room or xpen & adding another litterbox that's larger than the one in the cage, so he can stretch out in it when he wants & eat hay there.

 

[hokankai]

His cage is already 16 sq feet and his litterbox is really big (it's made from the bottom of a rubbermaid bin...probably close to 28"x 15") so I'm not putting a bigger one than that out there! haha. and he's already confined to the rabbit room since he won't go on the hardwood. When he's out he has about 4 of his cages of space to binky in.

I'd put other boxes out but he doesn't go in a particular area, so where would I put it? And he also doesn't eat hay unless he has to, so that wouldn't entice him to go into it -_- difficult boy.

Also, he's been neutered for 6 weeks (my bad) so he has about 13% of the testosterone left in his system.

It's hard to catch him because he seems to do it when I step out of the room for a second, and he's already so low to the ground that I can't really tell when he's going . But I always tend to catch it after he's already done it anyway, so discipline is moot at that point.

 

[ZRabbits]

My suggestion is when you let Theodore out, show him where the litter box outside his crate is placed. That's what I do with my boys. When I take them out for their runs, I always place them inside their litter box and then they are free to roam. I've been lucky so far. Only the babes have accidents. The older boys get it. They go to their box when they need to go.

It's hard to discipline a bunny, it just doesn't work. You only scare them more. But if you consistently do the same thing, I think they get the idea. Plus also, with the foster bunnies he does smell them and could be a bit confused of where to go.

Wishing you luck with Theodore. I think once you are down to two, it might be a little easier for Theodore to "get it".

K

 

[toyabrooke]

I also place Ray in his box every 5-10 minutes or so. When he grooms himself, I place him in his box because I know he does a whole heap of poops while he grooms. He also gets placed in his box when he is getting a little too close to the edges of his play pen which he likes to wee on. So far he is getting MUCH better, and every time he makes a mistake I sometimes say 'NO' and move him to his box, or just put him there and stroke him for a bit so he gets the idea. If I have come into the room and he has done it without me there to see it, he stills gets put back in his box.

It's a slow process but I'm hoping in a few weeks he should be almost perfect

T

 

[hokankai]

Hmm, well, Theodore hates being picked up so putting him in the box isn't really an option. But maybe I should make his play area somewhere else and see how he does. I had him out on the hardwood and he didn't mess the floor at all. Maybe if I just set up a small area outside of the bunny room he'll do better, but it would be nice to let him roam that room for awhile without supervision so he could return to his safe zone.

 

[ZRabbits]

hokankai wrote:

Hmm, well, Theodore hates being picked up so putting him in the box isn't really an option. But maybe I should make his play area somewhere else and see how he does. I had him out on the hardwood and he didn't mess the floor at all. Maybe if I just set up a small area outside of the bunny room he'll do better, but it would be nice to let him roam that room for awhile without supervision so he could return to his safe zone.

Actually Dobby hated to be picked up, but with working with him by picking him up and placing him in the litter box, he's learned to tolerate it. And now can actually pick him up for a quick snuggle while he's out and about.

I'd watch the hardwood floor too. Bunnies can hurt themselves if they get scared and have no traction.

Wishing you luck with Theodore. The more of a routine you have, especially training litter box manners, I think the more bunnies understand and work with you.

K

 

[MiserySmith]

I had a similar situation. He peed in his litter box in his cage(doesn't poop in it though) but when I let him out he never went back into his cage to use the litter box. I've since added one on the opposite side of his out time area and he's gotten a lot better with pee and poop lately. There's still lots of work to be done, and I know how frustrating it can be.. but with patience it does get better.
I also agree^ with putting something over the hardwood. Peppy's cage is in our living room which is wood and we throw down old sheets or else he tries to run and trips up.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We use multiple boxes--been lucky so far.