Poop Psychology Question(s)

[Jenk]

I previously wrote about my bun, Emma, refusing to use the litter box in her cage. I took others' advice andhave allowedher extra room outside of her cage overnight (using her x-pen) to see if she'd then use her "outside" litter box.

I was nervous to leave her on the carpeting all night; she chews carpet edges. I configuredthex-pen to give her a little extra space and keep her away from the edges. This solution worked briefly before she again stopped pooping inher "outside" litter boxovernight.

This past Sat., my hubby and I increased the space around her cage (which requires reconfiguring the x-pen each AM/PM--a time-consuming pain). That night, she pooped normally. But last night, she passed maybe 2-3 poops. Once we arranged her x-pen to its "normal, daytime" configuration, she'spooping again.

I really don't want to allow Emma full run of her typical x-pen area all night, since I can't intervene if she chews the carpet. And due to my unemployment and excessive vet bills,spending money on another x-pen is out of the question. My husband says thatour currentx-penisn't big enough to block Emma from the carpet edges while still givingher the amount of space she enjoys during the daytime.

Please, somebody...Help me get inside of this rabbit's head to "solve" her issue with space and litter box usage.

Jenk

 

[Alexah]

I wish I had some advice to offer, but I don't. I'm sorry. But I just wanted to let you know that I hear you and I understand how frustrating this must be for you and your husband.

I'm sure someone else will come around and offer some more suggestions. Until then keep doing what you're doing...hopefully Emma will come to her senses and you and your husband can relax some.

:hug:.

 

[Jenk]

Alexah wrote:

I wish I had some advice to offer, but I don't. I'm sorry. But I just wanted to let you know that I hear you and I understand how frustrating this must be for you and your husband.

I'm sure someone else will come around and offer some more suggestions. Until then keep doing what you're doing...hopefully Emma will come to her senses and you and your husband can relax some. :hug:

Besides bunny psychology advice, I can appreciate mental/emotional support.

My bun-owning experience has been more overwhelming than I could've ever anticipated. I'm still rolling with things, but issues like this one makeme feel out of my league. I mean, Emma must have some reason for not pooping throughout the night. But her reasonselude me.

 

[Luvmyzoocrew]

I have a NIC cage and a pen attached to the outside of the cage, on the outside i have a piece of coroplast and there is only a small spot where they have access to the carpet. You could try p utting a piece of coro or something else in her run area so she doesnt get to the carpet, this way you are giving her extra room but proteceting her from the carpet.

 

[Pet_Bunny]

Have you triedusing more litter boxes than what you have now? In my run, I have a litter box in every corner, but my two rabbits still wants to poop all over the floor because they want to mark their territory. Once they are back in their own cages, they are so neat and clean.

 

[Jenk]

Pet_Bunny wrote:

Have you triedusing more litter boxes than what you have now? In my run, I have a litter box in every corner, but my two rabbits still wants to poop all over the floor because they want to mark their territory. Once they are back in their own cages, they are so neat and clean.

She has three boxes at her disposal; the one inside of the cage doesn't count, in a sense, because she no longer uses it.

It seems (to me, anyway) that she'll use her "outside" boxes; but if the x-pen area is reduced at bedtime (and her boxes remain facing the same direction), she won't use her boxes (beyond the first night of a new setup).

 

[JadeIcing]

I had this problem. What I did was fill the whole cage bottom with litter pans. Than slowly took one away at a time.

 

[Jenk]

JadeIcing wrote:

I had this problem. What I did was fill the whole cage bottom with litter pans. Than slowly took one away at a time.

How old was your rabbit when you had to do this?

Emma's 11-mos.-old; I just can't fathom why this issue has arisen during the past few months.

 

[JadeIcing]

In this case it was a trio. Ranging from about 1 year to 3yrs old.

 

[Jenk]

JadeIcing wrote:

In this case it was a trio. Ranging from about 1 year to 3yrs old.

I'm confused (granted, I'm confused about the rabbit psyche in general, at this point). Are you saying that between your three rabbits,none of them originally wanted to potty in their cage? And if that's the case, how did you figure out that all three were finally using certain boxes within the cage?

 

[JadeIcing]

One I know was ALWAYS using the litter box. One would occasionally. The other rarely used it. They had a shelf on one end I wanted the litter pans under there.

So the pans went all the way to the doors. I gave them no choice but to go in a litter pan. After a few weeks I took out one. I left it like that for a week than removed another. I kept doing that if they went outside I would put it back. Can take awhile. Eventually it was just two litter pans under the shelf. Than I blew it when I got more rabbits. :grumpy:

 

[Jenk]

JadeIcing wrote:

One I know was ALWAYS using the litter box. One would occasionally. The other rarely used it. They had a shelf on one end I wanted the litter pans under there.

So the pans went all the way to the doors. I gave them no choice but to go in a litter pan. After a few weeks I took out one. I left it like that for a week than removed another. I kept doing that if they went outside I would put it back. Can take awhile. Eventually it was just two litter pans under the shelf.

Heh. That is a pickle of a situation, too.

I countedEmma's "nighttime" poops this morning. She passedat least 50 (probably more like 65) between her two "outside" boxes. I should mention that we let her have full run of her normal daytime space (albeit with organizer panels placed around the carpet's edge). Granted, that's no guarantee that she'll keep up this pattern--but I'm thinking positively. :biggrin2:

JadeIcing wrote:

Than I blew it when I got more rabbits. :grumpy:

When that happened, you likely felt several different things at once. I'm guessing that theseemoticons cover them: :foreheadsmack::craziness:cry2:huh:nerves1:censored2::bawl: ullhair: