Teaching bunnies not to go to the bathroom in their hay

[tterster]

We just got a bunny a week and a half ago and sheseems to go to the bathroom in the area she sleeps in. She does it inthe corner area, but she still goes in her hay? How can I teach her togo somewhere else? Is it bad that there is pee and poop inher hay for days. Someone told me that you have to clean it out once aweek. That the hay absorbs the urine and poop. Can anyone help me here?Thanks so much.



T

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Hay does not absorb urine and poop. If it's hay,you need to clean it daily. A rabbit will eat soiled hay and may becomesick. I'd suggest a switch over to straw and get a hay rack if youdon't have one already.

As far as I know, you can't train a rabbit to go to the bathroom in aspecific spot. When people litter train their rabbits, the rabbitactually picks the spot and the people just put a litter box there.

 

[tterster]

HI We do have straw in our bunny hutch outside.We do have to get a hay stack. Now is is okay that he is pooping andmaybe peeing and then still sitting on it in his cage? Or does thestraw still need to be changed everyday. I guess I am new with this. Iworry about her with this.
Please help me

 

[I LuV MaH BuNs]

tterster wrote:

Wejust got a bunny a week and a half ago and she seems to go to thebathroom in the area she sleeps in. She does it in the corner area, butshe still goes in her hay? How can I teach her to go somewhere else? Isit bad that there is pee and poop in her hay for days.Someone told me that you have to clean it out once a week. That the hayabsorbs the urine and poop. Can anyone help me here? Thanks so much.



T

she can die if she eats to much peepee hay!!

 

[Fergi]

Gotta figure whatever you would be willing to sitin and eat or drink your bun should be just fine doing. I personalyclean my cages twice a day to make sure that there isn't any area thatis soiled. I know I wouldn't want tosit in pee or poop allday. Keeping thier environment clean is very important, just likekeeping your environment clean. Makes for a happy healthy bunny!

Fergi's mom

 

[tterster]

I understand that it will make her sick, but weare only home after 5. We cleaned it out yesterday and she went in itagain. I mean if I clean it everyday, it will be after work. I have noone to clean it during the time we are both at work. I work full timeall week. Someone told me to switch to straw. Well we have straw. Isthere a difference in that? I don't know if she is eating the stuff shegoes in. I don't know if she is peeing in it but there were a few poopsin there last night. I don't know what to do. I don't wanther to get sick. I mean is she going to get sick if she sits in it fornine hours a day while we are both at work? I want to giverour bunny the best. She is a very special part of our family. I loveher to pieces.



t

 

[Fergi]

Ok, reading that made more sense to me. From thefirst post I had a different impression of what you were saying. Mostbuns don't poo in the box all the time, you are lucky if they pee init. The best thing to do is if she is soiling her hay (peeing) takewhat she pees on and put it in the area you would like her to go. Ifthat doesn't work then you can swap the place around and put thelitterbox where she seems to prefer to go. As long as she has room tomove off of the soiled litter it should not be a problem. Sorry if myother post sounded odd, I thought you meant she was eating hay that hadbeen peed on. Most rabbits will not eat straw so switching to straw inher bed area may help prevent her from ingesting any soiled materials.Hope this helps and good luck!

Fergi's mom

 

[tterster]

I thought we had hay and it is straw. I am notsure if she is eating it or not. We fixed the area where she sleeps. Wedid it where when she goes to the bathroom it drops through. I mean wealways had it that way, but on the sides of the wire, there was woodshe was peeing on so we replaced by taking out the wood and puttingwire. I can't explain it. . She goes next to where shesleeps. But still poops in the straw. Go figure. They don't eat straw.That is good. I can't explain it how we fixed it. I don't know what Iam going to do with her. So I will try moving the soiled straw out inthe area of the cage where she doesn't sleep then and we'll see whathappens. Thanks so much.

t

 

[2bunnies]

As you are all speaking of straw, I was toldnever to use straw as it is too hard and the bunnies could get stuckeven punctured, was I told wrong, all I give is timothy hay from thefarm and alfalfa for a treat. please correct me on this as straw iscleaner for bedding.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I've never heard that. Hay is problematic if usedfor bedding because a rabbit may eat soiled hay and then you could havea sick bunny on your hands. In a cold climate such as the one I livein, I have to use straw. Straw is hollow so it holds air in and acts asa way better insulator than hay which is not hollow.

Many people use straw and I've never heard of problems.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

P.S.- I find straw is actually "softer" so tospeak. It bends easily and comes apart fairly easy. Hay feels a lotharder and doesn't bend as easily.

 

[Buck Jones]

I think I can help. If you are usingstraw as bedding on a wire floor, you shouldn't have aproblem. I have that arrangement in the "sleeping/eatingcompartment of my outdoor hutches. The buns do poop and peethere.

I shake out the poops until they drop to the ground. If thereis any obviously pee saturated straw, I will toss just that portion aswell and replace with new. Other than that, I leave italone.

Is there some straw in the hutch that has been peedon/through? I suspect so, but do not worry aboutit. Have had buns in those conditions for ten years or sowith no apparent ill effects.

I do have a hay rack in the hutch that is always full of hay and is above the floor level of straw.

Buck