Territorial Bun-Beast...

[LeFuzz]

I have a bun who is a little over a year and has been neutered for over 7 months now and he is still marking. I need help with this because he is ruining my new floors and my husband is losing patience (as am I, honestly). All the tricks that Google has offered, I have tried.

This rabbit (Alvin) is incredibly territorial, he will lunge, bite, flat out attack, and stalk other buns if given the chance. Before we moved, I made sure all my other fosters (2 other adorable buns) found good homes so Alvin could make a clean start in the new house. Within a day, he was marking certain areas, poo and pee. I gave him the benefit of the doubt for awhile, thinking he wanted to get used to the new house.

Over a month later and the first thing he does is run to certain areas and pee and poo. If I cover it, he will pee next to it. I clean it with everything that works- vinegar, natures miracle, hydrogen peroxide and dawn with baking soda (btw, that is magical for stains!). If I put a litter box there, he will go next to it.

He is trained. In his area, he will poo all over the perimeter, but not pee. He goes in his box in his x-pen. I feel terrible because I am really not letting him out lately, but I can't let him ruin my carpet. And this is brand new so I'm not in the market to replace it just yet. I can't bond him, he will attack immediately and we've tried (at least 6 failed dates), but he really does seem relaxed by his lonesome or hanging out with us. He is very sweet, you can pick him, cuddle him, he will groom you while you hold him, etc. But I'm going to go nuts here soon.

It's at the point where my husband is done, and he's the biggest animal lover I know, and I'm getting frustrated. Help, please!

 

[whiskylollipop]

He could have testicle remnants from a botched neuter, or an adrenal tumour. Have a look at this case: http://rabbit.org/sexy-bunnies/

 

[LeFuzz]

He could have testicle remnants from a botched neuter, or an adrenal tumour. Have a look at this case: http://rabbit.org/sexy-bunnies/

That was very interesting! I have an absurdly wonderful and patient vet who really listens, so I may print this out and take it to her.

 

[JBun]

If there aren't any boy remnants causing the marking and it is just a behavioral issue, you may need to limit his space for a while. Then when he has been really good at using the litter box in that smaller area, expand it just a little bit and see how he does with that. When you expand the area, you could just let him explore it for short periods where you can supervise and quickly usher him to his litter box if he tries to pee outside of it. That may help him learn that this isn't his new territory, it's yours, and he's not just allowed to pee and mark where ever he wants. If he just can't refrain from peeing on the carpet, you may just have to limit his play area. Having to limit his play area is probably better than having to rehome him cause he keeps peeing where he shouldn't.

 

[LeFuzz]

If there aren't any boy remnants causing the marking and it is just a behavioral issue, you may need to limit his space for a while. Then when he has been really good at using the litter box in that smaller area, expand it just a little bit and see how he does with that. When you expand the area, you could just let him explore it for short periods where you can supervise and quickly usher him to his litter box if he tries to pee outside of it. That may help him learn that this isn't his new territory, it's yours, and he's not just allowed to pee and mark where ever he wants. If he just won't refrain from peeing on the carpet, you may just have to limit his play area. Having to limit his play area is probably better than having to rehome him cause he keeps peeing where he shouldn't.

We have done that. He has an x-pen in his own room and he does only poos on the inside of the perimeter of his x-pen. the second he gets out of that room, he will full speed run to pee and leave a trail of little Alvin poo.

We limit him, he sort of gets the message, then he starts all over again. If you go to stop him when he is about to pee, he will take off while peeing, spraying everything as he goes. The poo in the x-pen is definitely territorial not bad litter box habits. He always pees in his box in the pen. If you bring his pen litter box out while he is out, he will go next to it.

He has picked 2-3 places and decided that's where he will go, and if can't get to it, next to it is a-ok, too. We really love this little tyrant, but we need to figure it out.

:bunnybutt: ---->Looks exactly like an Alvin butt.

 

[PaGal]

I may be misunderstanding but from what I read he has an Xpen in his room. He pees whenever he leaves the room. Is that right?

You may just have to keep him confined to that room if he only pees outside of it.
If he uses the litter box inside the Xpen but pees outside the Xpen then confine him to the Xpen. If you feel this does not allow enough space you could try buying an additional x pen to join with the first one but start out slowly adding more space within the Xpen for him by using the other Xpen. So keep his original Xpen up and slowly add space with the new Xpen, like one panel at a time.

Or maybe you could set up an area for him outside where he would be protected, safe and secure and you could let him run around. And it will not matter where he pees.

 

[LeFuzz]

I may be misunderstanding but from what I read he has an Xpen in his room. He pees whenever he leaves the room. Is that right?

You may just have to keep him confined to that room if he only pees outside of it.
If he uses the litter box inside the Xpen but pees outside the Xpen then confine him to the Xpen. If you feel this does not allow enough space you could try buying an additional x pen to join with the first one but start out slowly adding more space within the Xpen for him by using the other Xpen. So keep his original Xpen up and slowly add space with the new Xpen, like one panel at a time.

Or maybe you could set up an area for him outside where he would be protected, safe and secure and you could let him run around. And it will not matter where he pees.

It's not his room per say, it's more my office that he took over and I can't put anything in it because he will chew it. Which hey, he's a rabbit, but he is also systematically digging and destroying my carpet at the same time in that room, but not peeing in it.

At this rate, he may end up outside if there are no health reasons for him to act this way. I'm not really comfortable with that option honestly. Alvin is a house rabbit, always has been. I worry about him being lonely since he won't bond.

 

[PaGal]

Possibly try finding something you could put on top of the carpet so he can not destroy it with urine or digging such as a tarp or those rubber mats for under office chairs. You know your bun best and how destructive he is with digging or with chewing. Even if you have to place something down just where the xpen is and keep him confined to the Xpen.

 

[LeFuzz]

Possibly try finding something you could put on top of the carpet so he can not destroy it with urine or digging such as a tarp or those rubber mats for under office chairs. You know your bun best and how destructive he is with digging or with chewing. Even if you have to place something down just where the xpen is and keep him confined to the Xpen.

I wish I knew what was in his rabbit mind, but he doesn't chew the carpet in his x-pen. Essentially his area is sacred and it's my area that must be destroyed.

He is a bunny riddle wrapped in fur with big ears, that's for sure.