Train Rabbits to Litter Box

[Bribble]

My rabbits have basically lived in a large cage their whole life with the exception of when they get free time outside or on the floor (if it's freezing out). I'd like to give them pretty much free reign of my room because they could use it. And to be frank I'm tired of cleaning that cage after 5 years haha.

My only problem is that they've never been litter trained. They have a litter box in their cage that they use occasionally but I don't think they're using it every time they have to pee. They have soft wood flakes as bedding in their cage (it'd cost me almost $100 a week to fill the cage with carefresh, so I get the low/no dust stuff) so I can't always exactly pick up the poop and put it in the litter box to show them, and I definitely can't when they pee. The litter box has those pellets that basically turn into a dust or a sand when they pee on it, but if I need to use another "litter" I can.

How can I litter train them? And how do I introduce them to a larger area without them "losing" this litter-box skill? My room isn't necessarily massive but it's a lot more room than they've usually got. And they've run around it free reign before when they decide they need some extra exercise and hop out of the cage so I don't think they should still try and mark their territory except in one corner where I housed another rabbit for a short time.

I have also considered building them basically a large pen to put in my room on the one wall with a little house in it but I've yet to save up that money. But if that would be a better option (or one I could use in conjunction with free reign) I will still do it.

I should also mention my floor is carpet, so will that make them more inclined to pee on it? So many questions and I apologize but I really want the best for these two little rabbits and I now have the means to give it to them.

 

[brent]

Sadie was about 2 months old when we got her. We had her in a large cage with a corner litter box for about a week. She would only do her business in the corner litter box. We than gave Sadie her own room and hall way with a litter box in the corner of the room with old litter box material from the cage litter box. She uses her room litter box diligently and rarely has an accident. She is 3 years old now. What breed of rabbits do you have? Brent and Sharon

 

[Hermelin]

When I trained my bunny to become litter trained I started with bedding in the cage and moved the bedding he had peed on into the litter box and when he started to use the litter box I took all bedding away.

I’m not scared of my rabbit getting sore hooks because the places he sits on and like to stay for longer times have flecee and he always run around. You dosen’t need to have bedding everywhere in the cage, if your rabbits aren’t really prone to get sore hocks.

Have something that protects your carpets if you don’t want accident happens on them.

Accidents happens but it’s really easy litter training. But it can take sometime if they are stubborn, my rabbit it’s litter trained but one or twice a month I will find his urine where he didn’t make it to the litter box or just a few droppings somewhere in the house. If it only in one room, no accidents happens but he have 7 rooms running around in and only 3 litter boxes in the house :3

When you litter train and introducing a larger area just start small and slowly expand the area they live in so accidents won’t happen. Because your floor it’s carpet have maybe fleece or something else covering which it’s easy to wash if they pee and when you are sure accidents won’t happen on the carpet you can take away the protection. Have hay in the litter box, rabbits pee and poop while they are eating and it help a lot when everything that have food it’s close to the litter box.

Use vinegar and water when cleaning up after pee, the vinegar will make the rabbits smell in the urin disappear and make it easier for rabbit to not do it again. If the rabbit smells it’s own urin some where they will much likely go and pee on the same place again.

If you can have an extra litter box in the pen it would help with the training and when you introduce them to a new place, make sure the rabbit always get placed in the litter box so they know where it is.

This worked for me, especially during the teenage stage when my rabbit would urin everywhere he was not supposed to do and a lot of cleaning on my part. Hope everything goes well with your rabbits :3

 

[Bribble]

Sadie was about 2 months old when we got her. We had her in a large cage with a corner litter box for about a week. She would only do her business in the corner litter box. We than gave Sadie her own room and hall way with a litter box in the corner of the room with old litter box material from the cage litter box. She uses her room litter box diligently and rarely has an accident. She is 3 years old now. What breed of rabbits do you have? Brent and Sharon

They've had a litterbox in their cage for about two years, and they don't use it religiously. I have a Netherland dwarf and a Lionhead/Mini rex that live inside.

 

[Bribble]

When I trained my bunny to become litter trained I started with bedding in the cage and moved the bedding he had peed on into the litter box and when he started to use the litter box I took all bedding away.

Have something that protects your carpets if you don’t want accident happens on them.

In the house I have 3 litter boxes placed but I need 3 more because he dose accident peeing in those rooms that dosen’t have a litter box and my rabbit have accident with droppings in the kitchen.

Accidents happens but it’s really easy litter training. But it can take sometime if they are stubborn :3

When you litter training and introducing a larger area just start small and slowly expand the area they live in so accidents won’t happen. Because your floor it’s carpet have maybe fleece or something else covering which it’s easy to wash if they pee and when you are sure accidents won’t happen on the carpet you can take away the protection. Have hay in the litter box, rabbits pee and poop while they are eating and it help a lot when everything that have food it’s close to the litter box.

Use vinegar and water when cleaning up after pee, the vinegar will make the rabbits smell in the urin disappear and make it easier for rabbit to not do it again. If the rabbit smells it’s own urin some where they will much likely go and pee on the same place again.

This worked for me, especially during the teenage stage when my rabbit would urin everywhere he was not supposed to do. Hope everything goes well with your rabbits :3

Thank you so much! Will have to try that. Would it be easiest for them if I just took away the bedding in their living space and put bedding in the litter box instead?

 

[Hermelin]

It might help because they are using the bedding as their toilet instead of the litter box, it’s the litter box big enough for the rabbits. And if they have a specific place they like to go on the bedding just place the litter box there. My rabbit often used the same corner all the time, so I placed my litter box where he used to go to make it easier for him.

Don’t forget to clean where they aren’t supposed to pee or poop, or they will just do what they did before. Had an outdoor rabbit that would only use the litter box even though he could do it on the ground. Rabbits are quite clean animals and like to do their business on the same spot.

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[brent]

We use feline pine or feline fresh 100% natural pine pellets in Sadie's litter box. Do you have pics of your rabbits? Brent and Sharon

 

[Blue eyes]

The wood pellets you're using in your litter box are ideal. They are very good at odor absorption. Do you also top the pellets with hay? Doing so is a great way to entice them into the box. They like to potty while they graze. Don't worry, they won't eat soiled hay.

Removing the loose bedding from the rest of the cage is the key to training. Rabbits like to pee on soft surfaces.

When you move them (and their cage) indoors, expect them to scatter poos about to claim this new territory. I wouldn't be super quick to clean the poos up either or they may feel compelled to re-mark.

Also, when they first move locations, keep them confined in the cage with the litter box for a couple days so they can "own" the new set-up. This is an important step in the process.

And, has already been mentioned, limit their initial roaming space so that they return to the litter box as needed (and fully understand just where their litter box is). Most 'accidents' happen when a rabbit is given too much space too soon. Your goal should be zero accidents because it is much, much harder for them to un-learn if they potty on an area of carpet. They tend to repeat the same action in the same spot.

I actually would not advise covering the carpet during this time. Doing so isn't too helpful in my opinion because the training would have to start over again when the covering is removed (--it's all new again to them). Either decide to always keep it covered or keep it uncovered. [Fleece fabric actually wicks so it is no protection over carpets. The urine will soak through the fleece to whatever is below. That is why fleece is recommended for guinea pig cages. The fleece stays dry on top (keeping piggie dry) and draws the moisture down below.]

There's a little more info on potty training here that includes photos of a litter box set up and a cage where bunnies are free to roam on carpet.