Urine big trouble, missy.

[indianavex]

I've posted about it once before, but I'm going to post again because there was no conclusion and it keeps getting bumped back.

Cassie will not be litter box trained. I've tried anything and everything I can think of with her. Her pee looks normal ranging from kind of a melted butter appearance to any scale of yellow to reddish and perfectly clear. There's no sludge, no lethargy, no loss of appetite or thirst. I've tried her original bedding, I've tried new bedding. I've tried leaving some soiled bedding in the litter box. I do not leave bedding anywhere else in her cage other than the box. I've tried moving the box to where she goes and she just changes spots. I've tried adding a second litter box, and she goes in neither. I've tried a bigger box and higher edges. I've tried vinegar and store-bought pet odor and stain remover to get out the smell in her cage so only her box smells like pee. I've tried leaving hay in there. I've tried putting her in a smaller space so she only has food, water, space to lie down, and her box, and she still pees AND poops outside of it. I'd understand a couple poops scattered around because that's a bunny for you, but she'll flat out sit right beside the box and drop a large pile of poop on the floor, then hop up and lay in the box. I pick up the poop, drop it in the box. I use bedding to soak up the pee before putting it in the box and cleaning the floor to reinforce the box is where pee goes, and nothing.

I'm at my wits end with why my once litter box trained rabbit now refuses flat-out to use her box and I'm out of solutions to fix it. Please, dear lord, someone have some kind of solution for me.

 

[Blue eyes]

This must be so frustrating. You mentioned that at one point you gave her just enough room for her dishes, a spot to lay down, and the litterbox. Just trying to brainstorm here, but what if you put another litterbox in that "lay down" area? In other words, have the area have nothing but litterboxes. She would have nowhere else to "go." She'd have no choice but to pee in one of the boxes. Then if she does that for awhile, maybe, just maybe, she'll get the idea?

 

[indianavex]

I could try. I'd have to shuffle cages because the one she's in now it wouldn't work, but I've got a smaller one I could use it for. But I've considered basically doing that and starting litter training from scratch. It's just not happening anymore and it's infuriating. She's started houdini'ing the pee underneath the mat and I'm worried the urine will ruin the floors.

 

[JBun]

If you can't narrow her sudden peeing problems down to a behavioral issue, you may want to get her checked by your vet as kidney disease, sludge, and UTi's can all cause sudden loss of litter box habits.

 

[indianavex]

I have a vet coming soon (in another week or two), but aside from the emergency vet in town (insanely high prices), the only small animal/exotic vet in town is a mobile vet clinic. It's actually a bit frustrating that we have 3 animal hospitals in town and all refuse rabbits.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Sounds like you've tried everything possible. Only thing I can think of is maybe a change in the litter. Nikki would change areas from time to time, but a simple box move would put her back in where she needed to be. Guess we've been lucky.

 

[deaners]

Have the vet check the bladder. We had the same problem with our girl Pearl. You can read about her problems here: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f40/what-she-trying-tell-us-71485/ . I hope you are able to find a solution and I hope Cassie's problems are not a severe as our Pearl's were.

 

[mochajoe]

So sorry for your litter box training struggles!!! We have been very blessed with our boys, however our girls have been more challenging! Is Cassie spayed? Our girl we have now, has been much better about using the litter box since she was spayed a couple weeks ago. Our newest little boy, 8 weeks (on 3/24 and we brought him home that day) is already exclusively using the litter box to pee and some poop! Kind of funny with my bunnies, it has been the opposite of potty training my children...my girls were super easy...my boys not so much! Litter box training, my boys have all been super easy and my girls, not so much! AND all my girls have been champion sprayers (our girl we have now, stopped once she was spayed)...my boys not at all! I wish you the very best!