Using litter box as a bed

[iamawesum69420]

I've decided to let my rabbit have run of the house while I'm home so the ideal would be that she not leave little trails of evidence of where she has been so I bought her a litter box. At first I put it in her cage but I'd always find her just laying in it as if it was a bed. I thought maybe since her cage was more like a bed to her I moved it out of her cage.There is a small hallway that can be enclosed if all the doors are shut so I let her run around in there at night and when I'm not home and she does the majority of her bathroom business in there so I thought as long as it was in that room she would get the hint. It's the same thing. She doesn't seem to be using it as a toilet but more of a bed. I even put her poop and the soiled bedding in the litter box but she doesn't seem to get it. Should I just give her more time or are there things I can do? She's only 13 weeks old so is she too young?

 

[HoneyPot]

Hey there! Sounds like your bunny has a great set up!

Don't worry about her using the litter as a bed - they ALL do that. At least both my buns do.

You're doing the right thing by putting the escapee poops back in the litter as well as the soiled bedding. This is how I trained Misty and she got the idea.

Also- since your bun is only 13 weeks, I'm assuming she's not spayed yet?If not, this will probably make it harder to get her to use the litter 100% of the time.

Once you get her spayed, it will be easier to manage. About a month after being spayed, Misty figured it out and now uses her litter 99% of the time (and about 50% of the time it's as a bed). Also, they get better as they get older I was told - so keep up what you're doing!


_________
Nadia

 

[iamawesum69420]

Thanks a lot. I was really worried that I was maybe doing something wrong. I'm new to this whole bunny thing. I had no idea they could be litter trained. I had one in the past but she was kept outside and it's been ages. I got the rabbit as and Easter present when I was a kid. I also didn't know that being spayed changed the rabbit's bathroom habits. Thanks a lot for the info.

 

[bunnydude]

Nadia, I couldn't have said it better. My bunnies sometimes sleep in theirs. I guess "Bunny Knows Best"

 

[AnnaS]

Our bunny used to sleep in his litter box, but he does not anymore. She is still very young soI think she'll learn to use her litter box if you stay patient and continue putting her poops in the litter box.

Whats her name?

 

[charade]

Daytime chill area in the litterbox for my guy. He does his business in another corner. In fact, I don't even know why I still have the darn thing in there. Oh well, I guess he likes it.

 

[iamawesum69420]

Anna- Her name is Velma.

I don't even think she uses her litter box at all yet but it's not even been a week yet since I've started the whole litter box thing so I continue to put her little "presents" into the box and just wait and hope.

 

[AnnaS]

charade wrote:

Daytime chill area in the litterbox for my guy. He does his business in another corner. In fact, I don't even know why I still have the darn thing in there. Oh well, I guess he likes it.

Maybe you can try putting a second litter box in the corner where he does his business. He can use one litter box as a washroom and another as a place to sleep.

 

[thor]

My bunny is just the same! She has a 'poop' litter box in her cage (which she uses duelly as a bed sometimes), and a secondary litter box in the living room corner. She came into my household almost instantaneously litter trained. She was such a timid little lop at 3 weeks...I named her Thor, because I wanted her to be fearless and brave.

 

[Tango]

Hi! was just reading all the discussion.. i've got my first bunny a week ago and immediately tried litter training him, starting in his cage (he's a house rabbit hopefully if i can get him litter trained). i've tried moving the litter box to where h is already doing his business, but there's no pattern. he just seems to poop and pee whereever he finds himself! (like on my lap!) is it cos he's still young and not neutered? or do i need to try something else? he also uses it as a bed coincidently...

Help would be appreciated!!?!?!?!?! thanks!

May (and Mickey the bunny)

 

[mattbeme]

Here is the litter box I use. Its a Rubbermaid container with one end cut down to make it easier to get into. It is small enough to keep Sam fromlaying in it yet large enough to allow him to sit and eat in it.

It has 1/2" wire mesh bottom which sits 3" off the bottom. It is then filled with litter or just lined with paper. All the droppings and urine fall through so the rabbit isn't laying in the mess.

When he wants to lie down he just gets out and lies on his little rug.

As for when he's running around the house, I simply have another box like it and put it where he likes to go. So far, they're very easy to clean, have no odour problems and are sanitary. You could even use cat litter since the screen prevents the rabbit from eating the litter. The cat litter will clump with the urine so the cat litter scoop will take out the clumps anddroppings leaving behind the litter. This way the litter will last much longer. Newspaper can be used and just tossed out every day or two. This is very cheap and works. The rabbit will never be on the wire mesh long enough to hurt his feet.