Eating her litter box

[WhitneyElyse]

 My bunny has been eating her litter box!  We have one of those high back corner litter boxes made of plastic and she just won’t leave it alone.  It is loud and expensive as we have been through several boxes already.  I figured out that she does not like peppers so I tried rubbing pepper on the edges and that didn’t seem to do anything.  She eats the side down until it is really shallow and then she sits outside the litter box and uses her front feet to scoop all the litter out of her box.  She is very good at using her litter box, but this habit has made her cage a huge mess.  I even give her toys and sticks to chew on and she still prefers her litter box.  Any suggestions of a litter box maybe made of something stronger that can’t be eaten?  I think the corner design is the best for her as she also likes to try and move her liter box/flip it over and the corner design allows for it to be hooked onto the cage and doesn’t leave a corner for her to move it around.  I am willing to pay more for a litter box if it will last. This new (just started about 5 months ago) habit of hers is just driving me crazy.

[jerseygirl]

I think you can get large corner ones that have a hood. That might deter her chewing the rim but also help contain the litter when she digs.

With other chew options, I always find the rabbits like large heavier items that don’t move around. The chew toys and sticks just slip around and they can’t really get their teeth into them. Maybe a log or plank of safe wood would be appealing to her?

[Elrohwen]

What a stinker! Some litter boxes have a lip around the edge – that might be harder for her to get her teeth on (you can get cheap cat boxes that usually cost less than the small pet ones). One with a cover might be good too.

I also agree with Jersey that they like things that don’t move. A cardboard box that she could chew and dig might be good.

[WhitneyElyse]

 Thanks for the quick responses.  This afternoon I made my first homemade bunny litter box.  I used a peice of cardboard that I made into a box and I lined it with thick freezer bag plastic that I purposely made shorter than the sides so she can chew away at the card board top of the edges.  It didn’t take too long to make.  Not sure it will be a great solution, but it sure makes me less mad to know what she will be chewing up cost me next to nothing to make.  She has hopped in and out of it a few times and even took a small nibble on the edge and then ran away.  Maybe I have found my solution and cardboard isn’t as fun to chew on as plastic.  I also made a small whole and twist tied it to the side of the cage in an attempt for her to not flip it over.  I’ll provide updates on how it works.

Dangit I spoke too soon.  I was about to press submit when I heard some thumping from her cage.  She has already ripped up one corner.  This may not last as long as I hoped, but still a cheaper solution. I also have another question now.  I used masking tape on the litter box since it is the closest consistancy to cardboard.  Is that ok for bunnies to chew?

[mocha200]

 

Honestly I think she needs a bigger litter box with higher edges. Next time you go out shopping look in the pet section. They normally sell cheep cat litter boxes that work great!

If you like the corner litter boxes you could try one like these.

Another thing is wire floor isn’t the best for rabbits feet because it is very uncomfortable and they can get sore hocks. Could you put something like cardboard, towels, blankets, or a rug so she doesn’t have to stand on it?

 

[jerseygirl]

Her coat looks so satiny!

I agree about the floor, best for her feet to cover the floor entirely or put in some mats. If she’s good with her litterbox there’s no need for the drop-through flooring.
It’s a nice hutch though. Is it custom made?

I’m not sure about the adhesive on masking tape but I do know they get bothered when they get tape stuck on them. The plastic liner could be a concern though if she starts to
pull that up.

There looks like there would be space for a regular sized & shape cat litter tray. They’re about $3. One trick of securing it is to buy 2, fix one down permanently as use it as a holder for the removable
litter one. Or you could do similar to what you’ve done. A cat litter tray put inside a cardboard box with sides higher then the litter tray. Fix the box down and insert tray inside it. She shouldn’t be able to
get to the plastic edges then or be able to turn it.

I’d try adding a hidey type house up the other end made of willow, wood, timothy or sea grass. Something she can go to town on. Good activity for her, plus
keep her teeth trimmed and is good fibre for her gut.

[WhitneyElyse]

 The pictures of her hutch are probably decieving.  There is actually a drop out plexiglass bottom that touches the bottom of the wire flooring.  It is only when I drop the bottom out to clean that she would be walking on just the wire.  It is nice because her litter and poop drop through and the hay stays on top.  I am going through so much less hay than I was and it is nice to not have to remove everything from the cage to clean it.  I just move the mat out drop down the plexiglass, wipe everything on the mat and dump everything on the mat into the trash.

It is custom made.  When I had my last bunny I was living in a house of 8 girls.  One of them picked that up for me at a yard sale for only $10.  The dad had made it for his daughter’s bunny that passed away.  I have done some work on it too.  My parents were storing it for me when we didn’t have a bunny and I was unaware it was on its side in the shed.  That is why the wire behind the litter box looks so bad (it is cleaned).  I replaced the side legs and while I was buying wood I got extra to add the built up sides to prevent her litter box mess from escaping and I made a slated wood top that is removable if I would ever need to get in there and didn’t want to craw through the front.  My husband and I really like it because it looks like a peice of furniture.  We actually had someone we just met in our apartment for a short time and later when we mentioned Tombi she said she didn’t even notice we had a bunny.

I will look into some type of home.  With my last bunny I had a little cat house with carpet I put in there, but he also had no desire to rip up carpet on the actual floor.  That may not be the bext choice for Tombi since she is prone to carpet eating anyway.  I haven’t added a home yet one because we just moved to a place that was big enough to have the hutch and she was living in a cage that would have been pretty cramped with a house in it and she is not a naturally friendly or loving bunny despite the time I spend with her so I am kinda afraid she would just sit in it all the time and be even less social.  Of course now may be the perfect time, since we moved she is a lot more excited to get out and explore her new place.

As for the cardboard litter box, she has eaten one side down.  It is right next to the hay wheel so I think she is just making it more convenient for her.  She has NOT started scooping all her litter out of the box yet which makes me happy.  Normally 24 hours after I clean her litter box, over half of the litter is on the cage floor.  I think this whole making a litter box may be the better way to go.  I feel better about her eating cardboard than plastic and although she is eating it at about the same rate as the plastic one she doesn’t seem to be trying to flip it like she was the plastic one and so far she hasn’t messed with the plastic liner, but I am watching to see if that will be a problem and will take it away if it does.  I will make a larger one next time.  The litter I get is pretty pricy so I have stuck to smaller boxes, but if she is not scooping it all out into her cage I would be fine using more in each box.

Thanks for the tips everyone!  And thanks for the compliments on Tombi and the hutch!

[mocha200]

I like the top door! Very cool looking!

If the homeade litter box is working for you I would do it. I would just be to lazy to make one Just be careful of the plastic bag.

[WhitneyElyse]

It has been awhile since I originally posted this question.  The cardboard box I made did not seem to work for long term. She had that thing unable to hold any litter in just one week. I have switched to a larger litter box and even got her an edible shack treat thing.  Neither of which was cheap.  In just 2 short months, she has demolished the edible shack leaving only a golf ball sized piece left (it was bigger than her) and at the same time she has eaten the new much larger and deeper litter box down where it is hard to even keep litter in it.  I have tried taping stuff to the litter box like cardboard to keep the litter in an she just eats in about a day.  I feel like the edible shack almost just encouraged her chewing and did not keep her from ruining her litter box.

What is going on?  Do all rabbits eat hard objects at this rate or am I just lucky.  I had my first rabbit for 1.5 years and he nibbled on the litter box but never like this.  I never had to replace his litter box.  I am just loosing it.  Why don’t they make litter boxes out of something indestructable.  like metal or glass?  I am about to use a casserole dish.  Has anyone seen something like this.  I don’t want it to be too big because litter is expensive (my costs have doubled since going to the larger box) and it needs to attach to the cage since she also likes to flip it and she is strong she can flip almost anything unless it is tied down. 

Please help!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Honestly, she’s probably bored.
Those edible shacks are crap, they have awful ingredients and are really just not good for any mammal.
Does she get any out of cage time? Rabbits should have about 8 sq feet for “all around” space, and then allowed daily “runs” in the evening. I’ve also recently turned dinner time into “forage” time (sorry I say this in every post it seems!) and bought a Slimcats ball, and put the pellets in that. It makes Samson work for her food a little more rather than scarf it.
In that photo her hay ball is empty, have you thought about ditching the hay ball and just putting a lot of hay in the litterbox itself? Then maybe she’ll eat the hay and not the box.
Over-chewing is also a sign that they aren’t getting enough hay, Samson used to go nuts on the carpet and since I’ve cut down her pellets and put them in the ball, (and therefore she has to eat more hay) she hasn’t been as destructive.

[mocha200]

I agree with Sam and Lady’s Human on the hay.

[jerseygirl]

Yep, ditto on the hay also. Put in in the litterbox and even try some more fiberous types. Also agree about those snak shaks, you might be better off offering her safe wood
prunings or buying willow chews.

What about trying regular low cat box but placing that inside a cardboard box? so the cardboard sides are higher and makes it more difficult for her to get to the plastic.

[WhitneyElyse]

Posted By Sam and Lady’s Human on 10/25/2011 09:31 AM
Honestly, she’s probably bored.
Those edible shacks are crap, they have awful ingredients and are really just not good for any mammal.
Does she get any out of cage time? Rabbits should have about 8 sq feet for “all around” space, and then allowed daily “runs” in the evening. I’ve also recently turned dinner time into “forage” time (sorry I say this in every post it seems!) and bought a Slimcats ball, and put the pellets in that. It makes Samson work for her food a little more rather than scarf it.
In that photo her hay ball is empty, have you thought about ditching the hay ball and just putting a lot of hay in the litterbox itself? Then maybe she’ll eat the hay and not the box.
Over-chewing is also a sign that they aren’t getting enough hay, Samson used to go nuts on the carpet and since I’ve cut down her pellets and put them in the ball, (and therefore she has to eat more hay) she hasn’t been as destructive.

 

I actually got rid of the hay ball when I got the new litter box. Now I have a box with whole cut out and filled with hay. She always has full hay at all times. I just realized she doesn’t really chew on the cardboard box her hay is in so maybe I should put hay in the litter box too.  Maybe it distracts her or something.  I did that some when training, but it just made more of a mess in the cage so I stopped. (This was before the mess of litter started, now a hay mess doesn’t seem bad at all)

She is allowed free run of the living room, but I don’t get a chance to let her out everyday.  I would say an average of 3 times a week for a couple hours at a time.  There are several times I open her cage for her to run around and she may come out for a second and then just spends the rest of the time laying in her cage with the door open if she does get out about 50% of the time is spent under her cage.  I give her cherry tree branches and she has a wooden toy thing.  She doesn’t seem to do very much with either of these.  She also gets fresh letuce (not iceberg) and carrots basically everyday.

I wasn’t aware the edible shack was bad for her.  No wonder she liked it so much.  Maybe she is on a rabbit equivalent of a “sugar high”.  Is anything wood safe?  I was thinking I may try a small log or something to give her something heavy to chew on.  I just can’t believe I need to buy another litter box.  I need to make sure this next one really lasts for good. 

 

Posted By jerseygirl on 10/25/2011 10:24 AM
Yep, ditto on the hay also. Put in in the litterbox and even try some more fiberous types. Also agree about those snak shaks, you might be better off offering her safe wood
prunings or buying willow chews.

What about trying regular low cat box but placing that inside a cardboard box? so the cardboard sides are higher and makes it more difficult for her to get to the plastic.
 

Cardboard is no obstacle for the rabbit.  When she started chewing the side of her litter box down I covered it in cardboard and she ate throuhg it (about 3 inches tall) and an additional almost inch of plastic in just 3 days.  It was like it encouraged her to chew it.

[jerseygirl]

It’s good for her to chew, it keeps the teeth trimmed as they constantly grow. Chewing then eating plastic or cardboard is not good however. It does sound like it’s some
thing she does to entertain herself.   Maybe why she likes chewing the box because when she’s sitting
in it it’s not moving around so she can really go to town.
How about a box made from untreated pine then sitting a regular litterbox inside that? 

You could go with metal or glass box. I have heard of someone using a glass dish for a cat before.  Edit to add: bwild posted about this box in another thread. Perhaps something like it would be suitable for Tombi? http://www.petsmart.com/product/ind…Id=4255703

 

 

Is anything wood safe?  I was thinking I may try a small log or something to give her something heavy to chew on. 

 

 I think giving her something heavier like you mentioned might appeal to her.  Not all woods are safe but there are many that are. I don’t think cherry tree branches are though, sorry. I’ll try find you a list of some safe options.
 

I just realized she doesn’t really chew on the cardboard box her hay is in so maybe I should put hay in the litter box too. Maybe it distracts her or something.

Worth trying hay in there again, especially if she likes hanging out in her litterbox.

[jerseygirl]

House rabbit society suggests:
“Untreated wood, twigs and logs that have been aged for at least 3 months. Apple tree branches can be eaten fresh off the tree. Stay away from: cherry, peach, apricot, plum and redwood, which are all poisonous.”
From memory, wood from single stone fruits (drupes) isn’t safe but other fruit woods are like apple, pear, orange.
Unpeeled willow wicker items are usually pretty popular. You can get tunnels and hide-away items made in this. Also just mats made from willow, or grasses.

Some safe wood options; willow, spruce, ash, birch, beech, maple, juniper, poplar, aspen, apple, pear, hazel and hawthorn. Solid pine is safe also but as shavings it isn’t.
Tree branches/prunings would need to come from trees not treated with pesticides.

[3 buns mom]

I had the same exact problem with my rabbit, Chomper. (Hence the name)  He would chew on everything and I had to replace his litter box several times. I was worried that his chewing on the plastic would cause a blockage or cut him internally or that he would get cut on one of the sharp points on the plastic.  I would give him the cardboard toilet paper and paper towel rolls or anything cardboard I came across to chew on to help relieve his boredom. I would also fill the rolls with hay. I gave up buying him the toys they sell in stores, because my rabbits never cared for them.  He isn’t caged any longer, so I no longer have to deal with that.  What he does love is a box that he hides in and chews on. I made a door and a window in it and he will sit in it and chew on the window….it is now almost a door too….It keeps him from chewing on my window trim and anything else wood in my house…. He is in his box as we speak and I hear him chomping away on a piece of cardboard I put in there last night.  Maybe try a box big enough for him to hide in and chew on?

[Beka27]

A large, heavy glass casserole dish isn’t a bad idea, if you can find one deep enough. Another option is a “dish pan”. You can get those at dollar stores and the “lip” is thicker so she might not be able to chew through it as easily.

Sometimes rabbits give us a real run for our money. She sounds super intelligent and like a good bunny all around, just needs some more redirection. The hay in the litterbox is a good idea. It can get messy, but it would be better for her to nibble that than the plastic.

[WhitneyElyse]

I know it has been a long time since I posted this, but I just wanted to give an update. The litter box eating issue has been resolved, but it wasn’t easy. It took a long time for me to convince myself that I should invest in another litter box. This process had just become so expensive, but I finally did it. I got this one from Petsmart (including guard and grate). Only mine is not this pretty blue color. I wish it was. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752717

Even after getting the litter box my problem was not solved. Tombi thought it was really fun to take the guard off the side and pull the grate out of the bottom then dig the entire soiled liter out of the bottom. That was not so fun for me. However all these new activities were so stimulating the chewing basically stopped. She would occasionally nibble on the high side and I would spray her with a water bottle. This litter box is thicker than the past ones I have had so I think she was annoyed her chewing showed little progress.

Finally one day my husband had had it. While I was at work he drilled two small holes on each side of the litter box where the grate sits and used twist ties to hold it down. I actually was not real happy at first since he put holes in the litter box I had just invested in, but it does work great. I now just use a twist tie on one side (the side she doesn’t use much) and it is enough to keep it in there. Bonus: I don’t need to use as much litter which was a great saver since this litter box was much bigger than previous ones. As for the guard, I have to really snap it on there, but then she doesn’t seem to mess with it. So thank you everyone for the suggestions. If nothing else it kept me from wanting to scream and pull my hair out as much.

Oh and on a completely different note, Tombi’s new favorite toy is a small paper bag that I fill with hay. So simple, but she likes it way more than the hay box. They mess is not so good, but it sure makes her happy.

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