Carpet Digging with a twist

[trinnie]

 So one of my bunnies, [L] has this very bad habit and I don’t know how to stop him, he’d pick up his poop (not his cecotropes) in the litter box and chew it up, and then find his favorite patch of carpet, and spit it back out, then thump on the groundup poop until it’s relatively embedded in the carpet… then he digs it back up .

I know he’s not bored because I buy new toys every two weeks, I’ve only had them for 6 weeks and they already have over 15 toys, and the two of them have plenty of fun being free range around the apartment. 

What scared me the most is that [C] is starting to pick it up, I caught him smuggling poop out of his litter box this morning.

Is this a litterbox training malfunction? 

[Stickerbunny]

I know it’s probably really annoying to you, but I just had to laugh when I read this. Sounds so bunny.

Does he have dig boxes, maybe you could pick it up before he gets to thumping ti down and put it in the dig box where it wouldn’t be as bad?

[Jaguara]

LOL agree its funny but so not funny at the same time. My bunny liked to take his cecals and then would SMASH them into the ground, causing them to get all over his hind legs, he has since stopped, but I feel your pain. Have you thought of putting up a grate onto the litter box so they cant get to the poops?

[TriBun]

I’m glad I’m not the only one that laughed after reading this. Sorry, Trinnie. And this after you had the good heart to take them in.

I don’t have anything to offer you, I’ve never heard of that before. I hope someone on her can help you.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Sorry I giggled too…hmmm how strange. I’ve never heard of anything like that.

But easy fix-you’ll get a screen that goes into the litter box, above the litter. The pee and poop falls through and bunny cannot access the litter or fun poopies You can buy them on here (http://store.binkybunny.com/litter-box-screen-binkybunny-p111.aspx )and others may have suggestions about litter screens as well. They are usually used for bunnies who dig the litter pan and send all that litter and contents flying across the room. I think the same thing would work for your situation.

Keep us posted

[Jaguara]

I was thinking of something more like this:

http://i2.squidoocdn.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/lens17926240_1304876648rabbit-litter-box.jpg

the poops fall through and they cant grab them, you can even make one of your own, I did it with our litter box down stairs and I may be making another one as I’m pretty sure Im going to have to get a larger box cause he keeps missing and going over the edge :/

but I really think that some think that is suspended so the poops fall through will really fix the issue.

[Silly Sungura]

That’s very strange. I just wanted to say I have the litter box screen from Binky Bunny. It’s designed so that urine passes through, but the poop lies on top. It helps keep a bunny dry, and keeps him/her from digging in the box, but it will not solve your problem. You’d need a screen with wider openings. The corner box might work – I’m not familiar with it – but bunnies often don’t like them. I wish I had a suggestion for you. Hopefully Linglong will grow out of this behavior.

[RabbitPam]

I, too, laughed, because this is a first. Is it on the same general area of the rug? Cause you might try spraying that part of the rug with a little white vinegar and water. It will be a repellent scent so he may stop. Or he will just change the location, but it’s worth a try.

Also, if a bunny is being destructive, give him a similar toy for that activity only harmless. I’m thinking that you could present him with a diggy box, with a treat (and a few poos) hidden in it that he will have to dig up. He might decide to do this in the box instead.

[trinnie]

Hi guys!

I made him a dig box, with a 12×12 piece of carpet, and just put some poop in there, I’m in the process of getting him to use ONLY the dig box for his demented fun, and not my awesome carpet. Whenever he does that on my carpet, I put him in a timeout box (it’s a common petstore cage, aka tiny) without anything fun in there except for water for about 10 mins. And if he used the dig box I give him some papaya snackthingies. He’s getting better only did that twice in the last 3 days.

Thank you for your replies!!

[Beka27]

Timeouts don’t work for rabbits, they don’t have the mental capacity to recognize that as punishment. Redirection is fine, however. Also, they need to always have access to hay. Denial of food, even for a short time, can cause a variety of health and behavioral issues.

[LoveChaCha]

Locking them up isn’t worth it. Rabbits have and will have the mentality of a 2 year old child.

[Author]

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