Litter box vs. hay box

[#1BunnyLover]

                               My darling dutch just can’t decide whether she would like to use the litter box or the hay box to poo in… ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY. I know that rabbits like to eat hay while using the”potty” so my hay box is right beside, and in easy reach, my litter box. But she soils her nice fresh hay while she has the litter box right there. She’ll use the litter box sometimes then the hay box sometimes, and I can’t put hay in her litter box because it would fall through. Any ideas why she does this and how to fix it?  Also; we went on vacation for a couple weeks and my brother was supposed to clean her box, but he didn’t, so now I have yucky stains up the side. How do I get rid of them?

Heres a pic….. THANKS SOOOO MUCH!!!

[bmt87]

I’m curious to see the answers to this is another problem I’d like to solve…!

[bmt87]

Although, I also put hay in her litter box so she has something to munch on…it doesn’t look like she can reach the hay from her potty box. I put mine on separate ends and she still uses both for her potty box if it’s convenient for her.

[#1BunnyLover]

It is actually really easy, I’ve seen her do it only once (unfortunately) She faces the hay box when she potties. ANy stain removing ideas?

[Stickerbunny]

Vinegar or natures miracle, let it soak in (hold a wet rag to the stain if you have to).

As for the hay… it’s normal for them to poop in the hay box. Have you tried a hay rack instead, or one of those hay boxes with a cover and holes they can pull the hay through?

[#1BunnyLover]

Hmm… great idea I’ll try it

[CocoVermont802]

Could you maybe strap that hay box to the black grate you have there? Just a thought then if its ouside with just the hay poking through she can’t poop in it… well i hope she couldnt LOL

[mocha200]

Have you thought of getting a bigger litter box? like a cat sized one so you can put hay on one end so she can eat and poo at the same time? or put it in a hay rack above the litter box? The corner ones are a little small.

[bunnyfriend]

Uggg I am having the exact same problem!

My solution was to take a box that a 12 pack of soda comes in, cut off the top, and then put hay in it like a trow. I place the box in-between the litter box and the wall. My lithe one can still fit in it though and poops and pees in it. Maybe it will work for your bunny?

[#1BunnyLover]

Thanks those are some really good ideas. I’ll see which one works best!

[KytKattin]

I really do recommend a larger litterbox. Many rabbits like to stretch out and lay down in their boxes. And having a slightly raised hay box can help. I really like making a hay box out of an old tissue box for this. I am not currently using this though, as I am a poor college student and don’t buy luxuries like actual tissues. lol. This is a set up from quite a few years ago, but it worked well enough. Now she is in something completely different, I don’t use a water bottle, though that toy hanging in the back is kind of a neat idea… lol.

[peppypoo]

That litter box does seem a little small for a Dutch; I would recommend a cat-sized one. Like other people have said, try putting hay inside the litter box. Then, she won’t have to decide which box to use!

Here are good references for litter box setup that work for some people…you can see how putting hay in the litter box is an effective setup: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/119865/Default.aspx

[Hokankai]

I have my hay rack IN the litterbox. My litterbox is cut from the bottom of a rubbermaid bin and the hay rack is a narrow wicker basket thing (no handle) that I clip to the side of the box. It’s working great!

[Binx86]

I had the same problem with my boys. I ended up buying a rubbermaid container, a storage box basically and sawed part of it away for an entry then took a razor blade and trimmed the edges of shavings and stray plastic. Cat littler boxes didn’t work because Zeppo kicked the litter out over the sides. The storage container is tall enough that he can’t do that anymore. The outside of the box, except the side with the entry, is lined with hay. They sit in the center, facing the outsides and do their business while they eat. Zeppo always managed to pull the wire hay racks of the side and fling them at Groucho and they ate makeshift cardboard box hay racks more than the hay. So it’s another option if one of the others doesn’t work.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

You’re hay box looks more like a litter box so I’m not surprised she’s confused. Try using your hay box for a litter box, and sticking hay on one end or else get another box that is sideways that has hay.

On the note of hay, what kind is that?? Hay should be mostly green and fresh, that looks more like straw?

[Rei]

KytKattin that tissue box is a GREAT idea!!  Molly was having trouble getting hay from her hay rack, so I started putting it in one end of her litterbox now she eats a lot more, but something like that would be better to prevent her from soiling any hay.

 

[piperknitsRN]

I use the litterbox as the hay box, too–I put the hay in one end, but one of my bunnies, Simon, likes digging around in the hay (he piles it on top of his head sometimes, the goofball)–so it generally ends up strewn around the litterbox any way.

[#1BunnyLover]

I have combined everyones ideas and made a good resolution and it seems to work.
Oh, and the hay is the kind my vet recommended – not sure exactly what kind though.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Is your vet an exotic vet? I would really question that…

[HoneysBuns]

is it oat hay?

[peppypoo]

S&L – some types of hay are a lot more coarse than others, like oat hay as HoneyBuns asked. How soft and green the hay is depends on which cut it is, and can even vary between the same “type” of hay…my buns tend to prefer the softer kind, but will pretty much eat anything anyways.

[#1BunnyLover]

I think so… Is that bad?!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Nope! Oat is great! Its just a less common hay, most end up using mainly timothy or orchard because its more easily available. I’ve have great luck with Oxbow, and there’s a couple other good brands, hopefully someone else will pop in
I use orchard and then sprinkle in oat and botanical because they only come in the smaller bags

[kinggoblin]

I would get a much bigger litter box, walmart sells one with a open raised lid for I think $9ish. I just put my bunny’s hay in the front of his litter box, he spreads out a little bit because he likes to cover his poops and he only pees/poops in the back half while he eats the hay in the front.

[#1BunnyLover]

I loved the tissue box idea and she loves it too. It actually saved me alot of space! Thanks fOr all your help!

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