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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Litter training

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    • Bambam
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        I recently bought a 11 week old Rex bunny, I had him litter trained within the first week, always going in the box in his cage. However I have recently given him more freedom, leaving his cage open all the time letting him roam around my room. He can jump onto my bed by himself which I dont mind, however he has started using my bed as his new litter box. I have put a box in the spot he normally seeks and if i catch him in the act I quickly move him to the box and he finishes his business there but he doesnt normally seek it out himself, and if he does i praise him. Also, if he jumps on anyone elses bed he has no problem of having a wee or poop there too!! Is there anything else I can do to speed the process up? I dont want to stop him from going on my bed as I love the cuddles  

        Please help!


      • bmt87
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          It really sounds like he is starting to hit bunny puberty….it’s a little earlier for males than females and can vary amongst rabbits.  My bun did the same thing (lost litter habits and started marking things – almost seemed vindictive at times!) and luckily we had her spay scheduled for a week after – he is basically smelling you all over everything and marking what he deems as “his” territory.  You can find more information on neutering at http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html as well as places ALL over this site that recommend rabbit savvy vets in your area.

          Until then, arm yourself with some white vinegar and try to keep him off your bed and areas he could ruin as much as possible.  That was the only way I could get Lola not to pee on the furniture – and she was not happy since she loves to lounge on the couch.  I am happy to report that 2 months after her spay with her hormones all balanced out her litter habits are immaculate again and she now has free range without marking my bed or my boyfriend’s recliner once!

          Hang in there!  Bunny puberty is no fun!

          Edited to add: also, if you are just giving him “free range/more space to roam”, you’ll want to start in small areas – if you start off by giving him a large area to roam he might/will probably get overwhelmed with all the things that don’t smell like him and start marking everything!  Just speaking from experience.  Start small!


        • Elrohwen
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            First, is he neutered yet? Unfixed bunnies are much more likely to mark territory, so I’d keep him away from the bed until after he’s fixed and his hormones have settled – hopefully he’ll have forgotten about it by then.

            Second, even fixed bunnies sometimes love marking beds and sofas because they smell so much like us (and are soft absorbent spots). If he goes there, make sure to clean everything really really well – a vinegar/water solution works, or an enzyme cleaner meant for pets. If he can smell it, he’ll keep going there.

            Unfortunately, the more you let him do it, the more ingrained it will be and then be much harder to break. Even once he’s fixed he might continue to do it if he’s had months of practice at it. I’d keep him away from it now and hope that later he won’t feel the need to do it.

            You could also try covering your bed with a tarp or plastic shower curtain – he won’t want to pee on a non-absorbent surface, and even if he does it will be easy to clean.


          • RabbitPam
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              I also had several litter pans around my apartment. Usually it came down to one in the habitat and one in his favorite room when out playing. But when Spockie was very young I started with 3 and pared them down eventually as he grew older. Basically, you are trying to accommodate the urge to go when it’s too far to go all the way back to their house (too far, or they don’t want to risk getting closed in that soon.) Dropping him into the nearest litter pan and praising him like you do can make that a good option and reinforce that it’s where he should be going always. Of course, that’s more for normal needs not marking, but still, if you see that tail go up or a wiggle that looks familiar, try it. (A spare pan in a corner or under a desk can be cozy and out of your way.)

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          Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Litter training