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Forum BEHAVIOR Litter Problems – Dominant Bunny Behavior??

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    • Dobby
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      254 posts Send Private Message

        I adopted a 3 year old netherland dwarf rabbit at the end of January.  He was fixed a couple of weeks before I adopted him.  We are having some litter training issues that seem to be getting worse instead of better.  So I thought I would come to the experts for advice.

        According to his previous owner who left him at the shelter, he was litter trained.  When I brought him home we had a few accidents and there was a lot of poo everywhere.  The poo issue has been brought under control but the peeing is getting out of hand, and it seems to be an issue only when I’m around. 

        When I am at work, he does all of his business in his litter or, at least, in his cage.  However, when I am at home, either morning or night, he pees right in front of me.  It doesn’t seem to matter if I’m paying attention to him or not.  I know that this can mean he is claiming me as his own, which is cute in an icky sort of way, but it often seems almost like a power play. 

        Here are two examples from this morning.

        1. I was petting him, which he really enjoys at times.  Often petting is followed by peeing somewhere he shouldn’t.  This morning, I had to hop in the shower after petting him so I immediately left the kitchen we were in.  As soon as I closed the door to the bathroom, I heard him jump into his litter.  So, yay, no accident after petting.
        2. A little while later I was cleaning up his cage a bit before I left for work.  (He was out of the cage at the time, although he often jumps in while I’m cleaning.)  I should note that he also has a litter right outside of his cage, as that seemed to be a place he was having frequent accidents.  He came up right next to me, picked up the second litter with his teeth, pushed it out of the way, and peed on the floor.  Given his small size moving the litter like that was impressive, but I was incredibly frustrated.  I got him into his litter and reminded him he needed to use it, not the floor.  He sat there for a few minutes after I shooed him in, eating hay and pooping. 

        I try to shoo him into one of his litters when I catch him in the act.  The few times I’ve let him into the living room (which is fully carpeted so he’s been banished to the kitchen as this problem has escalated) and he’s had an accident, I’ve shooed him back into his cage and given him a time out.  I try to praise him when I’m around and he is in his litter and, if I’m fast enough, give him a treat.

        I’m not really sure what else I should do at this point.  Am I maybe spending too much time with him when I’m home and he’s annoyed with me because of it?  I don’t bother him if he’s in his cage or not near me.  Are his hormones still a bit out of whack, even though it’s been a month since his surgery?  Is this some kind of dominance thing and, if so, how can I assert my dominance here? 

        Really any suggestions would be appreciated.  I hope he will eventually be a free range bunny so would really like to get this problem solved.

        Thanks!


      • LittlePuffyTail
        Moderator
        18092 posts Send Private Message

          It could very well be still hormone related. It usually takes several weeks to a month for hormones to die down after neutering.

          How long has he been in your home?

          Does he have a large litter box with hay in it? Bunnies that have a litterbox they enjoy spending time in are more likely to do their business in it.


        • Dobby
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            He was neutered on January 22nd and I brought him home on January 31. So he has been neutered for over a month and in his new home for about 3 1/2 weeks.

            He also has two litters, one in his cage with a hay rack right next to it and one outside his cage with hay in it. Actually one of his favorite activities seems to be hanging out in his litter pulling all of the hay out of his hay rack as soon as I put some more in. So he’s definitely comfortable in his litters.


          • Bam
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              My vet told me it can be 2 months before their hormones die down altogeather.

              But in some rabbits, sex-hormone production can be shifted to the adrenal glands.http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-10/sexybunnies.html


            • RabbitPam
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              11002 posts Send Private Message

                Well, you’re doing the right thing by praising him and treating him when he goes in his litter pans. Catching him and putting him in there is OK for teaching him he should be in it, and treating him when he goes there on his own is a good training method, so keep that up.

                I would take a spray bottle with 50/50% mix of white vinegar and water and just wash down the area where he has previously peed. Don’t let any fresh litter get onto that spot, wipe the bottoms of the litter pans (inside and out) then rinse them so they don’t smell like the solution but are free of pee scent if it seeped underneath. You want to make the floor slightly unappealing in its scent, and the inside of the pan a great place to go when he’s gotta go.

                He may also just be a playful, ornery little bunny who knows when he’s being naughty. They do that sometimes. Stare at you, make a mess, then binky away. If you listen hard you can almost hear them giggle…..


              • Dobby
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                254 posts Send Private Message

                  Thanks for the tips and advice everyone. We are still working on it but I have tried two things that seem to be working a bit.

                  -I am holding off on his dinner of greens until closer to bed time. I used to give him the greens when I got home from work. Instead I’m putting a few leafs in the two litters I have set outside his cage throughout the night. So he seems more interested in going into them now, having a little snack and doing his business. This also means I don’t have to jump up and rush to give him a treat whenever he approaches a litter.

                  -I also find that he seems to have his accidents when I’m actively playing with him or watching him closely. So, even though it is hard not to want to play with him all the time, I’m trying to limit myself to a few minutes at a time. Then I basically ignore him for awhile and he eventually gets a drink, uses his litter, or runs through some of his tunnels. I’d like to think he was having too much fun with me to take a bathroom break, but I’m thinking it was more about showing me who the boss was while we we’re together.

                  Now it’s time to tackle clipping his very black nails!

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              Forum BEHAVIOR Litter Problems – Dominant Bunny Behavior??