Why won't my rabbit use her litter tray?

Question

I bought her last Thursday to keep in the house. I bought her a big cage with a litter tray that fits in the corner. At first she used the opposite corner to the tray so as I have been told previously, I moved the litter tray over. She then started using the other corner so I again moved the tray. Now she uses the original corner again, it seems she doesn't want to use it. She doesn't tend to use any other place in the cage to poo and has only done a few in other places in the living room. She is 10 weeks old approx. Anybody got any ideas on what I should do? Thanks

Answer 1

shes a rabbit. ive never heard of rabbits going in a litter tray. every rabbit i ever seen pooped wherever it was sitting when it had to go.

Answer 2

buy another litter tray and put it in the other corner :P

Answer 3

Well, first, I'm glad you're taking your rabbit out of her cage, and second, I'm glad her cage is big enough she has choices where to poo.  So many people abuse rabbits with these tiny, cramped cages, trapping them inside for years.

Second, I'm wondering if she doesn't like the feel of the metal tray.  I might try coating it in shredded paper (the kind you can buy for rabbits at a pet store).  She seems to be sending the message that the try makes her feel uncomfortable.  You might try using one of those sense enhancers, if they have one for rabbits.

I don't know a lot about rabbits, so I don't know how much smarter they are than gerbils.  But my gerbils would NEVER p**p in their potty box.  LOL, they pooped everywhere else.

Answer 4

Put timothy hay in it. That's all it took with my bunny, and she hopped right in and started eating and going. They won't eat the hay if it's soiled. So just keep fresh hay piled up.

But she's young, some don't get it for a while. You could try putting a litter tray in both corners for a while. She'll get it, it takes time.

Answer 5

8.1 Introduction

By nature, rabbits choose one or a few places (usually corners) to deposit their urine and most of their pills. Urine-training involves little more than putting a litterbox where the rabbit chooses to go. Pill training requires only that you give them a place they know will not be invaded by others. Here are some suggestions to help you to train your rabbit to use the litterbox.

8.16 What are the most common litter training mistakes?

Letting the bunny out of the cage and not watching her with undivided attention;

(You can't watch TV or read the paper or knit or talk on the phone and expect to keep your mind on what the bunny is doing every second--if she urinates without being "caught" and herded to the litter box, she'll be that much slower in learning what she's supposed to do.)

Getting in a hurry.

Bunnies take time. Perhaps that's one of their special gifts to us in this hectic world. They require that we take time out to sit and watch and do nothing else. Besides getting a well-trained bunny for your efforts, you also get a short period of time each day to watch one of the most charming little creatures on earth explore, skip for joy, and in general entertain you with her bunny-ness.

8.17 What should I do if my rabbit starts dribbling all over her cage instead of using the litter box?

Dribbles usually indicate a bladder infection. Get your bunny to a rabbit-veterinarian who will probably put her on an antibiotic. If the dribbling stops, you know that that was the problem. (Watch out for antibiotics given by veterinarians not familiar with rabbits as companion animals!)

If the "dribbles" are more than dribbles, or if the antibiotic doesn't stop the problem, consider any factors that may be making your bunny feel insecure (new pet, house guests, change in location of cage, etc.), any of which can cause a bunny to mark her cage more enthusiastically (similar to someone having a dispute with a neighbor about the location of a fence setting up a flag at the property boundary marker).

8.4 What types of litter should I use?

It depends on what's available in your area and what your rabbit's habits are. Keep in mind the following as you choose your litter:

most rabbits spend lots of time in their litter boxes

rabbits will always nibble some of the litter

rabbit urine has a very strong odor.

House Rabbit Society recommends organic litters, made from alfalfa, oat, citrus or paper. (Some brands to look for: Care Fresh, Cat Country, Critter Country, Yesterday's News, and Papurr) For a complete listing of litter types, see the litter boxes and liver disease article.

Stay away from litters made from softwoods, like pine or cedar shavings or chips, as these products are thought to cause liver damage in rabbits who use them. CatWorks litter has been linked to zinc poisoning. Swheat Scoop Litter should be avoided, because rabbits will often ingest it. Because it is comprised of wheat, it is very high in carbohydrates and can cause obesity, excessive cecal production, diarrhea, bacterial imbalance, and other health issues.

Another approach is to place a handful of hay in each box, or to simply use hay as litter. It is helpful to put several layers of newspaper under the hay, to absorb urine so that your rabbit is not standing in the urine. Most newspapers today are using soy-based ink, which is safe for your rabbit, but check with your local newspaper to make sure first. Obviously, you need to change the hay fairly frequently (daily), since your rabbit will be eating it. This method often helps to encourage good litter habits as well as to encourage hay consumption, since rabbits often eat at or near the same time as they use the litter box.

Pros and cons of the various types of litter include:

clay litter is dusty--if your bunny is a digger, the dust can make her vulnerable to pneumonia

the deodorant crystals in some clay litters are toxic

clumping litters will clump inside the rabbit's digestive and respiratory tracts (the latter if they manage to make enough dust to breathe) causing serious problems and often leading to death

pine and cedar shavings emit gases that cause liver damage when breathed by the bunny

corn cob litter isn't absorbent and doesn't control odor, and has the the risk of being eaten and casing a lethal blockage.

oat- and alfalfa-based litters (available from Purina, Manna-Pro, and King-Soopers groceries [not sure what the geographical range of this chain is]) have excellent odor controlling qualities, but if a rabbit eats too much, they expand and cause bloating; these, too, can be added, with the bunny's waste, to compost

newspapers are absorbent, but don't control odor

citrus-based litters work well, offer no dangers, and can be composted, but may be hard to get and expensive in some areas of the country/world

some people have reported success with peat moss which can also be composted

Many people have great success with litter made from paper pulp or recycled paper products. These litters are very good at absorbing and cutting down on odors. A litter called CAREfresh is available. You can find out about local places that carry Carefresh by emailing [e-mail] or by calling 1-800-242-2287. A similar litter in a pelleted form is called Cellu-Dri 1-800-382-5001. These litters are harmless if ingested.

Compressed sawdust pellets: are inexpensive, highly absorbent litters used in many foster homes. They are made from softwood or hardwood sawdust, but they are not toxic because the phenolic compounds are removed during their manufacture. Their wood composition helps control bacterial growth and odors. Wood stove fuel pellets and Feline Pine are two examples of this product.

Litters made from Aspen bark are safe and good at absorbing odors. One brand is called GentleTouch 1-800-545-9853.

Could you be doing something wrong?

Answer 6

Being so young, and in a new home, it will probably take her a while to get used to things and start using the same toilet area routinely.

I would remove the litter tray for a few days until she is consistently using the same corner. Then you will be certain where to put it.

It may be that she doesn't like the litter tray. My rabbit never used his - he just picked it up and threw it around. Instead I bough a fairly flat baking tray. Being metal, and not having such high sides he didn't ever play with it. And it was virtually hidden in the bedding anyway, so he always used it.

To encourage your rabbit to use a litter tray you can scoop up some wet bedding and put it in the tray, so the rabbit gets the idea.

You should also get your rabbit spayed when she is old enough. This will prevent her dying an early death from uterine cancer, and it often helps with litter training too.

Answer 7

make sure to have no litter anywhere but the littertray.  if you have bedding in the bottom of the cage, as well as the litterbox, it will be too confusing for her.  

put a big handful of hay in the litterbox, and put her food right next to the litterbox.  rabbits like to eat and p**p at the same time.  if she poops outside of the box, pick it up right away and put it int he box, same with pee.  soak up pee with a papertowel and out the towel in the box.  this will associate the smell with the box.

here's some links on littertraining.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/training.h...

http://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/Litterbo...

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/li...

keep in mind, young bunnies are harder to littertrain than adults.

also, she might not be 100% as far as littertraining until she is spayed.  spayng wil improve the litter habits, eliminate smell, improve her behavior/aggression during puberty, and reduce her risk of developing cancer.  it is necessary for a house rabbit, even if she has no chance of getting pregnant...

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

feel free to email me if you have anymore  questions.

good luck.

Answer 8

She's still a little young - you'll probably have the best luck when she is sexually mature and spayed.

How big is the litter box? Those corner litter boxes are usually too small for rabbits to use comfortably. You'll want a large, rectangular box - cheap plastic cat boxes work fine. Rabbits spend lots of time in their litter boxes, and you want one that they're comfortable in.

You didn't mention what sort of litter you're using. You'll want something soft and comfortable but still absorbent. I use a layer of Yesterday's News pellets, a layer of shredded newspaper, and then plenty of fresh hay. Hay in the litterbox is one of the best ways to get a rabbit to start using it and to keep using it reliably - they like to just sit in there and nibble. They aren't like cats, who only use the box for one purpose - like I said, they really do spend a lot of time in there.

Check out this site:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/litte...

Answer 9

because the rabbit is prolly nt use to the tray

Answer 10

it might need changed

Answer 11

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article7.htm

http://www.rabbitweb.net/litter-training...

Answer 12

you gotta put the poo an nasty stuff in the litter tray.  she will soon learn to use that as the bathroom.  hope i helped!!  good luck

Answer 13

Put her poops in the litter box and then set her in there, she'll get it eventually. Thats how i taught both my rabbits and my guinea pig to do it, When they see it they'll make the connection. but you have to teach them. Also when they pee outside of their cage put them back in, right away and they will learn to not pee out side their cage if they want to stay out and play.

Answer 14

it needs to be trained

Answer 15

You need to train your  bunny how to "go" in the litter-box. BUT WHAT A COINKYDINK, I JUST HAD TO GIVE MY BUNNY AWAY YESTERDAY. Somettimes rabbits are untrainable, good luck.

Answer 16

train it

Answer 17

rabbits usually dont' use litter trays, those are for cats.

Maybe you should keep her outside.

Answer 18

rabbits arent animals u can train, they wont use litter trays - cats will, rabbits wont. they have an area they like to p**p in and they prefer not to climb into a tray to do it. she also mite not be used to the tray and doesnt see it as her territory but id be surprised if it worked, shes not a cat or a dog she will p**p and pee when she feels like it, she wont go to her tray to do it. sorry. x

Answer 19

because shes used to pissing there

Answer 20

Keep rabbit in cage to begin with and place an old cake pan in the corner your rabbit has chosen to urinate in. Put plain, clay cat litter or recycled newspaper pellets in the pan. Let rabbit out of cage a few minutes with lots of praise after it has used the litter pan. Repeat until it learns how special it is for using litter pan. Lengthen amount of time the bunny is let out to play after using litter pan over the next few days. Accidents will happen. When one does, put your rabbit back in the cage in the litter pan - but do not scold or lock your rabbit in the cage. This could cause it to associate its cage and litter pan with a bad place to go.

Answer 21

Your rabbit probobly won't use the litter tray because he/she isn't used to it. When your rabbit has to go to the bathroom, all you have to do is quickly grab it and run to the litter tray and put he/she in it. Easy as pie (it can be) !

Answer 22

u have to use the spray someway somehow they know

Answer 23

What litter are you using?  Some rabbits like a softer texture under their feet.  You might also go with a larger litter box, a cat litter tray that's a rectangle.  Mine do better with those than the corner ones. Then put some hay over the top of the litter int he box.  They tend to eat and poo at the same time, so putting some hay in for munching will encourage her to go there.  Good luck, she'll get the idea.  She's still pretty young.  Put any poo that's outside the box in the box, and have patience.

Answer 24

Training your rabbit is like tranning a dog. I have my rabbit for over 2 years now. When your rabbit poops, put some of it in the litter tray. or even pee, get a small napkin, absorb the pee and put the napkin in the tray. That way  the rabbit will get used to the smell....sometimes when you catch the rabbit doing his/her business, pick it up and put her in the tray to finish. it is going to take sometime for the rabbit to know. it took mine about 1 month to 1 month and a half.

Answer 25

dont worry, she just needs to be trained :) i went through the same thing