Litter box problems

tbunnysmom · Mar 12, 2005

I don't understand why this happens. My previous rabbit stopped using her little box before she died as well. T bunny is about 8 months old. In the past month he's been using his little box less and less. He seems so well trained in the beginning. He's peed in the same spot the last two nights (in the living room) Cleaning up the poop doesn't bother me as much, but I get really irked when I have to clean up pee. He was only a foot from the litter box when he peed. He's also only using the litter box maybe 50% of the time in his cage. Anyone have any ideas on getting him back in the habit?

Tonight I cleaned the cage and am trying out corn cob litter. has anyone else used this before? It's alot more expensive than pine litter. I think it was $17 a bag,and I had to use close to half the bag to fill the bottom of his cage. Not sure I can keep up with that cost, but I wanted to try it out. I know pine chips don't come highly recommended in the bunny community.

bunnyluv17 · Mar 13, 2005

My first question would be is he neutered? If not, neutering should help. Do you have any other rabbits? He may be trying to mark his territory if other rabbits are around.

Neither pine nor corncob should be used for rabbits. Pine is toxic to rabbits and can cause liver and respiratory problems. Corncob can cause stasis if injested, which could be deadly.

The only wood shaving that is safe for rabbits is aspen. Other safe litters include: Yesterday's news, Carefresh, Cell Sorb, and Feline Pine (the manufacturing process eliminates the harmful oils and smells found in regular pine).

My personal favorite is wood stove pellets; they are cheap, help control odor, and are absorbant. The only problem is that you have to stock up because they are only sold in cold weather.

bunnyluv17 · Mar 13, 2005

Here is a great link that may help solve the problem: https://rabbit.org/faq/sections/litter.html

lilliesmomma · Mar 15, 2005

What a coincidence. Mine is 8 mos old and has started doing the same thing - quite annoying to find little pee spots on the rug. He's getting neutered soon. I have a fairly new female in the house which has also exascerbated the problem. They are now both pooping all over their cages and the house marking territories - if I had a penny for every dropping I've picked up! Although, the poop is so easy to pick up it's hardly a bother... it's the urine that bothers me.

lilliesmomma · Mar 15, 2005

I use a throw rug and grass mats for the bottom of my cage and provide them with a litter box with aspen pellet litter or wood pellets, I also use crosscut shredded paper from my shredder - I let the junk mailers pay! Although I only shred white paper - no glossies or plastic. I just put a layer of newspapers underneath to help soak up the urine. The bunnies like nestling into the shredded paper too since it's 'fluffy'.

Find the corner that they typically use for poop & pee. Clean the cage, but take some of the poop and urine from the cage and place it into the new litter box. Make sure that when you place the litterbox into the cage that it is in the same place they usually poop & pee. Putting some of their poop & pee in there will let them know to use it. It'll take a little bit for them to get used to it.

"I had to use close to half the bag to fill the bottom of his cage."

tbunnysmom · Mar 15, 2005

He's been neutered for two months now, so it shouldn't be a marking or territory thing, as right now he's the only bunny.

I knew that Pine shouldn't be, or so they say, but honestly it's been used for all my pets all my life and I've never had a problem. I will look for aspen though. I just don't know why these things, like corn cob, label themselves as non-toxic, safe, etc.. if they really aren't.

bunnyluv17 said:
My first question would be is he neutered? If not, neutering should help. Do you have any other rabbits? He may be trying to mark his territory if other rabbits are around.

Neither pine nor corncob should be used for rabbits. Pine is toxic to rabbits and can cause liver and respiratory problems. Corncob can cause stasis if injested, which could be deadly.

The only wood shaving that is safe for rabbits is aspen. Other safe litters include: Yesterday's news, Carefresh, Cell Sorb, and Feline Pine (the manufacturing process eliminates the harmful oils and smells found in regular pine).

My personal favorite is wood stove pellets; they are cheap, help control odor, and are absorbant. The only problem is that you have to stock up because they are only sold in cold weather.

tbunnysmom · Mar 15, 2005

The shredded paper thing sounds great, I just don't have a shredder. Do you just wash the throw rug after a while or throw them away?

I've done the corner trick. All that to me just seems pretty common sense anyways. He's always had a litter box, and used the same corner, but he seems to have changed his mind and is going outside the box now. I moved it for him, but not sure that's made a difference.

Thanks for the suggestions.

lilliesmomma said:
I use a throw rug and grass mats for the bottom of my cage and provide them with a litter box with aspen pellet litter or wood pellets, I also use crosscut shredded paper from my shredder - I let the junk mailers pay! Although I only shred white paper - no glossies or plastic. I just put a layer of newspapers underneath to help soak up the urine. The bunnies like nestling into the shredded paper too since it's 'fluffy'.

Find the corner that they typically use for poop & pee. Clean the cage, but take some of the poop and urine from the cage and place it into the new litter box. Make sure that when you place the litterbox into the cage that it is in the same place they usually poop & pee. Putting some of their poop & pee in there will let them know to use it. It'll take a little bit for them to get used to it.

"I had to use close to half the bag to fill the bottom of his cage."

bunnyluv17 · Mar 15, 2005

Two months isn't that long, so he might need a little more time for his hormones to subside. Is there anything that could have upset him or thrown his habits out of whack? Such as a strange dog/cat, moving furniture or his cage around?

tbunnysmom said:
He's been neutered for two months now, so it shouldn't be a marking or territory thing, as right now he's the only bunny.

bunnyluv17 · Mar 15, 2005

Using litter on the entire cage may be part of the problem, try to limit litter only to the litterbox.

tbunnysmom said:
and I had to use close to half the bag to fill the bottom of his cage.

bunnyluv17 · Mar 15, 2005

Sorry to double post, but have you tried putting a large handful of hay in the litterbox? It may help to encourage him, as rabbits enjoy eating and pooping at the same time (sometimes).

lilliesmomma · Mar 15, 2005

You can find a crosscut shredder pretty inexpensively at target/walmart - think of all the money you will save shredding credit card offers!

I go to the discount/dollar store and pick up either a kitchen or bath throw rug. I give it a good banging when I clean the cages and every few weeks (or when soiled) I throw them into the wash. They like to dig at the carpeting so it keeps them busy. When it starts to either get nasty or fall apart I replace it. It's so inexpensive that I don't feel bad about replacing it. If they like to dig this is a great option.

tbunnysmom said:
The shredded paper thing sounds great, I just don't have a shredder. Do you just wash the throw rug after a while or throw them away?

I've done the corner trick. All that to me just seems pretty common sense anyways. He's always had a litter box, and used the same corner, but he seems to have changed his mind and is going outside the box now. I moved it for him, but not sure that's made a difference.

Thanks for the suggestions.

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