Text used with permission by Ontario Rabbit Education Organization
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Many people are very surprised when they find out that rabbits can
be litter trained. Rabbits are intelligent, clean creatures of
habit. They like to "go" in the same spot, which will work to your
advantage when you are trying to litter train your rabbit.
To litter train your rabbit, start by placing a litterbox inside
your rabbit's cage or pen, in the corner that he has chosen as his
"bathroom" corner.
As you increase your rabbit's supervised exercise time, you need to
make sure that he has access to one or more litterboxes (besides
the one in his cage) in his exercise area. Having more than one
litterbox will increase your bunny's chance of success. He will
likely dictate the placement of these litterboxes by choosing a
bathroom corner in his exercise area. Hopefully, he will choose a
spot that is convenient to the rest of the household. If not, you
can tr to convince him to change his mind by putting the box first
in the spot he has chosen and gradually moving it until it is where
you would like it to be. However, it may be easier to oblige a
stubborn rabbit than to try to change a chosen litterbox spot.
After your rabbit is using the litterbox regularly, you can
decrease the number of litterboxes until he has one box in his cage
and only one box in his exercise area.
1. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to help your bunny
achieve good litterbox habits is to have him or her fixed.
Unaltered rabbits are much harder to litter train than altered
rabbits. After reaching sexual maturity (3-4 monts for smaller
breeds, 4-6 months for larger breeds), a rabbit's hormones tell him
to "mark" territory. Having your rabbit spayed or neutered can stop
(or a least decrease) hormonally driven negative behaviour. As with
any surgery, there is some risk. Only an experienced bunny
veterinarian should spay or neuter your pet.
2. Young and adolescent rabbits will not have perfect litter habits
all the time. They are still growing physically and mentally, and
accidents will happen. Be patient: your bunny will improve as he
matures. Always praise your bunny for a job well done and never
scold or hit your bunny because he had an accident.
3. Keep those litterboxes clean! Your bunny's litterbox should be
cleaned everyday or every second day. Simply wash the litterbox
with white vinegar and rince with water to neutralize the odour.
Vinegar can also be used to remove accidents on carpeting or tile
flooring. Be sure to test the vinegar on a small inconspicuous area
of your floor before using.
4. Giving your bunny too much freedom too soon can contribute to
poor litterbox habits. Gradually increase your rabbit's freedom,
after he is using the litterbox regularly. If your bunny has access
to more than one room, give him access to more than one box.
5. Put some hay at one end of the litterbox to make it a more
inviting place to visit. Some rabbits will spend hours munching on
hay in their litterboxes. In addition, many rabbits will urinate or
defecate while eating.
6. Even spayed or neutered rabbits may mark their territory when a
new rabbit (or other animal, for that matter) is added to the
household. Gradually, the need to mark territory will lessen as
they get used to the newcomer.
7. A change in your rabbit's enrionment or the addition of stress
(e.g., a new animal, new furniture or new people) may cause a
temporary lapse in even a spayed or neutered rabbit's litterbox
habits. Keeping a close eye on your bunny as he explores new
territory will help prevent accidents and new bad habits from
developing.
8. A rabbit that previously had good litterbox habits or one that
is having prolonged problems achieving good litterbox habits may
have a physical problem, such as urinary tract infection, that
requires medical care.
9. If you are having a hard time training your bunny, try a new
brand of litter.
Hard plastic storage bins that come in various sizes, as well as
traditional cat boxes, make fantastic litterboxes. The size of the
litterbox should be determined by the size of the bunny and by the
size of the pen or cage. You will still need room in the cage for
food, toys, water and a place for the rabbit to lie down. Many
bunnies like to stretch out in their litterboxes so, as they grow,
the box will need to grow too. If your bunny is kicking litter out
of the box or urinating over the edge of the box, try a hooded
cat-type litterbox, a deeper litterbox or a box with a lip around
the outside. If you have a special need rabbit that has trouble
hopping in and out of his litterbox, try cutting one side down for
easy entry. A litter pan with a low front side may help as
well.
Since rabbits spend a lot of time in their litterboxes, finding a
safe litter is important. The following types of litter are
acceptable to use in your rabbit's litterbox:
1. Litters made from hardwood, such as Aspen.
2. Wood stove pellets made from compressed hardwoods. Wood stove
pellets are sold at home improvement stores (in the seasonal
department) or stores that sell wood stoves. In some areas, this
product is only available in the fall and winter months.
3. Products made from recycled, shredded or compressed newspaper,
e.g., Yesterday's News or Carefresh, are excellent choices. These
litters are biodegradable, dust-free and nontoxic, and are safe
even if your rabbit should take a nibble. These litters are also
absorbent and will control odours well.
4. Newspaper with hay layered on top. If you have a source of
inexpensive hay (such as a local farm), then using hay and
newspaper in your rabbit's box is very economical and nontoxic.
Don't worry, your rabbit will know better than to eat the soiled
parts. If you choose this option, the litterbox will need to be
cleaned every day to prevent odours.
Note: Don't be surprised if your rabbit samples the new litter.
However, if he decides to feast on the litter (unless you use hay
on top of newsprint and he's eating the hay), then you need to
choose a new litter. You can prevent your rabbit from eating his
litter by placing a grid made of hardware cloth (without sharp
edges) or hard plastic (such as the hard plastic grids that cover
fluorescent lights) on top of the litter.
Things to consider
Biodegradable litters (e.g., woodstove pellets, Carefresh,
Yesterday's New or hay layered over newsprint) make excellent
fertilizers.
Prolonged exposure to the phenols (aromatic oils) in softwood
shavings, such as pine and cedar, may cause liver damage or upper
respiratory problems. Clay cat litter is not a good choice if your
rabbit is a digger. No clay litter is 100% dust free and the dust
can cause respiratory problems. In addition, do not use clay cat
litters that contain deodorant crystals which may be dangerous if
ingested.
The following types of litter may cause blockages or intestinal
problems if ingested: clumping cat litter (clumps when it gets
wet), clay cat litter and litters made of silica gel or silica
sand.
Litter products (e.g., CatWorks) that contain zinc oxide may cause
zinc poisoning if ingested.
Some sources claim that litters made from corncobs may cause
gastrointestinal problems if ingested, while other sources say that
corncob litters are safe. Until we know for sure, we recommend
using caution when using litters made from corncobs.
Copyright © 2003 Ontario Rabbit Education Organization. Last
modified Feb 28/03.