Today we are going to be going over how to litter train your rabbit. the first thing you know if any rabbit can be litter trained and it's honestly pretty easy to litter train them.it takes about a week to two weeks and then they just keep getting better. but some rabbits can only be litter trained to a certain extent.
The first thing we're gonna talk about is what you need to litter train a rabbit. so you're going to need a couple of things.once you have all your materials you're ready to start litter training.
Supplies for rabbit litter box training
- Litter box
- Treats
- Paper towel or napkin
- Broom
- Dustpan
- Disinfectant (Use a mixture of 50% white vinegar and 50% warm water)
How Rabbit's litter box should be?
Make sure their litter box is always stocked with plenty of fresh hay when cleaning out the litter box keep some of the soiled bedding to place in the new fresh litter box. this will provide a familiar scent that encourages them to use the litter box after it's been cleaned again. a square or rectangular-shaped litter box can help them feel more comfortable because they seem to like corners for some reason. do not use litter boxes marketed towards rabbits these are too small and uncomfortable for them giving them a smaller space.
Step 1
Start with a new litter box and make sure it has bedding and hay in it. Because they like hay very much.
Step 2
Observe which spots within their designated area your rabbit is most frequently using for the bathroom. this will help you determine where is the best place to put their litter box . once you find their favorite spot to go, that's where you'll put it. typically this will be in a corner area against the wall or an area off to the side. your rabbit will most likely be curious about the box and be attracted to the scent of hay and hop in to eat at some point. they naturally eliminate waste as they eat.
So they'll want to do their business in an area with lots of hay. rabbits also prefer to use the bathroom in a designated spot .so in many cases rabbits actually litter train themselves.
Step 3
This step requires some patience .you're going to need to watch a rabbit to catch when they're about to go or when they do go outside of their litter box .you can tell when they're about to go. when their tails angle upwards. when you see this pick up your rabbit and place them in the litter box. if your rabbits are not comfortable being handled, it's okay to not do this part.
If it causes too much stress for them after you place them in the litter box. there's a chance that they will immediately hop out. this is okay. the point is to slowly associate the litter box with using the bathroom. to encourage this give your rabbit some treats and love. when they're in the litter box next you'll use the broom and dustpan to sweep up any poop on the floor and dump it inside of their litter box.
This helps move the scent into the litter box and will encourage them to start going in there. if your rabbit pees outside of the litter box take a paper towel or napkin and use it to wipe up as much of the urine as possible. then place the used paper towel or napkin in the litter box. you can place your rabbit in the litter box afterward. so they can see that their scent is now in this spot.
Next, you're going to want to clean up the areas outside of the litter box with your cleaning solution this helps eliminate their scent and discourages them from using the bathroom in these areas again.
Step 4
Be patient and consistent if you regularly complete these steps. your rabbit will begin to get the hang of it within a couple of days. after that it's only a matter of time before .this becomes their preference and they're doing it on their own soon. earlier I mentioned that though all rabbits can be litter trained. some can only be litter trained to a certain extent. what this means is that.
Although your rabbit will primarily use the litter box to go to the bathroom. they may not do that 100% of the time. this can happen for a number of reasons. firstly it's normal for most rabbits to occasionally poop outside of their litter box. it's a way to claim the space stairs and spread their scent there. some rabbits may never do this, while others may do it daily. however, it's still worth litter training your rabbit.
There may only be a couple of droppings on the floor that can be easily cleaned. if they aren't, it's a lot of work to clean up. the rabbit also may continue to pee or spray outside of the litter box. which means they are more driven to spread their scent.
Spaying or neutering a rabbit makes litter training easier and decreases droppings outside of the litter box a rabbit also may not be fully litter trained due to other reasons older rabbits may have difficulty getting in and out of the litter box and may use the bathroom outside the litter box a bit more often rabbits who are uncomfortable with people also may take longer to learn how to use the litter box regularly bonding with your rabbit and creating a comfortable and safe space for them.
Never punish your rabbit for not using the litter box this will not help them learn and will only potentially hurt your relationship with them.
while litter training will further encourage them to use the litter box so just temporarily. it's okay to make their space a little bit smaller.
Some important Tips
- Place litter box where the urine is
- Put hay in or above the litter box
- Soak up accidents & place in box
- Don't fully clean the litter box until your bunny is completely trained for the litter box
- Litter goes only in the box, light layer
- Chose quality pellet for less odor
- Adapt box placement & quantity as needed