Litterbox Training A Rabbit

You may be surprised at how easy it is to train your rabbit to use her litter box. By nature, rabbits tend to go in the same spot. You may have noticed your rabbit backing up into a corner and lifting her tail. Many times, it’s as simple as identifying where she likes to go and putting a litter box in that spot. However, there are many factors that can make or break your rabbit’s litter box habits. The simple choices you make, such as the type of litter to use, are crucial to your rabbit’s health, as well.

Spay And Neuter First

Spaying and neutering your rabbit is essential to successful litter training. Unaltered mature rabbits are extremely territorial and typically mark territory with urine and fecal droppings. Spaying and neutering can curb territorial marking behavior considerably. In addition, you will rule out any chance of unwanted babies and significantly decrease the chance of ovarian cancer in females.

Rabbits need to be sexually mature to be spayed and neutered. The minimum age is about 6 months old. Rabbits adopted from shelters are typically spayed and neutered before you take them home. If you have an unaltered rabbit on your hands, be sure to choose a veterinarian with extensive experience performing these operations on rabbits.

Choose the right litter

Rabbits tend to spend a lot of time in their litter boxes. They also like to taste-test some of the litter. For these reasons, the litter you choose can be a matter of life or death for your rabbit. Generally, organic litters made from alfalfa, oat, citrus or recycled papers are good to use. Another rabbit-safe litter is the food pellets themselves. If your rabbit is not overweight, food pellets are a very economical choice. Once the pellets are contaminated with urine and fecal droppings, your rabbit won’t find them very appealing.

The following types of litters should not be used because of the dangers cited below:

Litters NOT Safe for Rabbits	Dangers
Pine shavings or chips	May cause liver damage.
Cedar shavings or chips	May cause liver damage.
Clumping litter	Will clump inside the rabbit’s respiratory and digestive tracts causing serious problems and often death.
Clay litter	Dust in clay litter may cause respiratory problems.
Litter containing deodorant crystals	May be toxic to your rabbit.

Litter boxes should be cleaned often. An excellent litter box cleaner is white vinegar, which works well at removing stains and odor. Accidents outside the litter box can also be cleaned up with white vinegar or club soda.

Make Him Master Of His Domain

A cage is essential to the litter training process. The cage should be at least four times the size of your bunny. It should be large enough to fit a small litter box and still allow plenty of room for the rabbit to stretch out. Make sure there is also room for your bunny’s essentials: hay, a food dish and a water crock.

Toys are also an essential cage furnishing. Rabbits need mental stimulation while confined to a cage and the toys provide just that. Some good toys for your rabbit are cardboard rolls from toilet paper, cardboard boxes, untreated wicker baskets, plastic rainbow Slinky toys; hard plastic parrot toys; and colorful, hard plastic caps from laundry detergent and softener bottles (rinsed well to remove any residue).

The ideal cage should also have a door that your rabbit can get in and out of on his own. A rabbit that’s forced in and out of his cage at your whim will become confused about what territory is his. In addition, don’t do things to him that he doesn’t like while he’s in the cage. A rabbit who feels he is master of his domain will have more of a desire to mark his own house rather than your living room.

Litter Box Installation

Find the corner of the cage in which your rabbit typically urinates. Simply place the litter box in that corner. Since your rabbit is already accustomed to using that corner, he should naturally start going in the litter box. If your rabbit hasn’t yet chosen his favorite corner, pick one for him. If he doesn’t use the litter box and continues to urinate in another corner, accommodate him and move the litter box into that corner. If that doesn’t work, put a litter box in every corner of the cage. Eventually, he’ll pick one and you can gradually remove the other litter boxes.

Don’t be concerned if you find your rabbit lounging in his litter box. This behavior is perfectly normal. Digging is also an activity that some rabbits like to participate in while in the litter box. Digging is perfectly normal, as well. If you’d rather your rabbit dig somewhere else, fill up a litter box or cardboard box with some newspapers and hay to entice him into digging there. If he still insists on digging in the litter box, you just need to make sure the litter box is high enough to keep the litter in.

Freedom Is Best When Supervised

An untrained, free-roaming rabbit may be a danger to your home and to herself. It is important that you closely supervise your rabbit’s jaunts through the house during the litter training period. Your rabbit should get at least two to four hours of time outside the cage on a daily basis. Start with a small area at a time. As your rabbit shows good habits in that area, expand it a little more. This is a gradual process, though! Too much space at once is overwhelming for a rabbit, which may result in several "accidents."

If you notice your rabbit is backing up into a corner or lifting her tail, say, "No!" in a quick, loud voice. Herd her back gently into her cage and litter box. Don’t catch her and put her back in the cage. Once she uses her litter box, praise her and reward her with her favorite treat. Do not punish your rabbit when she doesn’t use the litter box. Positive reinforcement is the key. Another way to show her that the litter box is a good place to be is to place a handful of grass hay in there.

Eventually, you may want to add a litter box somewhere outside the cage, especially if your rabbit has access to another level of the house or the cage is very far from where she spends some of her time.

Red Flags And The Litter Box

The benefits of litter box usage extend beyond mere cleanliness and convenience. Once your rabbit falls into the routine of using his litter box, you will be very perceptive to any deviances from that routine. Breaks in routine may alert you to problems that may require medical attention.

If your rabbit is dribbling urine around the cage outside the litter box, this may indicate a bladder problem, possibly an infection. If you notice your rabbit straining while using the litter box, this may also be indicative of a problem. Only a veterinarian can accurately diagnose his condition so it is important that you take your rabbit to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Another sign of a possible health problem is lack of fecal droppings in the litter box. If you notice that your trained rabbit has left no feces in the litter box, or anywhere else that you can see, this may point to a problem in the digestive tract. A healthy digestive tract is constantly moving. An absence of fecal droppings may indicate a slowdown or shutdown in the system, or that your bunny isn’t eating. Lack of appetite also usually accompanies a gastrointestinal (digestive tract) shutdown. If you notice these symptoms, seek veterinary care immediately.

Regular veterinary checkups are also important in your rabbit’s life. Annual and semi-annual wellness visits are recommended to keep your rabbit as healthy as possible. Choose a veterinarian experienced in treating rabbits.