| Education, Rescue, and Respect |
| Litterbox Training |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
Rabbits usually like to relieve themselves in only one or a few places. They can easily be trained to use a litterbox.
Many rabbits get the point if you simply offer them a litterbox where they usually go anyway. Start with a litterbox in
their cage or somewhere in the area they have access to. Also, try adding some of their droppings to the litterbox or
take some urine-soaked newspaper from their cage and put it in the litterbox.
Most bunnies like to munch on hay when they're doing their using their litterbox. Adding hay to the litterbox will
encourage them to go in the box. Some bunnies like to hang out in their litterbox, so don't be alarmed if you see your
bunny napping in the box. For this reason, make sure the litterbox is always cleaned daily or more often.
Some bunnies like to have their litterbox cleaned after each use, while other bunnies think that if you clean it every
time, you are telling them that it isn't where you want them going. You'll have to pay attention and figure out where
your bunny stands on this issue. He understands the litterbox, he just doesn't understand you yet. If the litterbox has
an ammonia smell, it should be cleaned immediately!!
Some bunnies have the best intentions, but will back up to a corner of the litterbox and wind up peeing over the edge.
If you have a bunny like this, please get a litterbox which is higher on 3 sides or even enclosed on 3 sides to prevent
mess.
Please note: Spraying is not a failure of litterbox training, but rather an indication that other behaviors need to be
addressed (most likely, the rabbit needs to be neutered/spayed).
VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT use cedar or pine shavings with any small mammal
including your bunny!! Aspen wood shavings are exempt from this warning as they are safe for small
mammals. Aspen wood is a hard wood and specially prepared for bedding or litter for small mammals. "Aromatic
hydrocarbons from cedar and pine bedding materials can induce biosynthesis and hepatic microsomal enzymes"
which are known to cause liver disease (quoted from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services guide for the care
of laboratory animals). Use grass hay on top of newspaper or organic kitty litter for your rabbit's litter box and timothy
hay for other small animals' cages.
To clean and disinfect, ideally you would use a product called Vanodine, which is totally safe for animals, even if they
ingest a small amount. It is a non-toxic and very thorough disinfectant. It kills virus's, bacteria, and even fungi. It is a
good replacement for chlorine bleach, which also kills everything but is much more dangerous to animals. After using
bleach, you must be careful to thoroughly dry the litterbox preferably in direct sunlight. Making sure there is no trace
of chlorine left. Some plastics will also absorb the smell of bleach. Vinegar is a good cleaner. But, it is not a
disinfectant. You can also try vanilla extract. It is a good cleaner and disinfectant too. Part of the reason for it being
such a great disinfectant is the 20% alcohol content. The alcohol evaporates quickly leaving no dangerous residue for
pets.
If you have an area of carpet which needs to be cleaned due to its smell, you can try Nature's Miracle. It's available
at many pet stores and other places that sell cleaning supplies.
If your bunny seems to have forgotten its litterbox habits: Bunnies don't forget their litterbox
training. When they start going outside the box, it is usually because they are complaining about something and this
should be investigated. It is possible that a UTI (urinary tract infection) or bladder sludge or stones is making it
uncomfortable for the bunny to urinate. This is actually very important, and an early warning that something is
wrong. If your bunny starts behaving like this, please try to determine the underlying problem and make an
appointment with your vet.
If you notice chalky calcium deposits in the litterbox: Rabbit urine is typically mineral-rich, so
the presence of calcium in the urine should not be interpreted as the only indicator of bladder sludge or stones, but
thatis not to say that it isn't a concern. Rabbits, like all mammals, need calcium in their diets and some of it will be
eliminated in the urine, and rabbits' urine is rich in minerals from their diet. Seeing calcium or chalky buildup in the
litterbox doesn't necessarily mean there is any build-up of calcium in the urinary tract. You should observe your
bunny when he/she is in the litterbox, and watch for signs of straining, struggling or discomfort. Also check what's
left behind (if you can) to see if it looks normal. If the rabbit is showing any signs of calcium buildup in any form, then
it's time to talk to the vet, and perhaps get an x-ray of the bladder (calcium shows up very nicely in x-rays).
If you notice odd coloring in the urine: A rabbit's urine can be anything from clear to thick yellow to
brown to even bright red and still be considered normal (unless the bright red is blood, but it often isn't). Something
as simply as a change in the diet or stress can cause a rabbit's urine to change color and/or clarity. Only in certain
cases is bright red urine actually blood (and you'll be able to tell by smell), which indicates a serious problem and the
bunny should see a vet right away.
If you notice small droppings: Small poops usually indicate the beginning of a blockage, and the size of
the poops indicate the largest size of anything that can pass through the bunny's digestive system. If the bunny is
shedding, you will likely see the poops strung together with the swallowed fur.
If you find small clusters of pungent soft droppings: Rabbits have two different kinds of
droppings - fecal, the typical round and basically dry and odorless droppings, and cecal - or cecotropes - which are
meant to be re-ingested by the rabbits. In much the same way a cow will regurgitate its cud to chew it, rabbits
re-ingest their cecal droppings, sometimes directly from their anuses, to gain all the nutrients from their diet. This is
not only normal, but essential to the rabbit's health - you should worry if your rabbit doesn't eat its cecals. These
used to be known as "night feces" (they are not feces, they come from the cecum, not the bowels) because rabbits
would usually eat them at night, but it's theorized that this is because it was stored up food from a dusk of forraging
for foods and not fully digesting them before returning to their warrens. Please read Dana Krempel's article The
Mystery of Poop to learn about cecotropes.
If your bunny has runny stool and/or poopy butt: The first thing you should do is clean the area,
very gently. You can use plain cornstarch (NOT TALC) to give a dry bath and hopefully remove most of the mess, and
if necessary, have your bunny sitting in a very small amount of warm water to soak the toughest clumps. If the bunny
must get wet, do your best with towels and a hair dryer set on a low setting to dry the fur - wet bunnies can get sick
easily. The next thing you should do is change the bunny's diet, eliminating sugars (all fruit), limiting greens, and
promoting fresh hay to eat. You should also contact your vet and tell them of the situation and see about making an
appointment. Check the bunny several times a day and clean as necessary. Look for an improvement very soon (in a
couple days) or make an appointment to see the vet. Poopybutt can easily lead to flystrike or infection. (another
article on flystrike). Please read Dana Krempel's article The Mystery of Poop for a better understanding.
If you notice your bunny isn't pooping at all: If your bunny hasn't pooped for over 12 hours, call
your vet immediately, as this may indicate a blockage in his digestive system or stasis or something else equally life
threatening. If the bunny's digestive system shuts down, it can very easily die in a day or two - if something like this
happens on a weekend, you will need to go to an emergency vet. Don't know of an emergency vet near you?
What to put in the litterbox? You should avoid using cat litter, as some of it may be toxic to rabbits, and
they may eat the litter. Some of the following ideas may help:
Line the litterbox with newspaper, and put hay on top of it (bunnies like to munch when they go)
Use untreated woodstove pellets
Use "Yesterday's News" litter
Use "CareFresh" litter
Try a two-piece litterbox (made for sifting cat litter that clumps) and line the bottom with newspaper and the top with
either Yesterday's News or hay (or both)
Cut a fluorescent lighting grid to fit inside the litterbox to keep the bunny's feet out of puddles - put newspaper
underneath, and Yesterday's News or hay on top
Many rabbits get the point if you simply offer them a litterbox where they usually go anyway. Start with a litterbox in
their cage or somewhere in the area they have access to. Also, try adding some of their droppings to the litterbox or
take some urine-soaked newspaper from their cage and put it in the litterbox.
Most bunnies like to munch on hay when they're doing their using their litterbox. Adding hay to the litterbox will
encourage them to go in the box. Some bunnies like to hang out in their litterbox, so don't be alarmed if you see your
bunny napping in the box. For this reason, make sure the litterbox is always cleaned daily or more often.
Some bunnies like to have their litterbox cleaned after each use, while other bunnies think that if you clean it every
time, you are telling them that it isn't where you want them going. You'll have to pay attention and figure out where
your bunny stands on this issue. He understands the litterbox, he just doesn't understand you yet. If the litterbox has
an ammonia smell, it should be cleaned immediately!!
Some bunnies have the best intentions, but will back up to a corner of the litterbox and wind up peeing over the edge.
If you have a bunny like this, please get a litterbox which is higher on 3 sides or even enclosed on 3 sides to prevent
mess.
Please note: Spraying is not a failure of litterbox training, but rather an indication that other behaviors need to be
addressed (most likely, the rabbit needs to be neutered/spayed).
VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT use cedar or pine shavings with any small mammal
including your bunny!! Aspen wood shavings are exempt from this warning as they are safe for small
mammals. Aspen wood is a hard wood and specially prepared for bedding or litter for small mammals. "Aromatic
hydrocarbons from cedar and pine bedding materials can induce biosynthesis and hepatic microsomal enzymes"
which are known to cause liver disease (quoted from the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services guide for the care
of laboratory animals). Use grass hay on top of newspaper or organic kitty litter for your rabbit's litter box and timothy
hay for other small animals' cages.
To clean and disinfect, ideally you would use a product called Vanodine, which is totally safe for animals, even if they
ingest a small amount. It is a non-toxic and very thorough disinfectant. It kills virus's, bacteria, and even fungi. It is a
good replacement for chlorine bleach, which also kills everything but is much more dangerous to animals. After using
bleach, you must be careful to thoroughly dry the litterbox preferably in direct sunlight. Making sure there is no trace
of chlorine left. Some plastics will also absorb the smell of bleach. Vinegar is a good cleaner. But, it is not a
disinfectant. You can also try vanilla extract. It is a good cleaner and disinfectant too. Part of the reason for it being
such a great disinfectant is the 20% alcohol content. The alcohol evaporates quickly leaving no dangerous residue for
pets.
If you have an area of carpet which needs to be cleaned due to its smell, you can try Nature's Miracle. It's available
at many pet stores and other places that sell cleaning supplies.
If your bunny seems to have forgotten its litterbox habits: Bunnies don't forget their litterbox
training. When they start going outside the box, it is usually because they are complaining about something and this
should be investigated. It is possible that a UTI (urinary tract infection) or bladder sludge or stones is making it
uncomfortable for the bunny to urinate. This is actually very important, and an early warning that something is
wrong. If your bunny starts behaving like this, please try to determine the underlying problem and make an
appointment with your vet.
If you notice chalky calcium deposits in the litterbox: Rabbit urine is typically mineral-rich, so
the presence of calcium in the urine should not be interpreted as the only indicator of bladder sludge or stones, but
thatis not to say that it isn't a concern. Rabbits, like all mammals, need calcium in their diets and some of it will be
eliminated in the urine, and rabbits' urine is rich in minerals from their diet. Seeing calcium or chalky buildup in the
litterbox doesn't necessarily mean there is any build-up of calcium in the urinary tract. You should observe your
bunny when he/she is in the litterbox, and watch for signs of straining, struggling or discomfort. Also check what's
left behind (if you can) to see if it looks normal. If the rabbit is showing any signs of calcium buildup in any form, then
it's time to talk to the vet, and perhaps get an x-ray of the bladder (calcium shows up very nicely in x-rays).
If you notice odd coloring in the urine: A rabbit's urine can be anything from clear to thick yellow to
brown to even bright red and still be considered normal (unless the bright red is blood, but it often isn't). Something
as simply as a change in the diet or stress can cause a rabbit's urine to change color and/or clarity. Only in certain
cases is bright red urine actually blood (and you'll be able to tell by smell), which indicates a serious problem and the
bunny should see a vet right away.
If you notice small droppings: Small poops usually indicate the beginning of a blockage, and the size of
the poops indicate the largest size of anything that can pass through the bunny's digestive system. If the bunny is
shedding, you will likely see the poops strung together with the swallowed fur.
If you find small clusters of pungent soft droppings: Rabbits have two different kinds of
droppings - fecal, the typical round and basically dry and odorless droppings, and cecal - or cecotropes - which are
meant to be re-ingested by the rabbits. In much the same way a cow will regurgitate its cud to chew it, rabbits
re-ingest their cecal droppings, sometimes directly from their anuses, to gain all the nutrients from their diet. This is
not only normal, but essential to the rabbit's health - you should worry if your rabbit doesn't eat its cecals. These
used to be known as "night feces" (they are not feces, they come from the cecum, not the bowels) because rabbits
would usually eat them at night, but it's theorized that this is because it was stored up food from a dusk of forraging
for foods and not fully digesting them before returning to their warrens. Please read Dana Krempel's article The
Mystery of Poop to learn about cecotropes.
If your bunny has runny stool and/or poopy butt: The first thing you should do is clean the area,
very gently. You can use plain cornstarch (NOT TALC) to give a dry bath and hopefully remove most of the mess, and
if necessary, have your bunny sitting in a very small amount of warm water to soak the toughest clumps. If the bunny
must get wet, do your best with towels and a hair dryer set on a low setting to dry the fur - wet bunnies can get sick
easily. The next thing you should do is change the bunny's diet, eliminating sugars (all fruit), limiting greens, and
promoting fresh hay to eat. You should also contact your vet and tell them of the situation and see about making an
appointment. Check the bunny several times a day and clean as necessary. Look for an improvement very soon (in a
couple days) or make an appointment to see the vet. Poopybutt can easily lead to flystrike or infection. (another
article on flystrike). Please read Dana Krempel's article The Mystery of Poop for a better understanding.
If you notice your bunny isn't pooping at all: If your bunny hasn't pooped for over 12 hours, call
your vet immediately, as this may indicate a blockage in his digestive system or stasis or something else equally life
threatening. If the bunny's digestive system shuts down, it can very easily die in a day or two - if something like this
happens on a weekend, you will need to go to an emergency vet. Don't know of an emergency vet near you?
What to put in the litterbox? You should avoid using cat litter, as some of it may be toxic to rabbits, and
they may eat the litter. Some of the following ideas may help:
Line the litterbox with newspaper, and put hay on top of it (bunnies like to munch when they go)
Use untreated woodstove pellets
Use "Yesterday's News" litter
Use "CareFresh" litter
Try a two-piece litterbox (made for sifting cat litter that clumps) and line the bottom with newspaper and the top with
either Yesterday's News or hay (or both)
Cut a fluorescent lighting grid to fit inside the litterbox to keep the bunny's feet out of puddles - put newspaper
underneath, and Yesterday's News or hay on top
| Too Many Bunnies |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|