# My rabbit has un-toilet trained himself.



## charade (Jan 16, 2006)

When I first got my rabbit he was trained. He could spend an hour or so out of the cage with no major accidents. A pellet or two here and there but for the most the part he would go in his chosen corner of the cage. 

Lately though it's almost as if the opposite is happening. It really seems like some days he actually waits till he gets out of his cage before he goes. Major pellets, major pee. 

I've tried praise when he does go in the corner, I've tried getting a bit cross, giving treats when he goes in his corner etc and nothing seems to be having an effect.

The only thing I can think of is that over the holidays I have been working long hours and have not been able to spend as much time with him as usual or let him roam as much as he's used to but it's getting to the point where it's a major clean up everytime he gets out.

His previous owner was the one who trained him so I'm at a bit of a loss.

I definetly can't continue to have him poop everywhere epecially since his main stomping ground is my room!

Help!!!


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## PepperGrl (Jan 16, 2006)

Maybe a dumb question... but is he neutered???


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## charade (Jan 17, 2006)

No.

I think this may have something to do with it.

But...I can't...I mean...I dunno.


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## SAS (Jan 17, 2006)

How old is your bunny? That happens a LOT when they go though puberty. 

And yes, neutering usually helps. 

Another thing you might try is to limit is 'out' space forawhile. He may have to much territory to try and 'control'and feels compelled to mark it all. Can you block off asmaller area in front of his cage and gradually increase it as you go? 

That's all I can think of at the moment. onder:

SAS


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## naturestee (Jan 17, 2006)

*SAS wrote:*


> Another thing you might try is to limit is 'out' space forawhile. He may have to much territory to try and 'control'and feels compelled to mark it all. Can you block off asmaller area in front of his cage and gradually increase it as you go?


When Mocha the Poo Beast hit puberty, she had this sameproblem. It was wildly out of control. Decreasingher territory did work a little, and I know it has helpedothers. But she was such a beast that mainly all it did wasconfine the damage to a smaller area. Spaying herhelpeda lot. It made an immediate difference...until I got more bunnies, of course. Then the Poo Warstarted. But Mocha is also territorial in the extreme, muchmore than most other rabbits I've heard about.

If you're nervous about getting him neutered, do a searchhere. Many of our members have had their rabbits spayed orneutered- all my four are sterilized. Finding a bunny-savvyvet to do itis important.


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## Lissa (Jan 17, 2006)

Pristine and Iszy both used to be good with thelitterbox. Now they're both slacking. Pristinepretty much pees and poops wherever she wants and Iszy thinks theentire upstairs is one big litterbox. Let's just say I cleanup urine and feces on a daily basis.


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## m.e. (Jan 17, 2006)

Rex and Peanut have become this way as they've gotten older :disgust:

Having the cage has worked out well forthem, because they treat _that_ like a giant litterbox, ratherthan doing it all over my room. They'll actually run back into the cageto pee and poop, and it's a lot easier to cleanintherethan to clean my floor 

I don't know why they've decided they don't like litterboxes :?

~Emily and the Fuzzbutts~


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## nose_twitch (Jan 17, 2006)

My JJ used to poop all over the house.It was like I would just have to follow him with a paper towlperpetually in my hand. Since he has been neutered, he VERYRARELY poops anywhere other than in his litterbox.

I can tell you're a bit hesitant about neutering. I was too,believe me. It's just a decision you have to make and come toterms with. Good luck.


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## bunnydude (Jan 17, 2006)

Neutering will definitely help. However, expectto see some stray poops even after neutering as they sometimes use themto define territory. I can offer two pieces of advice besidesneutering. Clean up the pee with a paper towel and bury that papertowel under the litter (I did that at Tina's suggestion and it did thetrick for Devon) Also, check out this website as it has some very goodinstructions:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/litter.html


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## charade (Jan 18, 2006)

There were some good tips and interesting ideasin that link. However, I think you guys are right, it's time for hisboys to get chopped. I'm just worried that it will change hispersonality so much that it will be like having a different rabbit.


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## naturestee (Jan 18, 2006)

I haven't noticed major personality changes withmine. They calm down a little and usually get better withtheir litter habits. Mocha is still the territorial,attention-needing beast that she was before. Sprite isslightly less grumpy. I don't think Fey changed from her spaymuch at all. Her litter habits have worsened because shemarks more in front of Mocha's cage (Mocha severely hurtFey). She's begging for petting more, but I think that's justbecause she's had more time around people. Fey and Spritewere neglected by their last owner.

Loki was already neutered when I adopted him.


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## JimD (Jan 18, 2006)

We got Benji when he was a baby. He grew into a teenbun with the worst attitude and litter habits. 

He pooped and peed wherever he wanted and could spray like a pro:shock:! We tried to litter train him to no avail (he chose to sleep inhis litterpan rather than poop or pee in it :X). He grunted, oinked,charged, pawwed and bit all of the time. He drew blood on severaloccasions. At one point I thought I might have to rehome him .

After he was neutered he calmed down considerably, and his litter habits are among the best of all my buns.


~Jim


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## charade (Jan 18, 2006)

"he choose to sleep in his litterpan rather than poop or pee in it" 

Same here. It's his daytime hangout location.


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## JimD (Jan 18, 2006)

*charade wrote: *


> "he choose to sleep in his litterpan rather than poop or pee in it"
> 
> Same here. It's his daytime hangout location.


:disgust:...silly bunnies, eh!! ..... ***uses best French accent*** "Lounge de litter"

~JimD


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## bunnydude (Jan 18, 2006)

Neutering will only change his personality forthe better. I had both of my rabbits spayed and neutered. I think thatthey actually are more playful now because they no longer have tostruggle with their hormones.


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## charade (Jan 19, 2006)

Well I got an estimate today so it's only amatter of time. Little does he know. I say this gazing at at least 40poops it took him about...oh 5 minutes out of his cage to create.


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## Nicky Snow (Jan 19, 2006)

*Lissa wrote:*


> Pristine and Iszy both used to be good with thelitterbox. Now they're both slacking. Pristinepretty much pees and poops wherever she wants and Iszy thinks theentire upstairs is one big litterbox. Let's just say I cleanup urine and feces on a daily basis.


i'm right there with ya Lissa. except my three monsters are having asecret contest or something. I call it "Who can make a bigger mess?" or"Ha Ha! By the time mum finds out she won't know who did it."

LOL,

Nicole


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## charade (Jan 22, 2006)

Number 1 litter-tray activity:


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## bunnydude (Jan 22, 2006)

Oh... My... Gosh...:shock: How cute is that!!!!


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## Trina (Jan 22, 2006)

Geesh, I forgot all about thespayingpart.:shock: I was about to post a topic about this. Emmy is the samething, and my parents aren't too happy about the smell of it aswel. Howmuch would i cost to get a bunny spayed/netured? If it's over 100bucks, then my parents wouldnt be too hapy about it. :no:


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## bunnydude (Jan 22, 2006)

Depends on where you get it done. Spay / Neuterclinics may be cheaper than a vet. We payed around 250-300 for Amber'sspay (including post-op meds).


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## naturestee (Jan 23, 2006)

I paid about $150, including a blood screen. Sometimes you can find spay/neuter assistance programs through shelters.


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## Mika (Jan 23, 2006)

WOW! Getting the buns neutered are expensive!!

My bun is about 1 year old - is that too late for her to get spayed?

Mika went through the same thing - one day she just decided to rampageall over the house and pee and poo EVERYWHERE :disgust:- itlasted about 1 week and it gradually went back to normal. 

Someone told me that it was the hormones thing as well - they said,"think back to when you were a teen....you didn't want to followrules....your bunny is a teen now too" :foreheadsmack:

I sure hope her 'teenage' years are over! ray:


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## naturestee (Jan 23, 2006)

*Mika wrote: *


> My bun is about 1 year old - is that too late for her to get spayed?
> 
> _No. Fey and Sprite were spayed last October.They were about a year and a half old at the time and they did justfine. I do recommend having her blood tested for kidney andliver problems, just in case._
> 
> ...


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## juicyjuicee (Jan 24, 2006)

It cost me $56 to getmy bun neutered,but they raised it $10 right after . A spay is going to cost you around$100. You can probably find like spays/neuteres that runthrough animal shelters and charge a lot less.


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## bunnydude (Jan 24, 2006)

No, 1 year old is not too old. When we tookAmber home from the shelter she was 2 years old and had already hadthree litters in her previous home. We had her spayed in the end ofJuly, and she was fine.


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## Mika (Jan 24, 2006)

Will it make a difference if I spay hernow? Because I thought that once the hormones are already inthe body, they are pretty set for life? (or is that just fordogs?)onder:


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## bunnydude (Jan 24, 2006)

Even though Amber was spayed later in life, itmade a HUGE difference. Most of her behavioral issues (including someminor agressiveness) have completely dissapeared. It did take time,though. About a month or so.


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