# Spayed Female Rabbit Peeing EVERYWHERE, CONSTANTLY



## BadRabbit (Jan 17, 2017)

I have scoured the internet but can't really find anyone with this particular issue. Our spayed female is peeing EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. I haven't put my Bissel spot cleaner away in weeks. 

Backstory:

Got rabbit about four months ago. She was spayed five weeks ago and is now around 7 months old.

She immediately took to her litter box when it came to urine. But... She liked to pee on our couches if given a split second to get up there (small rooms, can't block off). She sprayed her urine (runs, hops and pees at same time;a master at sunburst patterns). She dribbled periodically; if she'd hop on couch and, even if I immediately go to her, she'd sprint off, leaving dribbles. 

All articles, blogs and forums basically say, this will stop after she is spayed. Well, right after being spayed, she was SO much better. Droppings almost only in litter box, no peeing anywhere (unless she could make a run for couch). 

Now: 
She reverted back to old habits. And then upped the ante; all previous habits haven amplified. She pees CONSTANTLY. Like, within five minutes of being out of cage. And everywhere, no particular spot, just wherever she happens to be (so I can't put a litter box in her favorite, unauthorized spot). We're talking dribbling, regular peeing, and spraying. Each day seems worse. She seems to have abandoned her litter box and now just pees anywhere in her cage. 

She seems very territorial, chinning everything constantly. Even when I offer her food, she often won't even take it, but will chin it fifteen ways till Sunday.

It's been probably three weeks of this. We limit her area to one room now and are with her the whole time. We put her in litter box when she leaves droppings. And when she pees, we put her in litter AND close her in the cage. And I add vinegar to cleaning to get rid of smell. 

What else can we do? I'm completely lost.


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## BadRabbit (Jan 17, 2017)

And I might add that there have been no changes in her environment, apart from moving couch and then removing rug; both only AFTER issues escalated out of control.


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## Blue eyes (Jan 17, 2017)

Could she have a urinary tract infection? If there aren't environmental changes, a rabbit that suddenly stops normal litter box habits could have a health issue going on. Refusing food is another indication that something could be going on health wise.

I think it is time to see a rabbit savvy vet.


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## Whiterabbitrage (Jan 18, 2017)

I was thinking the same thing, wondering about a UTI.


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## Aki (Jan 18, 2017)

I think it warrants a visit to the vet. 'Dribbling' isn't a marking behavior, moreover, the fact that it stopped and came back is weird. What does the urine look like? Marking urine is red and smells pretty foul. Is your rabbit's backside clean with a normal intact fur? If the fur is damaged or wet or dirty it's the sign of an infection.
I would test her for UTI too as it sounds like there is a problem to me. Chinning a lot is pretty common for a doe and a very territorial doe might still make an attempt or two to mark things she especially covets (like a bed or a sofa) after the spay but peeing everywhere all the time and not eating offered food is not normal.


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## BadRabbit (Jan 18, 2017)

I have wondered if she's unusually territorial, is that possible?

I've considered UTI, it's the one thing that seemed to maybe fit. She is being seen this week for it. 

But the fur looks normal, she's not dirty and she's behaving very normally, increased peeing/chinning/droppings aside. 

I can see I represented the eating unclearly. She IS eating, especially if she gets that kibble stuff, she comes sprinting for it. Most times she'll eat that right away, but sometimes will chin my hand fifty times first. It's vegetables that she's shunning more. She will eat everything eventually, fairly soon after I bring it. But it first must be chinned and chinned again, then ignored some, chinned a few more times; (repeat); then eaten. 

It could be a UTI. But it seems like she thinks she's constantly in the running for Top Bunny in Household position (we have only the one bunny, us people are the other contenders, I guess). Possible?


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## Aki (Jan 18, 2017)

It would be very unusual for a single rabbit and the fact that it stopped and came back is weird. It also stopped just after the operation, so at the time when she's gotten antibiotics, and came back later.
If there is no underlaying urinary reason you either have got a little tyrant (it happens, it's rare but I've met a few and they are ALWAYS female in the rabbit world - warrens are matriarchies for a reason ^^) in which case you'll have to teach her what her territory is with by making her stay in an xpen for a while (with a cheap carpet to protect your floor) and by increasing her territory progressively and monitored. Or she's got a behavioural disorder that you won't be able to cure. In that case, I would either give her her own room if you've got the space (my rabbits live in their own 'wing' of the house, separated from the rest by a baby gate so they are not really isolated... but don't have to put up with the dog, considering Aki is 8 and blind) or make her live in an xpen to avoid her damaging all of your furniture, walls and flooring...

To be truthful, I've read up everything I could find in French and English on rabbits and interacted with rabbits owners for about 10 years now and I've never heard of a rabbit marking food before. Maybe you've got the reincarnation of Alexander the Great or something


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## BadRabbit (Jan 24, 2017)

Follow up:

Thank you all for your responses. We had the bunny looked at, no UTI, physically healthy. 

She was boarded for a few days while we were away (seen there by vet), and has been an angel since she came back. I don't know what is up with that 

She's still chinning like crazy, but no peeing everywhere so far (except for the dribbles she left on the couch when she got up there for all of four seconds). 

I also think she stopped liking the hey she'd been eating normally previously. I grabbed whatever hey at supermarket before dropping her off, and she eats that better. 

Fingers crossed for her being a jerk of normal proportions, and not Alexander the Great and!!


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## Aki (Jan 25, 2017)

I hope for you she stays pretty clean (marking the couch is a classic, on the other hand... which is why none of my animals are allowed to put one paw on it - it's apparently a most strategic and coveted place, like beds, so both of those things are MINE and I don't share .
If there is no medical reason and that the problem comes back, it might be worth it to get her a neutered male friend. She might be fixated on her imaginary conquest of the world because she's a bit bored and living with another bunny might settle the matter by giving her something else to think about. If you're able, I would make an attempt with a neutered male (NOT a female, especially with a very dominant rabbit, or it will become ugly and bloody ^^) from a rescue. That way you can try it and give the new friend back if it doesn't work out. 
My female is quite dominant (not as much as yours! but mine is also a neat-freak, really skittish and not very people-friendly) but she lived during four years with a very submissive male who was really friendly and calm, and I think it helped her a lot.
Considering how tiring it is to live with an animal who acts like yours does (did?), it might be worth a try. Especially since changes (the operation, moving place) seem to stop the problem. It's possible that your doe calms down as she ages, but it might take years (I finally could put a carpet in the rabbits room last week and they haven't been touching it at all! Before they were eating EVERYTHING, but then again Tybalt is 3 and Aki is 7,5 years old so... never lose hope, I guess ^^)


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