# How long can a bunny 'hold it' before going potty?



## Lucille (Jun 12, 2011)

The grandparent of 2 of the bunnies I adopted recently said her grandchild would sometimes have one of the bunnies on her lap while watching TV. They do seem to like sitting on my lap and being petted, could they hang out with me on the sofa for 30 minutes or so before having to use the potty? The room where they live is pretty much bunny proofed by now, but the living room where the TV is, is not, so I can't just put a litter box down.


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## Lucille (Jun 13, 2011)

No one has answered, maybe y'all don't pick up and pet your bunnies, but I do. I guess since the previous owners must have been watching TV for at least 30 minutes at a time, I'll try that and see how it works.


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## LuellaJean (Jun 13, 2011)

I let my boys run on the couch with me while I'm watching TV but I put towels down first because they poop whether they're in or out of the cage. So, I don't know how long they can 'hold it', or even if they're capable of 'holding it'!


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## jujub793 (Jun 13, 2011)

If they are gonna be where you are you may want to reconsider the litterbox thing. I don't think they're like dogs and can " hold it"


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## jujub793 (Jun 13, 2011)

If they are gonna be where you are you may want to reconsider the litterbox thing. I don't think they're like dogs and can " hold it"


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## jujub793 (Jun 13, 2011)

Oops sorry about the double post


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## ~*sAbRiNa*~ (Jun 14, 2011)

During her "quiet" time in the middle of the day Sabrina can go several hours without visiting her litterbox. However I don't think that she is holding it in, I just think that she doesn't need to go at that time. Around 3 or 4 pm there is usually a mad-dash for the litter box


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## fuzz16 (Jun 14, 2011)

when i took my rabbit to work with me, he would hold his pee for a few hours while lying next to the computer, id take him to the litter box, hed go then hed hold it again


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## Must_Love_Pets (Jun 14, 2011)

I only have one bun that actually holds his pee and that is Thor. My other buns go with or without a liter box. Thor is the only bun that is completely litter box trained. When we have Smooch on the couch he will go poops and well......Last night he peed all over my BF's sock. I saw him starting to back up and lift his tail (easier to tell he's a Mini Rex) So I grabbed him carefully but quickly to put him in the litter box but he let out a bit of tinkle on Andy. I walked him quickly to his cage at that point, he went straight to him litter box in his cage and finished his business. So Yes, technically they can hold it. It is good for them? Probably not if they hold it too often.


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## golfdiva (Jun 14, 2011)

The longest Hershey has held it, while snuggling with me, is about 45 min. He likes to snuggle on the bed with me, and he doesn't pee or poop then. If he needs his little box, he will start digging at the blankets or at me. I know that this means he is done snuggling.

On a couple of occassions, I guess he feel asleep or forgot or whatever, while he was snuggling with me on the bed. His head and ears suddenly shot up, and he looked around, like, "Did anyone see me do that?" :? And sure enough there were a couple of poops on the bed!


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## Lucille (Jun 14, 2011)

Hershey is funny So I got a thick fluffy blanket for my lap and they sit on top, and are free to do what comes naturally; with a visit to the box every 30 minutes if they stay out longer than that.


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## tamsin (Jun 14, 2011)

Yes, they can certainly hold it. Scamp comes out into the living room for 60-90 minutes every evening during which he has no access to his litter tray and never has an accident (wee or poop). 

They key is that they must be litter trained first or they have no reason to hold on. Rabbits will also sometimes mark in a new area, that's deliberate poop/wee, so unrelated to being able to wait. There is also no guarantee a bun will sit still for 30 mins. It depends on their personality. Scamp spends all his time out alternating by dashing about the room and flopping over for 2 minute head rubs. He'd never sit still on my lap for 30 mins


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## Pet_Bunny (Jun 14, 2011)

I've seen rabbits hold for 24 hours. At rabbit shows, there is a French Lop that sits in her cage over night and well into the day, and her cage is completely dry. Once you pick her up and put her in the show coop for judging, she will pee and pee and pee... :biggrin:

With my rabbits, I will pick them up and hold them for a minute and then set them back in their pen or cage and they will promptly dash to the litter box to pee. Once they finish their business, I can let them out and I know they would be good for awhile.


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## SnowyShiloh (Jun 15, 2011)

My bunnies are all good about holding it except for Kerensa. She pees on the futon sometimes but doesn't poop. None of the other bunnies have ever peed or pooped on the couch and we can have pretty long snuggle sessions. If anyone starts to dig, I rush them back to their cage!


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## freeman45 (Jun 15, 2011)

Bunnies can be litter trained, so train your bunnies!

My rabbit goes often, but it's always in the same spot.


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## Lucille (Jun 16, 2011)

As I mentioned, the living room is not bunny proof so I can't put a litter box down.
Two of the 3 are litter trained and even use a litter box in their cages, the last boy uses it about 2/3 of the time in his cage.


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## elrohwen (Jun 16, 2011)

My Otto routinely holds it for up to 12 hours - he'll go out in the living room for a nap and stay out there all day, never bothering to get up to use his litter box. Bunnies should have no problem holding it for 30min, however, they don't always *want* to hold it that long. Sometimes they like to mark, and sometimes they pee when you hold them out of fear or annoyance (Otto used to always pee on us when we picked him up)


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