My 9 Week Old Bunny

[vicky_162]

I was wondering if anyone can help me, i had a nine week old bunny last sat and i am tyring to litter train him, i have got a book called the complete house rabbit and have done everythingin there to try to get him to use his tray. so far nothing is working, he is pooing and weeing everywhere!!!

Any help would b great?

[Morrigan1981]

Have you tried putting a big pile of hay in his litter tray? My two love to sit in their tray and munch hay and poop all at once :roll: It's a bit grim but they seem happy enough! :lol:

[Pink Badger]

If you've only had him a few day he probably needs a while to settle in.
Hopefully he will have a favorite spot to go once he feels comfortable and you can put his litter tray there.

Definatly put plenty of hay in his tray. Try try mopping up any wee with a tissue and putting it in his litter tray along with any poos.
He should get the message eventually.

If it helps all my boys have been quicker to litter train than my girls.

[stewyprinceandluna]

Its much more difficult to litter train a younger bun as they need to wee and poop more often! 9 weeks is very young and his bladder + bowel will be smaller! Just give him time!

One tip I can give is mop up where he wee's in kitchen towel, and put the kitchen towel into his potty... he will soon learn he has to pee there!

[XMissySJx]

if he dus poops around the house pick them up and place them in the tray, dont throw them in the bin!

he will associate that spot as the poop spot then!:lol:

but buns do becomes better litter trained when they are neutured:wave:

[vicky_162]

is there a certain age when they can be neautered???
Alfie is 9 weeks old??

Yea i have been doing the with his droppings, we have had him now for 3 days and i have not changed his litter tray cus i read in a book that he will think it is meant to be clean and not use it?

[Sarah86]

3 Days isn't long at all, Charlie took to it well but it took him longer than that, they mark new places by pooing and peeing everywhere, once thats settled down they tend to have a favourite place to toilet, usually a corner, once you know where that is put the tray there.

[vicky_162]

[QUOTE=Sarah86;2276261]3 Days isn't long at all, Charlie took to it well but it took him longer than that, they mark new places by pooing and peeing everywhere, once thats settled down they tend to have a favourite place to toilet, usually a corner, once you know where that is put the tray there

[vicky_162]

Thanks for the reply, i understand that 3 days in not long at all, with this being my first rabbit im not at all sure what to expect, i have read books but none seem to make sense...im also worried that Alfie does not like me... he has not let me pick him up yet and only now and again will let me stroke him... ive tried to give him as much space as he needs so i dont frighten him..he began to nudge me last night..What does this mean

[vicky_162]

if he dus poops around the house pick them up and place them in the tray, dont throw them in the bin!

he will associate that spot as the poop spot then!:lol:

but buns do becomes better litter trained when they are neutured:wave:

what is the age that a bunny can be neutured??

[Kay]

Arthur didn't take to his litter tray at all at first but then I read a book that suggests you make it a fun place. I put newspaper down, then a layer of hay and sprinkled just a few pellets as well as a toy carot. He instantly went and sat in here and started eating and pooing! lol

Now he will poo over the floor but wee's in the litter tray so I can handle that.

A tip though when cleaning up is to use white wine vinegar as it gets rid of the smell to them so they don't keep coming back to the 'accident' site.

x

[Sarah86]

Thanks for the reply, i understand that 3 days in not long at all, with this being my first rabbit im not at all sure what to expect, i have read books but none seem to make sense...im also worried that Alfie does not like me... he has not let me pick him up yet and only now and again will let me stroke him... ive tried to give him as much space as he needs so i dont frighten him..he began to nudge me last night..What does this mean

He's probably nudging you for attention, all rabbits are different, some never like being picked up whilst others don't mind, the best thing to do is sit on the floor and read a book or watch TV and let him approach you, offer him a bit of food but let him take it from your hand, he'll soon get used to you, Charlie is a funny one, he will let me pick him up for as long as he see's fit then will nibble me, when we took him and Poppy away with us for the weekend he let me cuddle him for ages and he climbs up my front when we go to the vets. Sometimes he will nudge because I'm in his way or he wants a bit of attention, he's just not a very cuddly rabbit but he likes to have interaction with us, playing chase is one of his favourites, I can tell when he's doing it because he runs away from me with his ears pricked up then runs back at me when I move away, he often plays games and will watch to see what I'm doing which is funny. Poppy also plays games but she loves human attention and will come for it once she knows coming near doesn't mean she's going to bed :lol:

Give it time, he'll get used to you and you'll get used to him and learn what he wants from you. I think it was Raven Rex who put up a good post about behaviour. I'll try and find it.

He can be neutered at 6 months but some vets will do it before then if he's matured and is a good weight, I had Charlie done at 5 months because he'd taken to spraying wee in my face by walking along the back of the sofa.

[vicky_162]

yes i have noticed Alfie getting in and out of his tray but then he never does anything in there... think i will take your advise and try that...plus ive never seen a rabbit poo so much lol.

There is so many things to think about neauturung nd vacinations and my book tells me nothing?

[Sarah86]

yes i have noticed Alfie getting in and out of his tray but then he never does anything in there... think i will take your advise and try that...plus ive never seen a rabbit poo so much lol.

There is so many things to think about neauturung nd vacinations and my book tells me nothing?

Try the 100 ways to a happy bunny book, by Celia Haddon. There are loads of suggestions from people on here too, you can search past posts from people and there are some good links to articles on other websites.

[vicky_162]

He's probably nudging you for attention, all rabbits are different, some never like being picked up whilst others don't mind, the best thing to do is sit on the floor and read a book or watch TV and let him approach you, offer him a bit of food but let him take it from your hand, he'll soon get used to you, Charlie is a funny one, he will let me pick him up for as long as he see's fit then will nibble me, when we took him and Poppy away with us for the weekend he let me cuddle him for ages and he climbs up my front when we go to the vets. Sometimes he will nudge because I'm in his way or he wants a bit of attention, he's just not a very cuddly rabbit but he likes to have interaction with us, playing chase is one of his favourites, I can tell when he's doing it because he runs away from me with his ears pricked up then runs back at me when I move away, he often plays games and will watch to see what I'm doing which is funny. Poppy also plays games but she loves human attention and will come for it once she knows coming near doesn't mean she's going to bed :lol:

Give it time, he'll get used to you and you'll get used to him and learn what he wants from you. I think it was Raven Rex who put up a good post about behaviour. I'll try and find it.

He can be neutered at 6 months but some vets will do it before then if he's matured and is a good weight, I had Charlie done at 5 months because he'd taken to spraying wee in my face by walking along the back of the sofa.

last night was the first time he acctually let me touch him, i was sitting on the setee watchin tv and he jumped next to me.... he climbed on my knee and let me stroke him which i was really happy about. next minute he ran off and wouldnt come any where near me for the rest of the night.

Ive noticed when i come in from work he will come straight over to me and then run off jumping in the air???

can you suggest any toys that he might like, i have got him a ball that drops treats out when he rolls it, another ball that has a bell inside and a inside of a kitchen roll!!!!!

[Sarah86]

Thats good then that he'll come to your lap, when he runs away jumping its because he's excited/happy.

This is a video of Charlie doing it after we'd only had him a few days.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z86/Sarah0686/th_P2180027.jpg (http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z86/Sarah0686/?action=view&current=P2180027.flv)

Give him plenty of different toys to find out what he likes doing then just stick with the ones he bothers with, some rabbits like throwing stuff, others are chewers, some dig, some climb. Homemade versions tend to be the most appreciated, try a cardboard box with hay in it and some holes cut in for him to get in and out of and see if he likes digging in it, toilet roll tubes stuffed with hay are good, mine like willow balls, they also like the naturals carroty wood roll and the carrot blocks on a rope, mine also love their tunnels so I bought the snugglesafe warren and interchange from www.vetuk.com, but they also have grass mats, and those logs that can be shaped into a little tunnel and a cheap cat tunnel from tesco's and an old small hutch that they jump on top of and run in and out of as well as a wooden box with hay in and pine cones.

[vicky_162]

Thats good then that he'll come to your lap, when he runs away jumping its because he's excited/happy.

This is a video of Charlie doing it after we'd only had him a few days.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z86/Sarah0686/th_P2180027.jpg (http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z86/Sarah0686/?action=view&current=P2180027.flv)

Give him plenty of different toys to find out what he likes doing then just stick with the ones he bothers with, some rabbits like throwing stuff, others are chewers, some dig, some climb. Homemade versions tend to be the most appreciated, try a cardboard box with hay in it and some holes cut in for him to get in and out of and see if he likes digging in it, toilet roll tubes stuffed with hay are good, mine like willow balls, they also like the naturals carroty wood roll and the carrot blocks on a rope, mine also love their tunnels so I bought the snugglesafe warren and interchange from www.vetuk.com, but they also have grass mats, and those logs that can be shaped into a little tunnel and a cheap cat tunnel from tesco's and an old small hutch that they jump on top of and run in and out of as well as a wooden box with hay in and pine cones.


He is gorgeous!!!!!! yep sounds good i will try all those things and let you know how i get on with him. will put some pics on later.

[nursecroft]

Hiya

I had no problems litter training my buns, joey even does all his poos in the litter tray now! (he's neutered now though) Bunnies like to wee in corners, if he's tending to wee in one particular place then put the litter tray there. If he has a place in his hutch where he wees then either get some of the wet bedding and pop in the litter tray or place the liter in there if it will fit so he knows to go back there (he'll smell it). I had Joey and saffy trained within a week of having them, they've had about 2 accidents between them in the lounge and thats it. Also if your bunny is pooing everywhere pick the poo up and put them in the litter tray so he realises thats where he's meant to go if you can pick him up and pop him in there too, he probably wont stay there long but its getting him to understand thats the toilet. Hay in the liter tray is a must to start with, its nicer under there feet and they can chew whilst on the toilet! :D

Jumping in the air and coming up to you is a great sign, he sounds a happy bun, joey is particulary good at acrobatics, he alos enjoys doing laps of the lounge flat out!! lol He loves darting through his tunnel donw the back of the sofa and building up speed for the leaps across the lounge, such a show off!

Willow balls are great toys saffy loves destroying them, joey is obsessed with cardboard boxes, tunnels, grass mats any toys you can get from the petshop are god. Joey quite likes carrying round things in his mouth... think he thinks he's a dog! :lol:

[chloaster]

With regards to getting him neutered I would get him done as soon as his testicles drop, this can be anything from 10weeks onwards. Many vets are happy to do them younger as they seem to pull through easier. The other advantage is, if you are thinking of getting him a girl friend, he will be able to find one sooner :D

[Siona]

My vet wouldn't neuter Nigel til he was 16 weeks for safety. :shock:

You could try litter training him like a dog or cat, enclose him in one room or smaller area, cover the whole area in paper and gradually reduce the area of paper as he uses it. Eventually there will be a small space of paper with litter tray in the middle, then only litter tray. Frequent praise and treats when he gets on his tray will help too.

:)