Litter Training Issue

[WogerWabbit]

This is my first thread on the RU forums. My name is Andrew and I have a rabbit named Roger. Roger is a female dwarf rabbit that I rescued a year ago. The owner got the rabbit from her uncle who is a hunter. He had captured Roger in the wild for her. Although, I find that incredibly cruel I cannot release her into the wild as she has already been domesticated. I am trying to give her a good life as she was abused by her previous owner. Roger runs free-roam in my room. My room is completely bunny-proofed and everything seems to be going fine.

However, she has stopped using her litter as often and my bed has become the substitute. This began when I got her a new litter box. The previous litter box is actually the bottom part of her old cage. We took the cage part off and decided to use it as a littler box. Unfortunately, I broke it by accident a week ago while cleaning it. Since then, she seems to dislike the new litter box. I am finding urine and feces on my bed, on her eating towels, and even on her chair (yes, she has a chair. It was supposed to be mine but she pretty much claimed it as hers. Which is fine!:) I put a towel on it).

I believe that a few days ago Roger was experiencing false pregnancy. I was finding tummy fur on her chair and read online she may believe she is pregnant. I don't know if this is relevant information or not. If anyone can help me I would more than appreciate it. Any information is welcome. Thank you and have a bunnyful day!

[elve]

:wave: hi - a lot of bunnies pee on beds from what I hear (mine are outside bunnies only) - it's because it smells of you, and they are claiming you as their territory. Only solution is plastic sheet on the bed under an extra duvet cover, or fence off your bed with run panels (and make sure the plastic can't be nibbled).

nest making - it's Spring and my girls are a bit more nesty now - they usually stop building nests around June. I give them lots of extra hay and leave the nest as long as they're interested in it - If you clear it away they get distressed and just build another one, and pluck themselves bald. So far the one in my girls shed has lasted 3 weeks - it's a work of art :) Although Petunia built it, and it is totally ignored most of the time, they were all protecting it today when I cleaned the shed - they kept patting it with their paws and making sure it was OK - very cute :D

PS - forgot to say about litter trays, mine all like 2 big underbed storage boxes, as they like to keep one clean for a bed, and one for a toilet. If your rabbit's forgotten what to do now her old tray has gone, try restricting her to a smaller area for a few days, with the new tray and another one - she should get the idea again :)

[Isabel]

Did you put any of her dirty litter in the new tray? If she's forgotten what its for that might help to remind her.

Welcome to RU :wave:

[WogerWabbit]

Not to be a pain... but does anyone else have information? I would really appreciate it. I bought specialized rabbit odour remover but have not used it yet... any other alternatives that anyone knows of?

[Woodlouse]

White vinegar! Works really well! :)

[hurricanhoney]

Hello

My rabbit also lives in my room. She did the same as your rabbit and used to pee on my bed as well. The way I managed to stop her doing this was by putting an additional litter tray in her crate. I also made sure she could not get on the bed and I only allowed her to be free range in my room when I could keep an eye on her. Then I gradually allowed her free range access to my room when I wasn't in the room for half an hour and then so on. It took a little while but she did eventually stop weeing on my bed. Neutering also helps.

Another thing that also helped was making her litter trays more interesting by adding things to munch like dried dandelion and I put her food in her crate as well.