Problems with Moochs house training?! U/D SUCCESS!!!

Sorry if this should be in a different place...

Mooch (being a house bunny) has always been really good at only doing the toilet in his cage, until we moved house.....since then he has been 'peeing and pooing' wherever he feels like it. Often on me while he is getting cuddled, which he hasnt done since he was tiny! It has put people off cuddling him, which is a shame because he loves cuddles.

Recently there has been some progress, he has started using his litter tray, but there was also a pet carrier on the floor and he was using it to sleep in.....but when I put him to bed I realised that he had been peeing in the carrier, and sleeping on the pee?!

The good thing is, at least he isnt doing the toilet just anywhere, but how can I stop him peeing in his carrier, so he at least has somewhere to rest etc?!

Is it something I am doing wrong?!

Any help much appreciated!

I'm no expert on this as mine are outside bunnies but did you confine him to his cage/penned area when you first moved? If not it could just be that he doesn't feel his safe area is as safe as it was before and is unsettled.

Rhian33 said:

I'm no expert on this as mine are outside bunnies but did you confine him to his cage/penned area when you first moved? If not it could just be that he doesn't feel his safe area is as safe as it was before and is unsettled.

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We made this mistake when we first moved, but have since confined him to his cage. He is very clean in his cage and only does the toilet in his 'toilet corner', but out the cage he pretends he doesnt understand. He will even hop about while pooing, which he NEVER used to do.

I dont want to have to stop him getting out, but I cant have him peeing just anywhere once we get new carpets laid :?

MiniMadTez said:

We made this mistake when we first moved, but have since confined him to his cage. He is very clean in his cage and only does the toilet in his 'toilet corner', but out the cage he pretends he doesnt understand. He will even hop about while pooing, which he NEVER used to do.

I dont want to have to stop him getting out, but I cant have him peeing just anywhere once we get new carpets laid :?

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Hmmmm, tricky. Do you have some sort of pen where you can just let him go for the time being and gradually increase how much space he gets?

I'm sure people with house bunnies will be along soon to be a bit more useful than me.

MiniMadTez said:

We made this mistake when we first moved, but have since confined him to his cage. He is very clean in his cage and only does the toilet in his 'toilet corner', but out the cage he pretends he doesnt understand. He will even hop about while pooing, which he NEVER used to do.

I dont want to have to stop him getting out, but I cant have him peeing just anywhere once we get new carpets laid :?

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How long is it since you moved? If it's only a few days then it's worth persevering as he possibly just needs time to settle in the new environment.

Rhian33 said:

Hmmmm, tricky. Do you have some sort of pen where you can just let him go for the time being and gradually increase how much space he gets?

I'm sure people with house bunnies will be along soon to be a bit more useful than me.

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I thought about that.....if I can get some NIC cubes or something.....might try that

NLENG2000 said:

How long is it since you moved? If it's only a few days then it's worth persevering as he possibly just needs time to settle in the new environment.

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It has been just over a month now :?

ahhhh...that 'ole problem!

I had the same problem with my bunny and called in an animal behaviourist to tell me what to do and it was after many months of him not peeing in the correct place.

this is what my animal behaviourist told me. so if people do not like any of these methods....dont complain at me, I am just retelling the professional's advice. Plus you can take the basis of the advice and adpat it yourself.

Firstly, Confine the rabbit to his cage/pen with the litter tray for 2 days. (I know it seems cruel, and I felt horrible doing this, but i continued.)

During this time, make a fuss of him while he is in his cage for a full 2 days, with lots of attention and treats, so that he feels that the cage is his home, his sleeping place and most importantly his litter place.

Reward immediately when you see him go into the litter tray and give a fuss.

Make sure the hay rack is adjacent to the litter tray and high enough that he has to go into the litter tray to get some extra height to reach into the hay rack.

Additionally put treats inside the hay rack. This way he will go to the litter tray to see if there are new treats in his hay rack.

Rabbits in general are clean animals, due to this confinement of area, the rabbit will learn that he has to be clean here, or his living area will be messy and rabbits dont like it messy. The rabbit views your house as new territiory and therefore must be marked as well as additionally that he views the house as his entire litter tray.

After he has grasped litter training inside the cage/pen. Release the rabbit after 2 days from the cage/pen into a small area that you will allow for him to have access to for 2 days. You must do this gradually with the amount of space. Do not give full access to entire house straight away.

While watching the bunny, as soon as he does anything naughty, immediately (and i cant stress how immediate you must be) you must put him back into the cage, and leave him there for 20 minutes on his own. Do not give any attention to the bunny when you are putting him away into the cage. As some bunnies dont understand positive attention and negative attention. So saying "NO " firmly may not always work. the rabbit will also realise that after all that attnetion and fuss when he is being good compared to when you are not speaking to him when he is being put away.

After the 20mins timeout, let him out into the designated space. If he does something naughty again (such as weeing, biting wood, etc) return him to the cage immediately and then increase the time out by 10 minutes each time.

With this training you hopefully will get a better trained rabbit. My rabbit no longer wees on me or the sofa.
Good luck!!

ooohh...forgot to mention...if he does wee on things, eg..sofa, floor, etc..
was the item in NON-biological washing powder. do not use fabric softner either. Rabbits have very sensitive noses, and the dont like the scents in normal washing powder.
Plus do not use bleach or anything that contains ammonia, as the wee reacts to this chemical and creates a smell to bunnies that will make them go in that place again!!
Hope this advice helps! Let us know of your progress.

Thanks very much for the advice, I'll let you know how I get on!

Hopefully will make some progress!

SUCCESS!!!!!!!!!!!

After being banished to his cage for days, then let out for a little while at a time, Mooch was free again today.....he was delighted, and then went into his litter tray for a pee.......VERY VERY happy! We may finally be getting somewhere

Thanks everyone!!!

congrats on bunny training! Glad it helped!

Thanks

He is still only getting out for a little while at a time, but so far so good. Puppy sitting at the mo, but as soon as puppy goes home we will be able to leave the cage open for him to come and go as he pleases. Will be much better! I just hope he stays on his best behaviour though!! :roll: