Snow Drop is pooing recklessly and leading Pumpkin astray!
Over the last three weeks I have been successfully bonding my darling lovely buns, increasing their space slowly from a small area to eventually the whole run of the sitting room, hooray.
However, during this process, Snow Drop has decided to poo wherever she pleases. :shock: Prior to bonding she was fairly good and would do most of her poos in the litter trays when she lived in the dining room on her own.
Pumpkin does most of his poos in the litter trays but is also leaving a few more poos around the room than he did previously, probably wanting to leave his mark too as he is overwhelmed by Snow Drop's droppings!
Snow Drop has a huge appetite and noms her way through hay all day long, nom, nom, nom, merrily and prolifically pooing whenever and wherever she feels the need. She does still do some poos in the litter trays but not very many of them.
She's also been producing more cecotropes than she wants to eat and leaves them around. These are less enjoyable to pick up than her mini hay ball droppings, although, thankfully, she seems to be calming down on the production of these, now.
This pooing behaviour does not seem to be a 'marking the territory' thing as far as I can tell. She is the boss and Pumpkin is okay with that. It just seems to be more of a lack of discipline on her part to use the trays, based on her high levels of poo output.
As far as wees go Pumpkin uses the litter trays (in their cage) and Snow Drop uses the litter trays or wees on the base of the cage, on the hay in the cage or in their hay basket (not ideal but at least not on the carpet!)
I throw her scattered dottles into the litter trays but am beginning to wonder whether this is leading her to believe "tee hee, I can poo where I like and the hoomin slave will tidy them up!".
I had thoughts of picking her up and putting her in a litter tray each time she poos but then I remembered that picking her up is nothing short of a comedy moment for any onlooker (that is my next project!). :lol:
Any insight would be gratefully received.
Over the last three weeks I have been successfully bonding my darling lovely buns, increasing their space slowly from a small area to eventually the whole run of the sitting room, hooray.
However, during this process, Snow Drop has decided to poo wherever she pleases. :shock: Prior to bonding she was fairly good and would do most of her poos in the litter trays when she lived in the dining room on her own.
Pumpkin does most of his poos in the litter trays but is also leaving a few more poos around the room than he did previously, probably wanting to leave his mark too as he is overwhelmed by Snow Drop's droppings!
Snow Drop has a huge appetite and noms her way through hay all day long, nom, nom, nom, merrily and prolifically pooing whenever and wherever she feels the need. She does still do some poos in the litter trays but not very many of them.
She's also been producing more cecotropes than she wants to eat and leaves them around. These are less enjoyable to pick up than her mini hay ball droppings, although, thankfully, she seems to be calming down on the production of these, now.
This pooing behaviour does not seem to be a 'marking the territory' thing as far as I can tell. She is the boss and Pumpkin is okay with that. It just seems to be more of a lack of discipline on her part to use the trays, based on her high levels of poo output.
As far as wees go Pumpkin uses the litter trays (in their cage) and Snow Drop uses the litter trays or wees on the base of the cage, on the hay in the cage or in their hay basket (not ideal but at least not on the carpet!)
I throw her scattered dottles into the litter trays but am beginning to wonder whether this is leading her to believe "tee hee, I can poo where I like and the hoomin slave will tidy them up!".
I had thoughts of picking her up and putting her in a litter tray each time she poos but then I remembered that picking her up is nothing short of a comedy moment for any onlooker (that is my next project!). :lol:
Any insight would be gratefully received.
