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Dizzi and Rascal - Weeing everywhere!

Bitzy-B

Mama Doe
Hi all

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on the following:

Dizzi and Rascal have aviary style accommodation with a double decker hutch and 24/7 access to the run. They have a litter tray with a hay manger (that they mostly ignore) in their hutch and I also give them a big pile of hay out in the run.

They've always been very tidy bunnies but have recently decided that they're going to wee in the run - something they've never done, they've always only ever pee'd in the litter tray. They seem to be doing it in the area of their pile of hay in the run .... not on it, but round it!!

Could it be marking their territory or something?? (I would have thought they'd done it round the run not just round the hay). I did see a cat in the garden about a week ago, but haven't seen it since - and it completely ignored them - just wondered past to get to next doors garden!

Any ideas??

(PS/ they also seem to have both decided that they quite like me giving them nosey rubs which was something they previously hated - not that I'm complaining!!!) Lol

xx
 
Maybe its just me, but that immediately screams out 'vet check' to me.

Sudden changes in behaviour always constitute concern in my eyes. Rabbits are creatues of habit, they dont tend to change very much in my opinion.

Sudden changes in your situation being;

suddenly enjoying (apparently) human affection/attention.
sudden change in litter habits.

I think personally, i'd nip them both to the vets for a quick check up.

Has anything else changed in/around their environment, however insignificant you think it is? It could be as simple as territory marking (does rain ever get into their territory, so washing away their scent?) just some things to think about Jo :)
 
Thanks Graham, yeah a couple of things have changed ........ we've altered put clear plastic tarp all the way down one side of the aviary whereas before it was wood - so now they can see out more!!

There is a small leak so when it rains lots they do get a little stream in there, which yeah, is right where he/she/they have been weeing!!

I've just bought them a wooden hay manger to put the hay in their run in .... because I wondered if they were just deciding that 'oh there's hay on the floor here, its ok to pee'!!

Its odd that they've both decided they like me at the same time, although one could just be following the other's lead!

I've cleaned and vinegared the areas where they were peeing, so hopefully it doesn't smell of their pee anymore and the manger is in the aviary so there's no hay on the floor now ....... I'll keep an eye on them tonight and if they do it again, I'll take them the vets .... definitely better to be safe than sorry!!

Thanks for your reply :D

Hope Ginger and Biscuit are doing ok!! (don't get on here that much now as don't have unlimited internet access at work anymore)!
 
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