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messy/dirty rabbits??

brutalbaby

Warren Scout
Ok my girl sindy has a big problem, she is very dirty. very rarely uses her litter tray as she prefers to go every where else meaning that she ends up laying in her toilet. I clean her hutch pretty much twice a day to keep her clean and every few days I will use rabbit shampoo foam on her underneath to clean her messy areas. is there any way I can prevent her from being so messy? any one else have rabbits like this??
 
Is she spayed? Until spayed most rabbits will just go anywhere as they are marking their territory. Spaying also eliminates the risk of uterine cancer which is extremely prevalent in does.
 
no she isn't spayed as i get her from a breeder as she was retired. my other girl isn't spayed either but she is very clean. i will be getting all my buns done asap just at the moment money is very tight
 
Does she have soft or loose droppings? Or excess caecals?
These are the main causes of a dirty bum and commonly mean the bun needs an adjustment in their diet - more hay, fewer / differetn type of pellets.

Or perhaps you need a more absorbent bedding?

Rabbit droppings are normally dry and shouldn't stick to her like this (presuming her coat is also dry).

There are rabbits with chronic problems which haven't been helped by dietary changes who have to have their bums cleaned daily though.
 
she has loose droppings. i always put a layer of litter wood chip down then wood shavings an straw so there is quite a bit to absorb her wee. i feed her on the same pellets and always give her hay. its mainly the wee that stains her coat and bits of hay get stuck in her bottom fur but it makes her smell where she lays in it.
 
You might want to try something other than wood shavings, they aren't good for rabbits respiratory systems and aren't very absorbent either. :)
 
I use thick layer of newspaper, then hay. Seems to do the trick.
Just wondering how much you feed in the way of pellets and hay.
 
I use a layer of newspaper with hay on top in my litter trays. that seems to work well, they seem to like to eat whilst they are pooping!!

This is what I do and above 2 of the trays (1 underbed storage box and 1 large dog bed) I have a hanging basket filled with hay. Mine are never soilled with urine or anything else even when they get older.
 
I have a litter tray in her cage, but she just dont use it she just likes to go where ever she is sitting, my other 2 buns are spotless... I will try the news paper and hay trick :?
 
Our girl Skittles was the same recently, the day she got spayed she automatically bebcame toilet trained too :thumb: It used to be a night mare, the other 3 were so clean and tidy but because she was messy, I had to clean the whole area regardless! what a pain! I used "Back2Nature" litter pellets (like megazorb etc) and buy the big 30litre bag. The litter in the tray lasts quite a few days if you move it round daily. It wont stick either. Getting her spayed will definatly help though :)
 
Our girl Skittles was the same recently, the day she got spayed she automatically bebcame toilet trained too :thumb: It used to be a night mare, the other 3 were so clean and tidy but because she was messy, I had to clean the whole area regardless! what a pain! I used "Back2Nature" litter pellets (like megazorb etc) and buy the big 30litre bag. The litter in the tray lasts quite a few days if you move it round daily. It wont stick either. Getting her spayed will definatly help though :)

great thanks, im glad im not the only person with a dirty bunny lol. I will look out for something very absorbent and will have to cover the entire cage floor i think :)
 
I had the same experience when mine were spayed too! Before they were done they peed in every corner on both levels and all over the ramp but since spaying they use the litter tray and one corner of their bedroom and that's it :)

We use news paper and hay in the litter tray and change daily. Their bedroom has newspaper and then a nice layer of megazorb and then straw and then hay! :)
 
This megazorb I have seen it in pets at home, its quite expensive but is it worth its money and how long would you say one pack usually lasts?
 
I don't know how long it'll last, but I only use a tiny thin layer, enought to catch what is around it, and it lasts days :) and thats with 4 rabbits in one enclosure for me. Worth a try :)
 
I don't know how long it'll last, but I only use a tiny thin layer, enought to catch what is around it, and it lasts days :) and thats with 4 rabbits in one enclosure for me. Worth a try :)

Sounds a lot better then what I'm having to do by cleaning her out every day :)
 
I would suggest that a big problem is the soft caecals, as they can lead to various health problems.
There are many threads on the subject usually referred to as "mucky bum"

a) Infected dermitis (sores in a very sensitive area) You need to dry your bunny very throughly after cleaning - some people use cornflour if the caecals are still moist or just damped to soften. I wouldn't try to clip your bun's fur yourself the bunny skin is so thin it's very easy to cut your bunny.

b) When it's a bit warmer there'll be flies, they are attracted to & lay their eggs on the soiled rabbit fur. When they hatch into maggots the maggots cause a serious, very rapidly progressive illness (within hours) called Fly strike.

c) Rabbits need to eat their caecals for vitamins they can't get from their food.

d) It can be a factor which predisposes to more serious tummy problems.

You will find it much easier to clean & much less smelly if the caecals are normal :) Also the strong smell of caecals taints the waste poops which shouldn't smell at all.
Your bunny cannot control the production of caecals, but should eat them directly from her anus as a reflex. She won't eat them if they don't smell right.

The first step is to give bunny a good hay only diet for several days. This should bring the caecals under control.
Which pellets are you using? & what is her diet? If you want support through it, start a thread for mucky bum. I'm sure you'll get some help.

Re. Behavioural issues- there are several potential causes.
Hormonal - both does need to be spayed as soon as you can afford it. Rabbits can smell each other's hormones. It makes them much more territorial & aggressive towards each other.

Waste poops all over the place are usually territorial issues. "Scent Off" sprays don't work with rabbits, they just want to reinforce their territory more. I'd clean with unscented soap & water. However a retired breeding rabbit may never have learned normal rabbit behaviour of doing a "poop mound" in the same place. Be patient with her, & as she adjusts to a totally different way of life, & the different smells around her, she'll learn gradually.

I never used scented products around the house when I had an intact buck who free ranged the house to prevent territorial scenting. He was perfect apart from when a neighbour kindly gave me a throw over for the sofa. she used strongly scented washing powder. Thumper peed on the throwover until I washed it in my own powder! He was fine after that.
 
I would suggest that a big problem is the soft caecals, as they can lead to various health problems.
There are many threads on the subject usually referred to as "mucky bum"

a) Infected dermitis (sores in a very sensitive area) You need to dry your bunny very throughly after cleaning - some people use cornflour if the caecals are still moist or just damped to soften. I wouldn't try to clip your bun's fur yourself the bunny skin is so thin it's very easy to cut your bunny.

b) When it's a bit warmer there'll be flies, they are attracted to & lay their eggs on the soiled rabbit fur. When they hatch into maggots the maggots cause a serious, very rapidly progressive illness (within hours) called Fly strike.

c) Rabbits need to eat their caecals for vitamins they can't get from their food.

d) It can be a factor which predisposes to more serious tummy problems.

You will find it much easier to clean & much less smelly if the caecals are normal :) Also the strong smell of caecals taints the waste poops which shouldn't smell at all.
Your bunny cannot control the production of caecals, but should eat them directly from her anus as a reflex. She won't eat them if they don't smell right.

The first step is to give bunny a good hay only diet for several days. This should bring the caecals under control.
Which pellets are you using? & what is her diet? If you want support through it, start a thread for mucky bum. I'm sure you'll get some help.

Re. Behavioural issues- there are several potential causes.
Hormonal - both does need to be spayed as soon as you can afford it. Rabbits can smell each other's hormones. It makes them much more territorial & aggressive towards each other.

Waste poops all over the place are usually territorial issues. "Scent Off" sprays don't work with rabbits, they just want to reinforce their territory more. I'd clean with unscented soap & water. However a retired breeding rabbit may never have learned normal rabbit behaviour of doing a "poop mound" in the same place. Be patient with her, & as she adjusts to a totally different way of life, & the different smells around her, she'll learn gradually.

I never used scented products around the house when I had an intact buck who free ranged the house to prevent territorial scenting. He was perfect apart from when a neighbour kindly gave me a throw over for the sofa. she used strongly scented washing powder. Thumper peed on the throwover until I washed it in my own powder! He was fine after that.

This is very very helpful thank you. So do you mean for a couple of days I should only feed her hay? How much? At the moment I am feeding her a handful of pellets pets at home pellets) in the morning and a handul at night with lots of hay through out day and every other day some fresh veggies.
 
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