Need help toilet and house training new bunnies please!

I have two mini lop/lion head crosses which are 12 weeks old. I keep them in a very large cage kept open, attached to a 5x5ft run at the moment. When i kept their rabbit litter tray in the cage they didn't use it. It is now in the run and they use it, never wee on the floor but have started using the cage also. They poop everywhere. Have tried all the usual things... hay in the litter tray, vocal and treat rewards, putting poops into the tray. I clean the poops and urine out the cage whenever i notice it (maybe twice a day). I am stuck! Anyone know what to try next?

Also.. My floor is tiled and i have noticed they aren't running around as much as they used to on carpeted floor in my old house. Is this because the surface is too slippery for them and will it make them unhappy??

I plan to have them as house rabbits but every time i give them access to a room of the house they no longer want my company, they run away, don't let me pet them, hide.. when they are confined they mostly let me pet them but are still not keen on being picked up for grooming etc. I am very worried about them as i bought them for companionship and they will hopefully live for about 8yrs, it will not be much fun for 8 years if they don't let me near them! However, i have not experienced any negative behavior such at biting or grunting etc.

Thank you for any answers they are greatly appreciated, Jessie

You likely wont get litter training from them until they are neutered, at the moment they are marking their territory.

Can you cover the tiles with some rugs or fleeces? Tiles areery slippery and if they don't feel secure with their footing they wont run around so much. I have lino down for easy cleaning and in one bunny room I have a carpet offcut, in the other I use fleeces.

Most rabbits dislike being picked up, in the wild being picked up would mean being caught by a predator. Instead a good way to bond is to sit with them on the floor, relatively disinterested in what they are doing and eventually they will get curious. Food helps too!

And welcome to the forum.

Hi :wave:

Are they spayed/neutered? If not, having them done will help litter training and eradicate uterine/testicular cancer
If they are then all I can say is persevere! They'll get there in the end If you have a litter tray big enough for them both to fit in, put a good layer of newspaper at the bottom and fill it with hay (rabbits usually poo while they eat and also gets them eating plenty of hay:thumb that might help if you haven't done that already My rabbits weed in their litter tray but pooed everywhere until they were neutered, now they only do a few poos outside of the litter tray

You're right with the tiles, they may be a bit slippy. What you could do is get a blanket or towel and put that in their run so they have a bit more grip

Rabbits are very timid animals and sitting in with them, letting them come and explore you is better rather than a big scary human shoving a hand on their head something else that might take time but they will get used to it Rabbits are prey animals so like to keep all 4 paws on the ground, there aren't many buns that enjoy being picked up

Edit: Elena got there first :lol:

Doughnut is a house rabbit and in a hutch and wees and poops in her litter tray although she does poop elsewhere too. Especially when I attached a pen for her to run around while I'm at work, she pooped all over it to mark her territory.

It will be easier once they are spayed/neutured. Doughnut mainly poops in her tray now but she does a few around her hutch and a couple outside but never a lot and never wees outside her litter tray.

You seem to be doing the right things. If they wee disinfect it and put the bit of newspaper you mop it up with in the tray. Maybe you should get two trays, one for the cage one for the run. They are only young so it will get better as they learn.

I have wooden floor and Doughnut is now used to it but I have a rug and she always does her binkies on that, although sometimes she doesn't and goes flying. They need to get used to it and also need their scent on it. I remember when I cleaned the floor with a cleaner and she stamped her foot and was scared of it as it didn't smell like her any more.

They need to get used to you. Most rabbits hate being picked up, Doughnut does and I can't seem to get her and she runs away. I would avoid picking them up unless you need too. Sit or lie down on the floor with them. Rabbits are nosy and will come over to investigate. Give them a little treat and a little stroke. The more they know you're not going to be picking them up and you give them treats the friendlier they will be. In the mornings Doughnut now jumps on my lap and puts her paws on my chest looking at me, wanting her pellets, but it takes time.

Good luck. I'm sure things will get easier for you.

Edit: you both got there before me!!

Ah thankyou guys sounds like it should all fall into place when they are a little older and neutored I will try another litter tray and some towels for grip though

I'm sure they will come to you if you lay on the floor and ignore them, basically they are very nosy and if you have a treat in your hand for them, even better!

Let us know how you get on.

it might be worth posting this topic in health care or rabbit chat, more people may see it there and be able to offer you advice :wave:

as this is help using the forum area, so many members probrably will overlook it

Belle is running around now after i have put down some mats for grip.. Bean is the same though no jumping/running etc and i am not sure if it is him or a toy or something in the run but i can hear a very loud 'click' every now again. I am sure there is nothing that would make such a loud noise in there with them. Worried he is in pain but no obvious signs of an injury apart from the tiny crummy bit on the back of his ear i was talking about yesterday.. which today has miraculously disappeared, very strange :?