Litter Training Adivce

Hi,

We have two indoor rabbits about 3 months old (both females and we have had them for one month). The cage is always open so our rabbits can jump in and out and we often come back and find them outside. They never venture more than a meter away from the cage but we are now finding more droppings outside the cage and recently now some urine outside the cage.

From what I have read online we should keep them inside the cage and restrict time outside to 2 -3 hours until they have learned to use the litter tray in the cage. Is this the best way to train them?

Can anyone give us advice on this please as we don't want them urinating everywhere

I assume they aren't neutered? You don't have a huge amount of hope litter training them until they are neutered I'm afraid. I wouldn't restrict their space to a cage if you mean those indoor mass produced ones. They are far too small for any amount of time unless the rabbit needs to be restricted for health reasons.

I agree with Elena, until they are neutered they will mark their territory by pooing & weeing. Even after neutering you will still get the odd pooing out of the litter tray, although the majority of weeing is done in litter tray. My four are very fussy and if I don't clean their litter tray out soon enough, they start weeing just outside it! Buns also love to munch hay while in their litter tray, so make sure they have plenty of hay in their litter tray..most buns eat more hay when it is in the tray, but will wee & poop on it, so it needs to be topped up with fresh hay regularly.

I also agree that an indoor cage is not big enough on it's own (they are usually only about 3ft long) , but is ideal as a "base" as long as they have a large enough area to run around 24/7. Buns are also more active during the night so please do not shut them in the cage at night.

maybe not everyones idea but I have a couple of litter trays around so they dont have to bolt back to their cage but have to agree mine were fairly good but did get alot better once neutered

we put a litter tray down where harvest weed and pooped the most outside her cage and she has realised she has to use that, the poops go everywhere still but she's much better with the wees,
shes shut up from 10pm to 6.30am because she lives in the kitchen and at night this is where the dog is kept too and although he is brilliant with her and they lay together on the mat during the day I wouldnt trust them alone together at night when I am not around to rescue her if he dose change his mind. Although we have just stopped her going in the conservatory as we have new carptet down plus a new wooden dolls house I dont want her chewing and she seems to be sulking so hasnt come out much tonight:roll:

willow is getting better, we have a storage tray with hay, a litter tray and a big plant pot.. she poos in them but has loads too in the hutch and on the floor..... Nightmare