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HELP!!! Is it normal for rabbits to not use the toilet all night?

carolebe

carolebe

Warren Scout
I've had my french lop since December.... he lives in a playhouse at night & then free ranges in the garden all day. He's always been so good with his litter tray & then yesterday I went to clean it out & there was nothing in it... nothing!! Not a current or a damp patch to be seen! there are however hundreds of poo clusters all up one side of the garden. I knew he was doing it there as well & figured it was probably territorial due to next door's rabbit now being out quite a lot through the day. It didn't bother me 'cos I know it's natural behaviour but I presumed he'd still be using his litter tray too which he had been until last couple of days! I put a couple of stray poos in there last night but when I've checked again this morning still nothing! it doesn't bother me that he's preferring to use the garden, it just concerns me that he's going such a long time inbetween?!?
 
No, I'm afraid it isn't normal, and it sounds like your rabbit might be heading into GI stasis, to be honest. Is he eating normally this morning? If not, it's an urgent trip to the vet that you need.
 
SarahP said:
No, I'm afraid it isn't normal, and it sounds like your rabbit might be heading into GI stasis, to be honest. Is he eating normally this morning? If not, it's an urgent trip to the vet that you need.
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He's gulped his pellets down as always & was eating grass when I left him.... his poos are still huge & full of fibrous bits too. My indoor boy suffered from stasis so I know the signs. I clean his tray out every alternate day so he must have chosen not to use it since Friday! And he's still chasing around the garden like a lunatic & eating all his food?? I really am stumped!!
 
Its not normal as they usually poo overnight the most however having said that Finley would it use his litter tray at night hut would produce loads of poo on the grass first thing but Finley was bit unusual
 
willowflower27 said:
Its not normal as they usually poo overnight the most however having said that Finley would it use his litter tray at night hut would produce loads of poo on the grass first thing but Finley was bit unusual
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I have caught him using his litter tray as a bed even though he has a dog bed.... I'm wondering if I should fill the dog bed with some sawdust & hay too & see if that helps? he's always been sooooo good with it though!
 
carolebe said:
I have caught him using his litter tray as a bed even though he has a dog bed.... I'm wondering if I should fill the dog bed with some sawdust & hay too & see if that helps? he's always been sooooo good with it though!
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It's normal for rabbits to use their litter trays as a bed. It isn't normal for him not to poo though :?

I think he needs to be checked out by a vet, even if he is eating fine. Have you checked around the playhouse in case he's decided to use a different place to toilet?
 
nessar said:
It's normal for rabbits to use their litter trays as a bed. It isn't normal for him not to poo though :?

I think he needs to be checked out by a vet, even if he is eating fine. Have you checked around the playhouse in case he's decided to use a different place to toilet?
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yes I did that this morning - there were a couple of stray poos but they could well have been there for a couple of days as I don't empty the entire playhouse out when I do the litter tray.
I was in the garden with him most of the day yesterday & saw him actually going.... each time he sat close to the fence where the neighbours bunny is there was a fresh pile
 
carolebe said:
yes I did that this morning - there were a couple of stray poos but they could well have been there for a couple of days as I don't empty the entire playhouse out when I do the litter tray.
I was in the garden with him most of the day yesterday & saw him actually going.... each time he sat close to the fence where the neighbours bunny is there was a fresh pile
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Is he neutered? It seems he is being territorial and I wonder whether the threat of another rabbit is stressing him out.

he still needs to be seen by the vet though, and the vet in particular needs to listen to his gut.
 
nessar said:
Is he neutered? It seems he is being territorial and I wonder whether the threat of another rabbit is stressing him out.

he still needs to be seen by the vet though, and the vet in particular needs to listen to his gut.
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Yes he's been neutered & of course I will take him to the vet if it looks like he's starting with stasis. He is used to other rabbits though, he's a rescue bun & he was fostered at a place that boards rabbits when owners are on hols.

he is quite aggressive towards other rabbits (I have another 2 which I keep indoors & he does try to box them when they're out in the garden & he's in his run)
 
carolebe said:
Yes he's been neutered & of course I will take him to the vet if it looks like he's starting with stasis. He is used to other rabbits though, he's a rescue bun & he was fostered at a place that boards rabbits when owners are on hols.

he is quite aggressive towards other rabbits (I have another 2 which I keep indoors & he does try to box them when they're out in the garden & he's in his run)
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Being used to other rabbits is not the same as being fine with them being there, though, and it sounds like he is a territorial little fellow.

I don't mean take him to the vet if it looks like stasis, I mean take him anyway because you need to rule out any health problems. I'd take some of his poos with you too.
 
nessar said:
Being used to other rabbits is not the same as being fine with them being there, though, and it sounds like he is a territorial little fellow.

I don't mean take him to the vet if it looks like stasis, I mean take him anyway because you need to rule out any health problems. I'd take some of his poos with you too.
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ok thanks :wave:
 
and he STILL won't use his litter tray! Vet says he's fine & the only thing we can think is that it's territorial marking. He's still doing huge amounts but they're all by the fence.
I'm hoping this will stop once he sees the neighbour's bunny isn't a threat?!?
 
Just to update.... he still won't go!!
I've found a few in his playhouse when I've left him a couple of hours longer at wkend so I know he'll go if he desperately needs to... I also brought him in when it was raining & he happily used the litter tray I put down for him... but outside he's still only doing it by the fence :lol:
 
Presuming you are 100% he is still going and producing the same amount, I'm sure someone else on here had a bun who was displaying similar behaviour.

To be fair wild buns always go outside the warren, never in so it may be an extension of that behaviour, though they are free to come and go at will whereas presumably he he locked in at night so I'm not sure its necessary a healthy behaviour.
 
Amy104 said:
Presuming you are 100% he is still going and producing the same amount, I'm sure someone else on here had a bun who was displaying similar behaviour.

To be fair wild buns always go outside the warren, never in so it may be an extension of that behaviour, though they are free to come and go at will whereas presumably he he locked in at night so I'm not sure its necessary a healthy behaviour.
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I'm having to sweep it all up every week - he does HUGE amounts!!!! No I don't like it either, was kinda hoping it would subside at some point as he's always been so good with his litter tray prior to that.... He's in his playhouse from around 10pm until approx 5.20am when I get up for work & he has the entire garden from that point onwards :wave:
 
Do you work from home or does he freerange unsupervised?

You could try putting his litter tray in the garden where he is choosing to go and then move it into the playhouse at night, see if he gets the hint.
 
Amy104 said:
Do you work from home or does he freerange unsupervised?

You could try putting his litter tray in the garden where he is choosing to go and then move it into the playhouse at night, see if he gets the hint.
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At the moment he's unsupervised :oops: purely due to him being a houdini at getting out of his existing set up & it seemed better to let him do as he pleased rather than hurt himself escaping. I have someone coming this week to build me a large aviary style enclosure so he'll be safe when I'm at work & then he can free range when I'm at home. we do have 6ft fences all around the garden but I know from researching on here that it can still be dangerous.
 
I would go ahead with the aviary enclosure as you are thinking and also undermesh under the grass (not on top as it is bad for their feet) or put slabs around the perimeter - this should help prevent dig outs. It needs to be completely paved or undermeshed if you want him to have access overnight as well. I would also position the run so that it does NOT cover the part where he is currently toileting and he cannot reach the fence. Hopefully if he cannot reach the border of his territory that the other rabbit is threatening, then he will stop this holding of his toilet. If not, the run could be made suitable for night time and he can poo outside to his hearts desire and won't have to hold it.
 
nessar said:
I would go ahead with the aviary enclosure as you are thinking and also undermesh under the grass (not on top as it is bad for their feet) or put slabs around the perimeter - this should help prevent dig outs. It needs to be completely paved or undermeshed if you want him to have access overnight as well. I would also position the run so that it does NOT cover the part where he is currently toileting and he cannot reach the fence. Hopefully if he cannot reach the border of his territory that the other rabbit is threatening, then he will stop this holding of his toilet. If not, the run could be made suitable for night time and he can poo outside to his hearts desire and won't have to hold it.
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I don't know if I would sleep knowing he was out (what difference that makes to during the day I have no idea LOL!!)
but yes I agree he needs the aviary if only for my peace of mind! :D
the run won't go near the boundary fence so no worries there & thanks so much for your input :wave:
 
My lot have their runs permanently (and securely) fixed to the hutches so they can chose where they stay overnight. They tend to stay in their run/aviary and their litter trays are all out there. They go up against the edge of the run/aviary that is pointing towards the other rabbits. If I lock them in the hutch overnight they will save up all their poo and do it in the morning in the litter trays in the run. (They have litter trays in the hutches but don't use them) Even my vet didn't know that they can do this, but they certainly do. What your saying doesn't surprise me, I would go ahead with the permanent secure run/aviary as soon as possible. I use a decking platform about 2ft high in the runs and the litter tray goes underneath this to keep the worst of the weather out.
 
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