Please help - litter training, flooring and indoor accommodation

Hello,

I've posted a few times recently about our girls Munch and Piff. Their bond went really well and fingers crossed they will stay sweet with each other.

We still have a few issues which any help with would be greatly appreciated.

Litter training is still not going well - they are better in their bedroom but the living room is still a nightmare. They are worse with wee, they just refuse to use their litter tray. What has worked for other people?

Their bedroom hasn't faired too well - we had bought carpet squares but they are eating them which can't be good. Also with them both being Rexes I am concerned about sore hocks. Munch does have a tiny red mark on her hock so I am worried it's starting to get sore. What flooring do people use for indoors please? I was thinking some Vet Bed but I couldn't have it for the whole room and I also think they will eat that too

Their room is quite big and we have filled it with boxes, toys, their crate etc. however, I think they feel quite vulnerable in their at times - what do other people put in their bunny rooms? We were thinking of a hutch left open at all times?

Sorry for all the questions :shock: x

Hello,
I use an Ikea rug (Hulsig £9) for my pair and they haven't showed any signs of eating it (despite loving to chew on most things). My rabbits aren't rexes though, so I'm not sure if you'll need something softer.

I don't have a hutch as such, but like you have a crate that I've made out of puppy pen panels including using a panel on the top. This is my rabbits' safe place and they can retreat to it at any time (it doesn't have a door, I've left a gap where a panel could have been, so they have access in and out at all times). The crate has blankets over the top to keep it relatively dark and is in the corner against the wall so that for 2 of the sides it's enclosed. I started out with blankets down one side to keep it relatively dark but they took an interest in nibbling it so I took the blanket off. Perhaps think about where your current crate is located - are the rabbits overlooked / can they be seen in the crate or does it offer a place to hide (and so feel secure)?

For litter training I think perserverence is the trick. Clean up any urine asap (white vinegar will help clean and get rid of the smell) so that your rabbits can't smell and associate an area as being their latrine. When I first adopted my pair of rabbits they did wee a lot but I just kept cleaning it up and to begin with had a lot of litter trays which I'd place wherever the buns were trying to wee. Gradually I reduced the number and now they have 2 trays which they use and generally apart from the occasional stray poo they always use the litter tray. Neither of them wee anywhere else apart from the litter tray. Make sure litter trays are accessible and big enough. Like a lot of RU'ers I have a plastic underbed storage tray which I use as a litter tray. I also pick up stray poo and put them in litter trays (they watch me do this and must think I'm an oddball :roll. This link may help http://www.therabbithouse.com/behaviour/problem-litter-training.asp It's written by Tamsin who runs this forum (her book on rabbit behaviour is excellent too and I'd recommend it).

Perhaps if things are not going to plan you could limit access to the living room until their litter training is sorted for the bedroom? Obviously this is something that you'll have to weigh up - I don't know how restrictive this would be for your rabbits? It's something to think about though, once they're using the litter tray in the bedroom you could start giving gradual access to the living room.

Good luck

Lots of info from Sarahbun there.
I can't help with the sore hocks/litter training really but I can share some picks of my girls room.

They've got their travel box corner where we do box training with them:



There is cage corner which is where their cage is kept - it's left open 24/7 and has a small litter tray of hay & a water bowl:



Then they have den/dig corner. It's made up of a dig box from Manor Pet Housing, a den home made from an old divan bed base, hay racks from Manor Pet Housing & a feeding line:



Then by the door is a home made sisal board:



Get as creative as you want - we want to add shelves etc to the room but as we're wanting to move we figured that can wait until they have their new room.
(Hopefully this gives you some ideas)

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daphnephoebe said:

Lots of info from Sarahbun there.
I can help with the sore hocks/litter training really but I can share some picks of my girls room.

They've got their travel box corner where we do box training with them:

There is cage corner which is where their cage is kept - it's left open 24/7 and has a small litter tray of hay & a water bowl:

Then they have den/dig corner. It's made up of a dig box from Manor Pet Housing, a den home made from an old divan bed base, hay racks from Manor Pet Housing & a feeding line:

Then by the door is a home made sisal board:

Get as creative as you want - we want to add shelves etc to the room but as we're wanting to move we figured that can wait until they have their new room.
(Hopefully this gives you some ideas)

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

I love your set up, I'm going to make a feeding line

If you restrict their space this might help them to become litter trained then as Sarahbun says gradually open up the space. Also you can provide a better flooring in a smaller space as you do need to avoid sore hocks if at all possible. Deep hay is good but not all over the house of course! The other point you mention about the bunnies feeling vulnerable would also be addressed with less space in that they would feel more secure in a smaller area. With trial and error I hope you find the best solution for your 2.

Sarahbun said:

I love your set up, I'm going to make a feeding line

Click to expand...

Thank you.
We like the room - it encourages us to go sit in there with them when the girls are being antisocial as we've put up lots of pretty art work.

The feed line is addictive to watch - I'm always recording them having a go. Phoebe has perfected taking the food off the line and running for it.

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Lovely room!! Have a look on pinterest I get loads of ideas. I got laminate flooring with carpet runners and towels and matts. I use the runners to stop buns slipping about yet is so easy to clean. I also use around 3-4 litter that's filled with different types of hay and they pee in one corner yet still eat lots of hay. . I feel I definitely need more climby things which I may spring on my other half next weekend. Hehe. Have you tried digging box with soil? That's been a hit with our buns

Charlie room


Toby room



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I am also trying to improve my set up so will be following ideas

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Thank you so much for all your advice. We bought some Vetbed which they haven't chewed but also won't lay on. I'm tempted to get another large piece to put it in the middle of the room to see if they might get used to it. I'm a little worried about Munch's hocks as they are a little red. We tried a mat from Asda and it lasted about 0.5 seconds ��

Hi, how is the litter training going? We are going to be attempting to train our new bun, as we want her to free range in my daughters bedroom x