Litter training help again!

Hi folks

Hope you can help me, My two buns have been with me for ten and eleven months and have both been neutered and spayed. Initially when i got them they were brilliant with their litter trays and used it all the time then about two months ago my doe got neutered and one of them or both of them pretty much did it where they eanted. I kept thinking that will change back again as theyd been so good before and also id heard after spaying ect they were alwasy better too, so i dont understand why now their litter training seems to have gone out of the window.

The last week or so more so as every day when i go into their shed their litter trays are used a bit so someone is still using it but there seems to always be a new place that urine and poos seem to be everywhere. I put another litter tray where they kept doing it and went in today and they havnt used that spot but moved to a new one right at the door and again it was everywhere, poos too. I just dont understand what is happening, any ideas folks would be a great help.
thanks

That's too bad, as I thought that spaying/neutering was supposed to aid in litter training behaviour?

The only thing I can think to suggest is keep moving pans with litter to where they seem to be choosing to wee. Maybe putting a bit of hay in their boxes as well to encourage them to go to their boxes?

litter training help

thanks cruebun

I have started to try that by moving one of the litter trays to that spot so weel see what happens. I usually have fresh hay in their litter trays but alot of the time they dont seem to bother with it theyre not great hay eaters am persevering with all kinds to try and find one they really like.

I am also with you in that i thought spaying/neutering was meant to make litter training better especially when they were good at it before.

Thanks again any more advice greatly appreciated


gill

How big are their litter trays? I use underbed storage boxes or the bottom of small cages - even so the poo gets kicked out when they jump in and out.

How often do you clean the trays? Mine won't use their tray once it's too dirty, and go on the floor instead.

How big is the shed? Sometimes they need to be shut in a small area with their tray for an hour to make them eat hay and toilet in there.

Hope you sort something - it's frustrating isn't it?

I haven't had this with Bertie (Yet!) but I remember reading that if this happens, you should go back to basics, keep them indoors until they are using the trays, then give them a bit more space etc. like when you first get them. I think it was in Marion Harnells book on Houserabbits.
Maybe another member may know more. Keep us posted

thanks jay uk and elve

elve, their litter trays are basin size so quite big and their is three all in an 8 by 6 shed and an attached 8 by 4 run with cat flap so maybe too much space i dont know?

Its just so frustrating as they had been using it properly for about the last six months and to just start randomly going anywhere makes no sense.

The only thing i can put it down to is i have a newbie buck 14 and a half weeks old that is at the opposite end of the garden in a huge hutch and run attached and they might be able to sniff him, also when they get their free run of the garden they always come and and see him but just through the wire no fighting or anything just lots of poo dropping between them all. He was in tact until today when he was spayed so dont know if once his hormones die down that this may make a diff tomy bonded two they are both spayed and have been for ages - what do others think could this be the problem and will spaying him help my other two use their litter trays properly again as i intend to bond them all when his hormones die down in about eight weeks or so.

thanks in advance anyone with any other ides but thanks guys so far it is worth thinking about and maybe limiting their space and going back to basics would help too.

gill

I'm sure you've already seen this, but it may help.
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/litter.html

I know that the buns can get upset at other buns around. If they can smell him (which is v. likely) it is probable that they are 're-marking' their terratory with poops. Once the testoserone goes, it may calm down, but I'm sure that once the habit is broken, they need to be re-trained.
This behaviour can also happen after they've been altered :roll: