Pooping outside the toilet area

[Caza66]

Not sure if this is in the right section.

my two bunnies have two toilets in their outdoor house, they use them a lot but whenever I go in there there is poop on the floor as well. They don’t seem to poop in their outdoor area, which they have access to during the day.

I don’t know if it is one or both of them that is guilty. But it is daily, even when they have clean toilets or used toilets. When I first got them, about 3 months apart, they never used to leave a mess on the floor, it has definitely got worse.

is this normal or is there anything I can do to reduce the mess, if not stop it?

thanks in advance

 

[InspectorMorse]

What genders are they, how old and are they neutered ?

 

[Omi]

Not sure if this is in the right section.

my two bunnies have two toilets in their outdoor house, they use them a lot but whenever I go in there there is poop on the floor as well. They don’t seem to poop in their outdoor area, which they have access to during the day.

I don’t know if it is one or both of them that is guilty. But it is daily, even when they have clean toilets or used toilets. When I first got them, about 3 months apart, they never used to leave a mess on the floor, it has definitely got worse.

is this normal or is there anything I can do to reduce the mess, if not stop it?

thanks in advance

How much poop? My bunnies have an outdoor shed and use the litter tray in there, but occasionally they will jump about and will drop a stray poop on the floor. They also have an outdoor area with two litter trays. They only use one of these. The other remains clean all the time. In my experience bunnies tend to be very particular where they poop and will keep to the same areas.

I would very regularly pick up any stray poop and put it in the litter tray to encourage them to use it all the time.

 

[Caza66]

What genders are they, how old and are they neutered ?

One male, one female, both neutered, both 3 this year.

 

[Caza66]

How much poop? My bunnies have an outdoor shed and use the litter tray in there, but occasionally they will jump about and will drop a stray poop on the floor. They also have an outdoor area with two litter trays. They only use one of these. The other remains clean all the time. In my experience bunnies tend to be very particular where they poop and will keep to the same areas.

I would very regularly pick up any stray poop and put it in the litter tray to encourage them to use it all the time.

When I go in in the morning I would say about 40 poops, plus lots in their toilet. I cleaned their toilets out this morning and just gone in now and there is about 8. So less in the day time.

 

[Omi]

When I go in in the morning I would say about 40 poops, plus lots in their toilet. I cleaned their toilets out this morning and just gone in now and there is about 8. So less in the day time.

I would check the area very regularly and put all poops into the litter tray. It's encouraging that they are using the proper place, so it's not that they dislike it. You might not be able to stop 100% of the ones outside the tray, but I think you'll reduce their number.

Another thought might be marking their territory if they are mostly being produced at night. Are they in one place or scattered? Maybe they are sensing a fox or cat outside the shed?

 

[Caza66]

I would check the area very regularly and put all poops into the litter tray. It's encouraging that they are using the proper place, so it's not that they dislike it. You might not be able to stop 100% of the ones outside the tray, but I think you'll reduce their number.

Another thought might be marking their territory if they are mostly being produced at night. Are they in one place or scattered? Maybe they are sensing a fox or cat outside the shed?

I do usually put them in their trays. They are scattered. I don’t think we can get foxes but do get cats. Daisy usually thumps when a cat is about. I’ll just keep an eye on it.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I do think that with some Rabbits 100% litter tray use for poops is just never going to happen. So lowering our expectations might be required

 

[Zoobec]

Are you feeding them hay only in or over their litter trays?

 

[Caza66]

There is hay in their litter trays and a hay storage on the side of the house (inside).

 

[robeyw]

When I had a free range rabbit, she was very good at using her litter box but when I got a second one (housed separately but litter areas adjacent), she started putting substantial pellets and occasional urine on the floor next to the litter box, so it must have to do with having a second rabbit. Over the 18 months of having both, they have become much more tolerant of each other but the litter habit has not changed.