Litter training new buns - pooing

Hi all

We've recently adopted two rescue buns. They are now house rabbits and were not previously litter trained. It's only been four days, but they have pretty much got the hang of weeing in their tray. One wees at night where he sleeps still, but baby steps. (I've been cleaning up any mishaps with white vinegar and water).

The main thing I'm not sure of is how to get them to stop pooing everywhere. I've done a fair bit of reading around this, and most places say you should collect the poo up asap and put it in their litter tray. I've been doing this while I can, but obviously a lot of the time I'm not able to (as I'm either at work or asleep!). Lots of places also say you should watch them while you can and if they're about to poo/wee either pick them up and put them in the litter box or try to herd them in. The problem with this is that one of the rabbits in particular is terrified of being picked up and I don't want to scare them/him - particularly as they are still getting used to us (although very quickly - they are very willing to climb all over me looking for treats). If I try to herd one, the other just comes running up trying to get in on the action and it all just becomes a mess of bunnies jumping in and out the tray looking for treats (It's very cute - but a complete failure as any kind of training!).

I know I've only been doing this a few days, but was hoping for some advice on the best way to go about this and what has worked for you all. Many thanks in advance!

Do you have any bases to hamster cages/tanks you no longer need? If so, you could turn them into extra litter trays. I noticed my rabbit was pooping under my desk in one of the corners despite using his litter tray so I decided to place a base of a hamster cage I no longer needed that allowed him plenty of room to jump in/out and turn around which was sprinkled with some litter including his poop and small pile of hay under my desk. He got the hang of it straight away! There has not been any mess ever since Maybe they need more litter trays like mine?

Their current 'litter tray' is a 32l storage box, which is big enough for them both to lie down in. They love it and spend lots of their time in there. But although they are using it to wee and poo (no weeing mishaps last night. Yay!), they are still pooing all over the rest of their cage.

Do you put hay in their litter tray as this encourages them to do their toilet in it. I would just keep doing what you are doing as there is no sure way to get rabbits completely litter trained, some will and some won't, it all depends on what they have been used to doing before. You could also try restricting their area so they are forced to go there and hopefully will then return to that area in the future, when they have learned where to go.

Thanks guys - this pretty much corresponds with what I've been reading. Is there any way to know whether it's territorial rather than poor litter training? They don't seem that bothered about us being in their pen - too busy jumping on us trying to find treats!

Depending on the size of your cage, you can use a cat litter tray or bottom of a hamster/rabbit cage, and fill it up with your bedding. Then put lots of hay on one half of the tray, then put all the poop into the litter tray, and obviously you can't pick up their pee :lol: So just rub some kitchen roll onto the pee and put it in the litter tray. So when they eat their hay; they will hopefully be sitting in the tray. And will pee/poop in the tray as most rabbits tend to go to the toilet when eating their hay! It probably won't work straight away, but as long as you keep trying, and making sure you pick up the poops when you get home from work etc, your rabbits should soon get used too it, although there still may be an occasionol accident but as long as they are doing the magority in their litter box its should be fine! Hope this helped, Lauren