He keeps poo-ing on the floor!

[joepatr]

Hoping someone can help with my problem!

My lop lives alone in a small room on the ground floor of the house. When off work and able to give him attention we let him out to explore the living room. We adopted him in October last year as his old owner gave him up because he wouldn't stop fighting with other rabbits.

Within a short while of taking him home he would quite reliably use his litter tray in his room for doing his business and we would very rarely find one or two poos elsewhere in the room (when I did I'd pick them up & put in the litter tray).

Middle of last week I found loads of them in the living room so I put them and him away. I let him out an hour later and it was exactly the same. The same process continued for a few evenings and I decided to leave him in his room for two days solid (but I would still pet him and top up food as required).

Last night I let him out and as soon as he came out he did loads right there just outside his room. He then hopped around leaving a trail of mess behind him! Almost like he has been saving them up for me! The strange thing is that within his room there is no mess outside of his litter tray which he is still using as normal.

[Omi]

It sounds to me as though he is claiming the new area as his territory. I would continue putting them in his litter tray and hopefully the behaviour will stop after a while.

It might not though. My rabbits continue to do this daily at the edge of their territory even though it is always picked up and put in their litter tray very quickly.

I presume he is neutered?

[joey&boo]

I agree with Omis post

[a reader of books]

Does he have a litter tray in the living room, too? If not, I wonder if it would help to give him one there as well?

[Zoobec]

It sounds to me as though he is claiming the new area as his territory. I would continue putting them in his litter tray and hopefully the behaviour will stop after a while.

It might not though. My rabbits continue to do this daily at the edge of their territory even though it is always picked up and put in their litter tray very quickly.

I presume he is neutered?

I agree with this

Does he have a litter tray in the living room, too? If not, I wonder if it would help to give him one there as well?

I’ve found this has helped too

[Pets mum]

Does he have a litter tray in the living room, too? If not, I wonder if it would help to give him one there as well?

I agree, this is what I have to do for my bun. Hope you find a solution that works for you and your bunny.

[joepatr]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I had read up a bit on line about him marking territory; it’s really strange because the area is not really “new” to him as we have been letting him run around the lounge most days since we got him. Even when we changed the carpet in February nothing happened.

Yes he is neutered from before we got him.

Haven’t put a litter tray in the living room as his room is just next door and the door is always open! I will try tidying him up again!

[CarelessSquid07]

We found a loo in the room the only solution to this.

They don't like going back in for loo or drinking because they like the freedom. So we have a little hay/loo water station in each room for them.

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[joepatr]

Hi all

Thanks for your replies. I’ve been trying for the past few weeks but he just isn’t having it!

I ended up buying a plastic sheet that fits to the shape of his outside run and putting it on the floor and then bringing the outside run indoors. I’ve even brought his litter tray from his room and putting it in the run but he just poos and wees on the plastic sheet.

I really miss having him running around and coming up for attention