Not using littler tray

Hello, I put up a previous post about my 2 rabbits not using a litter tray & what to line the hutch with. Lino was recommended so went for that in the hope it would make a difference. The rabbits are still peeing & pooing all over their hutch!! They do use the litter tray also but I’m having to clean the hutch daily & im at my with end with this now. I have given them a bigger litter try to see if that’s the problem but still the same. Can anyone give me advice because I only cleaned the hutch yesterday & it’s a mess again. I don’t know why they are happy to lie in their own mess & I did not expect this much cleaning out when I took them on. Prior to Lino I had wood shavings with soft hay on top then tried just newspaper & finally Lino but this has not solved the problem


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Clair071085 said:

Hello, I put up a previous post about my 2 rabbits not using a litter tray & what to line the hutch with. Lino was recommended so went for that in the hope it would make a difference. The rabbits are still peeing & pooing all over their hutch!! They do use the litter tray also but I’m having to clean the hutch daily & im at my with end with this now. I have given them a bigger litter try to see if that’s the problem but still the same. Can anyone give me advice because I only cleaned the hutch yesterday & it’s a mess again. I don’t know why they are happy to lie in their own mess & I did not expect this much cleaning out when I took them on. Prior to Lino I had wood shavings with soft hay on top then tried just newspaper & finally Lino but this has not solved the problem


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I should also add that Iv read that rabbits normally have a certain bit in the hutch where the urinate but this is not the case for these 2. They pee all over & also where there gay is is the worst area they pee & poo when eating. I know a lot of people with rabbits & they always use their tray so I don’t know what’s going on.


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Cleaning daily comes with owning rabbits, to some degree. At least with lino and litter trays, it should be quicker and easier - sweep & wipe down the floor, spot clean or empty the trays. It takes me a few (10?) minutes to do each set of rabbits daily, and a full clean and disinfect weekly takes half an hour or so per hutch or run. My (outside) runs get swept out as needed - the rabbits tend to toilet in the same corners, so that is a daily spot clean. I find it quicker if there is a brush and dustpan close to each setup, and something to deposit the waste into before moving it out of the way (eg a tubtrug).

If they have enough space and daily spot cleaning, they shouldn't need to lie in their own mess - although mine do like to spend a lot of time in their trays.

Rabbits need a lot of room to move around. They also need lots of hay to eat, which means lots of poo (which is a good thing). I would suggest that it's almost impossible for the hay,etc to stay where you want it - that's the nature of rabbits. Some rabbits are tidier than others, as well.

How much space do yours have?

Clair071085 said:

I should also add that Iv read that rabbits normally have a certain bit in the hutch where the urinate but this is not the case for these 2. They pee all over & also where there gay is is the worst area they pee & poo when eating. I know a lot of people with rabbits & they always use their tray so I don’t know what’s going on.


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That is what most rabbits do, which is why it's easier to put a tray there. They have to toilet somewhere...

Shimmer said:

Cleaning daily comes with owning rabbits, to some degree. At least with lino and litter trays, it should be quicker and easier - sweep & wipe down the floor, spot clean or empty the trays. It takes me a few (10?) minutes to do each set of rabbits daily, and a full clean and disinfect weekly takes half an hour or so per hutch or run. My (outside) runs get swept out as needed - the rabbits tend to toilet in the same corners, so that is a daily spot clean. I find it quicker if there is a brush and dustpan close to each setup, and something to deposit the waste into before moving it out of the way (eg a tubtrug).

If they have enough space and daily spot cleaning, they shouldn't need to lie in their own mess - although mine do like to spend a lot of time in their trays.

Rabbits need a lot of room to move around. They also need lots of hay to eat, which means lots of poo (which is a good thing). I would suggest that it's almost impossible for the hay,etc to stay where you want it - that's the nature of rabbits. Some rabbits are tidier than others, as well.

How much space do yours have?

Click to expand...

Hi thank you for replying. Yes I have to clean the hutch daily, it’s a must when they are not using the tray most of the time otherwise it would be bad for them. The poo isn’t as bad but they have peed overnight. Iv had to put newspaper in today because the Lino won’t absorb the pee & I can’t have them lying in it. I do the clean with the disinfectant spray stuff I get from pet shop every sun once a week. They are out all day from say 7.30am till 9pm running around the garden so just go in their hutch a night time. They are in a 6ft hutch & ones a normal sized rabbit but she’s not that big & ones a dwarf type. I plan to get them a double hutch because the one I have is not big enough I’d say personally. I can’t afford it right now though. Been looking onthe buy swap sell sites for one so will see. I’m also going to be building a run attached to their hutch with tunnel connected so they can go in it during the night when in the hutch. 3 of my friends have rabbits outside in same kind of hutch as ours although I don’t agree with size but they use the tray fine but do sometimes pee or poo in certain corners of hutch but use their tray. My mums got a house rabbit & had many over the years & they use the tray always. I just don’t know why these 2 aren’t & not even having a certain area in the hutch for toilet? They must be lying in pee because if Iv gone in toclean in morning I can see wet Lino so they have peed on it in the night. I wouldn’t leave them to lie in it & that’s why I posted as it’s a concern. This is why today I put some newspaper in for tonight as can’t have that happening. I’d just like advice on why they might not use tray all the time or how to maybe train them. We only put the Lino in 4 days ago to see how I’d would be for cleaning Xx


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Shimmer said:

Cleaning daily comes with owning rabbits, to some degree. At least with lino and litter trays, it should be quicker and easier - sweep & wipe down the floor, spot clean or empty the trays. It takes me a few (10?) minutes to do each set of rabbits daily, and a full clean and disinfect weekly takes half an hour or so per hutch or run. My (outside) runs get swept out as needed - the rabbits tend to toilet in the same corners, so that is a daily spot clean. I find it quicker if there is a brush and dustpan close to each setup, and something to deposit the waste into before moving it out of the way (eg a tubtrug).

If they have enough space and daily spot cleaning, they shouldn't need to lie in their own mess - although mine do like to spend a lot of time in their trays.

Rabbits need a lot of room to move around. They also need lots of hay to eat, which means lots of poo (which is a good thing). I would suggest that it's almost impossible for the hay,etc to stay where you want it - that's the nature of rabbits. Some rabbits are tidier than others, as well.

How much space do yours have?

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I just realised I wrote gay instead of hay lol. They definitely aren’t xx


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Clair071085 said:

I just realised I wrote gay instead of hay lol. They definitely aren’t xx


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Also they don’t eat enough hay. When I took them they got put on haybox hay which is lovely good hay. I thought maybe it’s cause they are eating grass all day long? My pigs go through more hay than them which isn’t good. Iv tried the last few days stopping the pellets (science selective) to see if it encourages them to eat more hay but it hasn’t. Xx


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Clair071085 said:

Also they don’t eat enough hay. When I took them they got put on haybox hay which is lovely good hay. I thought maybe it’s cause they are eating grass all day long? My pigs go through more hay than them which isn’t good. Iv tried the last few days stopping the pellets (science selective) to see if it encourages them to eat more hay but it hasn’t. Xx


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I don't have any advice on the litter tray situation, sadly, but I did want to say that, yes, if they're eating grass all day long they'll eat less hay than if they didn't eat grass. But that's fine! Grass is actually better for them than hay, so it's great that they're eating a lot of that.

a reader of books said:

I don't have any advice on the litter tray situation, sadly, but I did want to say that, yes, if they're eating grass all day long they'll eat less hay than if they didn't eat grass. But that's fine! Grass is actually better for them than hay, so it's great that they're eating a lot of that.

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Ok thank you for that [emoji846]. Good to know they are ok doing that xx


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Shimmer said:

That is what most rabbits do, which is why it's easier to put a tray there. They have to toilet somewhere...

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Hi, sorry I just seen reply. What Iv done now is out their litter tray under the hay rack so that they can sit in it & poop & pee while eating. Iv noticed the last couple days that it’s helped quite a bit. I’m giving the tray a clean daily as more tidying being done in there now. Hopefully it may have resolved the problem somewhat. I definitely think when I get them a double bigger hutch things will be batter also as more space. I’m thinking to be honest about moving them into our 8x6 shed & buying another one for us to use as can pay up in Argos. I can get a tunnel tumble fitted connected to a run for night time so they can get out & about then. Plus the shed has electric so in winter I could have a wee heater in there to keep them warmer when it snows xx


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:thumb:

I'm pleased what you're trying is working better now. Honestly, keeping rabbits is soooo messy & cleaning up as Shimmer said is just one of those things you have to accept. Some rabbits are much much tidier than others. Your plans for them sound really good. I'd also echo what Reader says about grass being perfect for them. When you worry about their diet its good to look at the other end - literally. Their poo is a brilliant way to assess their dietary health

joey&boo said:

I'm pleased what you're trying is working better now. Honestly, keeping rabbits is soooo messy & cleaning up as Shimmer said is just one of those things you have to accept. Some rabbits are much much tidier than others. Your plans for them sound really good. I'd also echo what Reader says about grass being perfect for them. When you worry about their diet its good to look at the other end - literally. Their poo is a brilliant way to assess their dietary health

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Morning, thank you. Really glad also it’s working [emoji846]. I also got a hay rack for abouts the tray & ordered another for the other bit of the hutch. I’m ordering their new hutch at end of the month which will be much bigger. Then I can fit 2 trays for each rabbit or a big one for both to sit in while eating xx


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