Litter Training my third pet rabbit

[ROMCAM]

I am posting to get some advice on my third pet male rabbit Casper. The first two bunnies that I had were also male rabbits (neutered) and they started using the litter box on their own accord. It was like a miracle and I thought that all rabbits were like this lol
Not until I got Casper after my beloved Milo crossed the rainbow bridge.....
Casper is a totally different rabbit, he munches on everything (flip flops, clothes, paper, etc.) so at first it was really a nightmare since he also jumps on my bedside table and starts munching on some book I have there. Ahhh yes he munches on shoes as well and I had a pair of very expensive boots which I had to throw away as he made a hole in them!!!

I neutered Casper when he was very young (he will be 3 years old coming December). Despite having bought different litter boxes to make it easy for him, he continues to pee near or in front of the litter box. Even if I move it to where he pees, he still manages to wee in front of it (which is now literally behind the door. He also likes to smell his own pee and walks on it. I am getting a bit desperate as it is a continuous cleaning his bum and he is starting scalding himself. He drinks one bowl of about 110 ml during the day, which I fill again at night, and he drinks that as well. But he peeees a LOT!!! Should I take him to a vet?

Other than this, he has a good appetite, eats his hay and vegetables and has a good temperament. The only thing he is not as social as the other pets that I had and he does not like to be cuddled... However he does give me a lick from time to time

Looking forward to get some advice - maybe someone has already experienced this...

Thank you!

 

[joey&boo]

Casper sounds a right character His drinking doesn't sound excessive. What does he weigh? I've had buns in the past like Casper, very much into remodelling things & getting everywhere.

I have a similar issue with my boy Eddy. He likes to wee just outside the litter box. I honestly think my boy has issues jumping in something he can't see (maybe a previous bad experience). My way of resolving it is to have a big dog bed as a litter tray, I use thick washable pee pads on the base & their hay just from the hay rack above the litter tray. It works for us (though I do miss prepping litter trays with a nice selection of hay & forage). Its much better for waste though. I hope you find something to curb Casper's errant peeing

 

[ROMCAM]

@joey&boo thank you for your reply. Casper is 2.2 kg. He is a Mini Lop rabbit. What I forgot to say is that with the other pets, since they had very good behaviour, we left them roaming around the whole house. Whilst for Casper, since he used to go to my bedroom, or near the library devouring books, we confined him to one room. We open the door only when we are at home and hence his "free" roaming has to be supervised.

 

[a reader of books]

Casper sounds like a very adventurous bunny! What kind of litter do you use? Have you tried different things? He might dislike what you're using, because of how it feels on his feet or because of how it smells, or he might just not like litter trays in general. Have you tried to putting some (washable) pee pads on the floor where he pees, rather than using a litter tray? That might not work if he chews, them, though, since he likes to munch things. The fact that you have to clean his bum a lot and his skin is getting scalded makes me think a vet visit is in order, so you can check for issues and get some advice on how to best look after his skin. Even if it's maybe not health issues that are causing him to avoid the litter tray, it sounds like him avoiding it is causing health issues, so I'd personally want to have him looked at. In the meantime, maybe you could put something absorbing like a rug or pee pads in front of and around the litter tray so he at least doesn't walk through his pee and will hopefully stay a bit cleaner? Or even just several layers of newspaper or paper towels if he chews fabric.

 

[ROMCAM]

Casper sounds like a very adventurous bunny! What kind of litter do you use? Have you tried different things? He might dislike what you're using, because of how it feels on his feet or because of how it smells, or he might just not like litter trays in general. Have you tried to putting some (washable) pee pads on the floor where he pees, rather than using a litter tray? That might not work if he chews, them, though, since he likes to munch things. The fact that you have to clean his bum a lot and his skin is getting scalded makes me think a vet visit is in order, so you can check for issues and get some advice on how to best look after his skin. Even if it's maybe not health issues that are causing him to avoid the litter tray, it sounds like him avoiding it is causing health issues, so I'd personally want to have him looked at. In the meantime, maybe you could put something absorbing like a rug or pee pads in front of and around the litter tray so he at least doesn't walk through his pee and will hopefully stay a bit cleaner? Or even just several layers of newspaper or paper towels if he chews fabric.

Hello! I always use Cats Best Universal litter (wood pellets). Have tried also back to nature recycled paper litter, but got same results will definitely book him for a check up. At the moment am keeping his bum clean with dry baths (using cornflour). Will definitely try the washable pads as he chewed the other ones! Keeping you posted!

 

[a reader of books]

Ah, I always wonder if wood pellets aren't uncomfortable for bunny feet, but I know lots of people use them without issues. Back to Nature is a kind of pellet-y shape thing, too, isn't it? He might not like how it feels? You could maybe try just some newspaper and hay and see it he'd use the litter tray then, just to rule out the litter being the problem, though it's possible he just associates litter trays with something bad for reasons we don't know. Giving him dry instead of wet baths sounds good, though. Yes, please keep us posted! I hope you can figure things out.

 

[ROMCAM]

Thank you @warren Veteran. Good idea. Since I had no issues with my past rabbits, it did not cross my mind. Certainly am not giving up