How To Potty Train A Bunny

House Training A Baby Bunny

Rabbits are as you would expect clean animals, and house training a rabbit to use a litter tray is not as demanding as you might think. Just gather your supplies, set up the litter tray, and train your rabbit to use it.

Gathering Supplies

Buying a litter pan.

Rabbit litter pans or boxes are designed with a raised back that is used to prevent the litter from flying when the rabbit scrapes. A low front is another feature of the litter that enables easier hopping of the rabbits into the litter box. It is not a must to get the special rabbit tray, you could use a regular cat litter tray with lower sides or even a low cardboard box that can be easily prepared and replaced once the rabbits chew on it. Then you could line the bottom of the tray with old newspapers and this will make it easier for you to clean the pan out.

Get the right litter.

Never use clay based cat litters or clomping cat litters. These kinds of litters are toxic and if the rabbit eats them it could cause bowel blockage. It is always safer and much cheaper to go rabbit safe products such as the paper based litter or the untreated aspen chips that are locally found.

Buying a cage.

The cage has to be three to six times the size of the rabbit. The first stage of training is to confine your rabbit to a cage with food, water and a hide in one half, and the litter tray in the other. The restricted space inspires your rabbit to not soil her living area, and toilet in the tray.

Good quality hay

Good quality hay is used to lure the rabbits in the litter box. It is a universal fact that rabbits like munching on a fresh snack every time they are toileting.

A litter scoop and disinfectant.

This will be used to scoop out the litter together with the urine on a daily basis. The litter box or the cage needs to be disinfected at least once a week. Using specially designed disinfectant meant for small animals will ensure safety of the rabbits and reduce changes of their deaths.

Set up a bedding and food station in the cage. Put bedding at the other side of the cage and set up her food, water, and a hide. This will give her somewhere to hide and feel secure.

Place litter boxes in other areas of the house. Put out several boxes in areas your rabbit spends time or exercises in. The more litter boxes you have, the more likely it is the rabbit will use one of them.

Before familiarizing your bunny to the litter box for the first time, watch it and pay attention to where it does its business. Characteristically, it will be the back corner. Once you've recognized your bunny's favorite area, place a box in that spot.

Begin training your new rabbit as soon as you bring her home.

Adult rabbits learn more quickly than young rabbits. Nonetheless, it's never too early to start litter training. Make a tray accessible as soon as you bring a new rabbit home, and start to teach her how to use it. Just be tolerant and she will sooner or later learn. When the rabbits poops outside the litter box, scoop up the mess and put them in the box and this will act as a hint for the rabbits as where he ought to go.

Consider sterilizing or spaying your rabbit.

Uncastrated mature rabbits are more defensive and territorial and they use their scent to claim their space. Castrating or spaying your rabbits will make it much easier to litter train her because her needs to be territorial are vastly reduced.

Teach your rabbit to use the litter box in her cage.

Confine the rabbit to the cage with its tray, so that the rabbit learns not to soil the eating and sleeping area. It only takes a couple of days to train them. Once the rabbit understands this, you can start letting the rabbit out.

Let your rabbit out of her cage for brief periods of time. When you allow her out to exercise, if she squats to the toilet, gently pick her up and place her in the litter box that's in her cage. A sign the rabbit is about to eliminate is that she raises her tail in the air slightly. You need to be vigilant for this, but it does help if you can catch her in time.

In the early stages of training, do not let her out for more than ten minutes at a time, and do not leave her unsupervised in a room. Once she is using a tray regularly, you can relax your attention and let her have more freedom.
Also learn Can you house train a goat

How to potty train your baby bunny in 4 steps

 

Now that you have everything ready, here are the steps on how to potty train your baby bunny:

 

1) Set up the litter box inside the cage or pen.

 

Place some newspaper or paper towel at the bottom of the litter box, then add some litter material on top of it. Put some of your bunny's droppings inside the litter box too, so that it recognizes its own scent there-.

 

2) Place hay and food bowls near the litter box.

 

Put some fresh hay inside or on top of the litter box, so that your bunny can nibble on it while using it. Also place its food bowl nearby (but not inside) so that it associates eating with pooping-.

 

3) Confine your baby bunny inside the cage or pen.

 

For at least one week (or until it consistently uses only one spot), keep your baby bunny inside its cage or pen with access only to its food bowl water bottle hidey house and litter box

This will help it learn to not soil its living area, and toilet in the litter box instead-

 

4) Gradually expand its space outside the cage or pen

 

Once your baby bunny has mastered using the litter box inside the cage or pen, you can start letting it out for supervised playtime in other areas of the house However, you should also place additional litter boxes in those areas, especially in corners, as rabbits tend to choose corners for their toilet needs If you notice any accidents outside, gently pick up your bunny and place it back into its original litter box This will reinforce where it should go-