How to litter train rabbits: effective methods and useful tips

How to choose a toilet

You need to choose the tray correctly, otherwise your pet may refuse to go there. The size of the toilet should be comfortable so as not to oppress the animal. If he feels cramped, he will find another place to fuse his needs. The edges should be smooth to eliminate the chance of injury. A healthy pet is very active and can easily get hurt.

A plastic cat litter box is often chosen for a rabbit. It is quite voluminous and has smooth sides. Particularly suitable for dwarf breeds. Some trays have rods; it is better to remove them so as not to create discomfort for delicate paw pads.

Any vessel of suitable size can be used as a toilet. It should be more or less warm. Sometimes metal basins are used, in which case more filler is needed so that the animal does not feel the cold.

You can train a rabbit to use the toilet in an apartment only if it is comfortable there.

Is it possible to shape toilet behavior in rabbits?

The life of animals is mainly determined by instincts. Wild rabbits live in burrows. These are very clean animals. Adult animals do not crap in their home. They endure, get out of their holes and move a few meters away.

Domestic rabbits behave the same way, even if they have never gone outside. This is genetic memory. Therefore, pets, as a rule, “misbehave” not out of harm or stupidity, but simply do not understand the differences between a carpet or sofa and a special tray.

To toilet train your rabbit, you need to explain where you can do your business. It is important to form a habit, so training begins at a young age: from 8-10 weeks. It's easier if the rabbit goes into the tray. Then the cubs repeat her behavior.

However, there is no need to give up on an adult animal. The older the animal, the cleaner it is. Little rabbits do not think about self-control, but gradually, by three months, everything changes.

At the age of several months, animals begin to mark their territory. This is not just going to the toilet, but sexual behavior or a “struggle for power.”

Filler selection

Large filler is poured into the purchased tray. If it is sawdust, then only from deciduous trees. They are not harmful and quickly absorb unpleasant odors. Cat litter is designed specifically for cats and is infused with chemicals to kill bacteria and odors. Rabbits are constantly looking for something to chew; getting such chemicals into their mouths can end in disaster.

If sawdust is not available, it can be replaced with hay or straw. As a last resort, use torn colorless paper. There should be no inscriptions or other colors on it.

Features of taming a decorative rabbit

After creating favorable living conditions for the little rabbit, the owner will have to start raising the furry pet.
He will need to be tamed first. After which you can begin training and accustoming the animal to the tray. The decorative rabbit is a shy creature. You cannot catch an animal in a cage in order to play with it. The pet will be afraid of hands, resist the owner’s caresses, and perceive them as aggression towards itself.

At first, it is necessary to give the animal the opportunity to adapt to new living conditions. If the rabbit washes itself, tries the food, and settles down in the cage, it means it has settled into its new “home.”

The pet is tamed gradually. Sudden movements near the cage are unacceptable. You should speak to your pet in a low voice. The animal needs a calm environment without loud noises that frighten it.

The little rabbit must get used to the hands of the owner. To do this, he is allowed to sniff the palm. It is advisable to have a treat in your hand. This will endear the rabbit to the person.

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You can gently stroke your pet's head. But if he shrinks into a ball, you should refrain from caressing him. You cannot hang over the cage. This scares the baby. It is preferable to communicate with your pet by sitting down next to his “house”.

The rabbit responds to affection. He likes scratching his back and stroking his forehead. Pets should be petted when they are outside the home. Forcibly pulling it out of the cage will be perceived as aggression on the part of the owner.

Sometimes the animal may kick and attempt to bite the owner. Aggressive behavior in a rabbit is provoked by:

fear of animals;
unpleasant sensations caused to him (if the pet is taken by the withers or stroked on the nose);
desire to protect one's territory;
sexual arousal of the pet.

With gentle and patient treatment, the aggressive animal will eventually calm down and stop attacking the owner. You cannot hit, raise your voice, or offend your pet. He will be afraid of the owner and behave aggressively.

Tray in the apartment

Decorative rabbits walk around the house during the day, only in the evening they are locked in a cage, and even then not always. It is important to potty train your rabbit in an apartment so that it knows where to go. If the tray is placed very close in the cage, then the house is very large, it will be more difficult to train to the toilet. In this case, you will need several devices; they should be in every room. Mostly placed in corners. If possible, observe your pet which place he chooses for himself. Most likely, this will be a corner or area near the wall. Be careful, if you miss a moment, you will have to do unpleasant cleaning.

Selecting a tray and filler

The container that is installed in the cage must be spacious enough. After all, the animal, before squirming around there for a long time, turns over before relieving itself.

Therefore, you should choose a tray that is heavy enough so that it cannot be knocked over, then it will only go there. The poop container can be placed inside or outside the cage.

Special trays designed for rabbits have a low side on one side for the convenience of the pet. The back walls are usually higher; they prevent the filler from falling out of the structure.

Triangular-shaped plastic trays that are placed in the corner of the room are easy to use and maintain; the walls of the tray serve as a support and such a container is more difficult to turn over; however, if the walls are lattice, it is better to attach the tray to the rods.

When purchasing, they are guided by the size of an adult decorative rabbit; very soon he will not be able to use a small tray.

Today in pet stores you can find all kinds of trays for animals, but the most popular among them are only two types:

When keeping a rabbit in a small area, the most convenient is a corner tray. It has a triangular shape, which allows you to install it in one of the corners of the cage with minimal waste of free space.
When keeping an animal in a large cage or in a special enclosure, a small rectangular tray is optimal. Its main advantage is the ability to install anywhere.

For dwarf rabbits, corner trays with high sides are suitable. Products made from hard plastic are ideal. Natural wood filler is used as filler. Some owners do without filler, they use a lattice.

Training procedure

After choosing the right place, let's return to the most important thing, training the rabbit to use a tray in a cage and apartment. First, let's try to train a decorative animal. Come up with a command that will signal your pet to go to the place you have designated. Once you have installed the toilet, show it to your rabbit and repeat the command several times.

Let's be honest, he won't understand anything the first time. Let's move on to training. Keep a close eye on your subordinate, wait until he wants to poop. As soon as it begins to take the desired position, carefully pick it up and transfer it to the tray. Point your finger and repeat the command. After a few lessons, the rabbit will understand the lesson.

Not everyone has the time and desire to run after their pet and wait until it wants to poop. To train a rabbit to go to the toilet in one place, you need to collect its poop and take it there. Then take the animal and let it smell a new place. We do the same with urine, transferring some of the aroma to the tray. Training takes place quickly; in a few procedures, the rabbit will learn to go to the toilet in the apartment. It is very important to completely remove the smell left in all other places.

Education

If everything doesn't work out, you need to be patient. The animals are smart and trainable. Littering a rabbit is a fairly simple task. They master much more complex things.

Tray in a cage

Training depends on where you plan to install a toilet for the rabbit. If it is a cage, you need to observe which corner the animal chooses. An unauthorized toilet is usually located diagonally from the resting place. They place a cat litter box or a special litter box for rabbits.

A rabbit corner pot is more convenient to use in a cage. It has a higher tailgate, so the animal does not miss. Use litter for cats or rodents. Sawdust must be pressed or granulated. The pet gets used to the fact that it needs to go to the toilet using litter, so it is placed only in the tray. It is better to remove sawdust accidentally scattered in the cage immediately.

Animals, as a rule, quickly agree to go to the proposed place. It is necessary that everything is clean, the filler must be fresh. There are several important points:

In case of failure, part of the “gift” (bedding, feces, napkin with urine) is placed in the tray. The rest is thoroughly cleaned, the floor is washed with soap. For training, it is necessary that there is no smell left anywhere except the toilet. Then the animal recognizes its work and repeats it in the tray.
Sometimes the rabbit comes to the wrong corner where he was expected. The tray will have to be moved to a new location.
Animals can be “caught red-handed.” It is necessary to notice when the rabbit adjusts and raises its tail, then it will be possible to transplant it in time. The animal does everything in the right place, it develops a habit.
Change the filler often - at least once a day . It is advisable not to delay this, especially if the animal misses. General cleaning is done once a week.
A little hay near the tray is a big help. The rabbit enjoys a treat and undergoes training along the way.
Encouragement is important. If successful, the pet is rewarded with something special, such as a piece of apple or carrot.

Tray in the house

When the animal is walking around the apartment, a cat potty is more suitable. It is stable on the floor and does not tip over. The rules here are the same as when working in a cage, but there are some peculiarities. To teach toilet behavior in an apartment, you need to remember:

There should be no obstacles on the way. To do this, raise the wall in the cage, use two trays - in the rabbit house and in the apartment.
Long distance is also a hindrance. The rabbit does not pick up its own scent from the litter box. Then he chooses the option at his discretion.
There is no need to hit an animal, even if it damages laminate flooring or your favorite carpet. This will not bring educational benefits. The animals' health is not particularly good, and serious injuries are possible. The voice works no worse than the hands. The command can be anything, even “fu”, like for dogs. The main thing is calm, strict intonation and consistency. The animal will be wary and guess the reason for the owner’s dissatisfaction. The more often and in time the rabbit is “reproached” and transferred to the tray, the better he understands the connection.

It’s not easy to completely get rid of solid waste on the floor of your apartment. This is a feature of digestion. Rabbits constantly eat, digest food and get rid of everything unnecessary. Sometimes “peas” on the floor should not be allowed. There are special diapers that can be put on, for example, before guests arrive. Although this should not be abused: the animal forgets everything it knows how to do.

The rabbit refuses to go to the litter box

Training does not always bring the desired result. If after two weeks you still haven’t been able to train him to the tray, you need to look for the source of the problem. There are several common reasons:

During the mating season, an uncastrated rabbit is extremely difficult to tame.
Inconvenient or too small tray. Pay attention to the placement of the animal on it; there should be some space left on all sides. With dwarf rabbits it is easier in this regard.
The problem is in the filler, it gives off a bad smell.
The space inside the cage is poorly organized and the pet is uncomfortable.
If a trained fluffy refuses, he experiences stress. Just give it some time to calm down.

The problem of sleeping in the tray

If your pet goes to sleep in his litter box, you should reconsider the conditions in which he is kept. The fact is that for some reason rabbits become uncomfortable sleeping in their cage. This dream happens especially often in the first year of life in a new place. You need to check whether the cage matches the size of the animal, whether the bedding is clean, and whether it is soft. Of course, this is not a big problem. The only problem may be spreading the toilet filler throughout your home.

Things to know

It is very important to be patient and meek. Any aggression or shouting will nullify all efforts. The animal will begin to fear and avoid you. In such a state, no learning will be successful. It is much better to reward the right actions. When your pet is done in the potty, you can give him a treat and stroke his fur.

Decorative rabbits are very emotional and sensitive. Experienced owners know how to train a rabbit to use a litter tray and what is needed for this. They stock up on patience in advance.

If your rabbit sleeps in a litter box, the problem is in the bedding. She is too dirty or inappropriate to avoid contact and he lies down where she is not. There may be other reasons; to find out, observe your pet’s behavior.

Methods of litter box training

How to kill a rabbit

There are several ways to litter train rabbits. One of them is to place several rabbit litter boxes around the living area. The smell of the litter that will be poured into each box will attract the animal. He will also be able to quickly relieve himself wherever he wants, and not run to one toilet, which is located at the other end of the house or apartment. This method should only be used during litter box training. Subsequently, the rabbit will go to one container, to its usual place.

As soon as he independently went to the place indicated to him, he should be encouraged

Another common method is to frequently sit in a tray. This is done every 15 minutes. The exception is when the rabbit is sleeping or eating. As soon as he independently went to the place indicated to him, he should be rewarded with some delicacy.

Some useful tips

We found out whether it is possible to train a rabbit to use a litter tray and how to do it. For faster results, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with several rules and tips.

Before buying an animal, find out where the previous owner had a tray. Ask for dirty litter as a gift, you will need it for training. By placing the toilet in a similar place, the pet will feel a familiar smell there. In the future he will use the pot for its intended purpose.

Clean the tray and change the litter regularly. At first, leave a small part of the old one for the smell. This will be a hint for your pet. If you do not change the litter for more than a week, the pet will stop going to the installed toilet. The pet will perceive the presence of sawdust next to the pot as an extension of the toilet. It’s better not to let it get to this point.

Even if you train your rabbit to use a litter box, you may still see poop scattered around the cage from time to time. They need to be cleaned regularly. The fact is that the animal can poop while feeding. This is a natural process and should not be scolded for it.

Sometimes a rabbit deliberately does not go to the litter tray and chooses another place for the toilet. To cope with this, it is enough to place another device in a new place. Over time, you can remove the second pot. Castration will help correct this behavior.

Step-by-step instructions for toilet training

When the educational process is carried out, you must immediately be consistent and regular. You shouldn’t expect at all that the animal will understand everything on its own, and you certainly shouldn’t be angry with it, as it will only be intimidated.

It will take time and special instructions to train. The animal may learn quickly, or it may take a longer period. First you need to install the tray correctly.

The rabbit must have access to it at any time of the day. You cannot scold your pet for mistakes; this will only lead to frightening the animal, and the matter will not move forward. And you need to encourage and praise the rabbit.

A correctly selected tray is already 90% of success in training an animal.

Let's take a step-by-step look at what needs to be done to get the animal accustomed to the tray:

When buying a baby rabbit, immediately acquire several trays. One of them must be installed directly in the cage, and the others in the apartment. It is advisable to choose secluded places - in corners, under the bed, where the animal will be calm.
Place the litter box in the cage. As soon as you notice that the animal has taken a characteristic pose and is about to do its business, you need to immediately provide it with a tray or force it into it. Accompany your action with a keyword, for example, “tray” or “toilet.”
The animal must be introduced to the toilet container; to do this, it, along with the filler, is placed in a cage for several days. During this time, the pet should get used to the tray and stop perceiving it as a stress factor.
Buy unscented litter and put it in all toilets.
Place a hay container next to the trays to attract your pet. When he wants to eat, he may go to the toilet during the meal, for which he will need to be praised.
If your rabbit has passed in the wrong place, take the dry excrement and place it in the tray. Once the rabbit feels its scent, it will associate the tray with the need to do its business there.
If your pet relieves itself in the corner of the cage, this is where you should move the toilet. This means that the animal chose this place for its needs. Follow the same principle when arranging containers in your apartment.
We install 2 or more containers in the cage and outside it;
Pour the sawdust into the container only;
The phrase “toilet” will help speed up the training to the tray when the animal tries to relieve itself in a special container;
During the first days of your pet’s stay in an apartment or house, you should not let him out of his cage. First he must learn to use the toilet within its boundaries. When the animal has learned its first lesson, you can let it out for a few minutes to walk around the house. During this time you will have to keep an eye on him. As soon as he sits down to defecate or urinate, the pet is carefully picked up and transferred to the toilet.
Reward with food. In nature, rabbits are accustomed to going to the toilet and eating at the same time. A little hay or other treat can serve as a pleasant stimulus and reward.
Never use litter as bedding, otherwise your rabbit will defecate all over the cage.
Do not shout or hit the animal when training your rabbit to use the litter tray in the cage. Strict intonation is allowed, but you should not raise your voice.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that wild rabbits eat and relieve themselves at the same time. Therefore, we advise you to create the same conditions for your decorative rabbit. Place the hay box next to the tray. This will allow the animal to be closer to the natural conditions of its habitat, and you will speed up the process of accustoming to the tray.

The tray needs to be disinfected at least once a week. Now let's talk about whether it is possible to completely clean a rabbit's litter box. Of course, you can use a special sponge or brush, and also use cleaning products that do not have a strong odor.

A rabbit's special love for its litter box is not desirable. This accessory is designed to maintain hygiene, so it is imperative to prevent this phenomenon. Otherwise, it may cause serious infections.