Marking - Paw Talk

**Sasami** · #1 10-20-2005, 11:44 PM

My Rex rabbit, Sparkie, marks. He also leaves tons of droppings everywhere. I don't mind the droppings as much, as I can just sweep them up. However, he also marks things with urine which is quite annoying. He seems to urinate as soon as he gets out of his cage as well...not marking, but just peeing randomly.

He is litter-box trained and is very neat in his cage...yet, as soon as he comes out it's like he forgets all his training

.

He's also extremely territorial and sometimes quite aggressive to other rabbits...but I'll work on that once I get him to stop marking, hehe.

I love him so much but I'm tired of constantly cleaning up after him. Anyone have any ideas? I've never had a rabbit that urinated outside the cage. Maybe I was just lucky, lol.

Oh, and I'm not sure on his age but he's at least 3 or 4 years old and he is neutered.

Catherine · #2 10-21-2005, 12:01 AM

First question I was going to ask, was he neutered LOL but I guess you answered it.

If he doesn't like the other bunnies, he is probably feeling the need to show that he owns the place, by marking it and peeing. Can you let him have out of cage time in a room, that the other rabbits don't use? See if that makes a difference to his behavior.

Also if he does pee, you need to get the smell out asap or he will just go in that spot again.

Does he just go all over, or does he do it in the same spots each time? If he was doing it in the same spots, maybe you could try him with a litter tray out of the cage, aswell as in it.

**Sasami** · #3 10-21-2005, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catherine


	First question I was going to ask, was he neutered LOL but I guess you answered it. If he doesn't like the other bunnies, he is probably feeling the need to show that he owns the place, by marking it and peeing. Can you let him have out of cage time in a room, that the other rabbits don't use? See if that makes a difference to his behavior. Also if he does pee, you need to get the smell out asap or he will just go in that spot again. Does he just go all over, or does he do it in the same spots each time? If he was doing it in the same spots, maybe you could try him with a litter tray out of the cage, aswell as in it.

Yup, he is neutered, LOL. He just doesn't act like it.

I'll try having him out in another room...I just don't like to do that because then it's harder to get him back in his cage. I've let him out in other rooms before and he has had accidents, but not as many.

He goes all over the place. I clean up the accidents as soon as he goes (except a couple that I didn't notice until later).

I do have a litterbox outside the cage as well.

Thanks for the ideas =)

Millimi · #4 10-21-2005, 07:34 PM

Harry is just like that too. He's a rex, has a litterbox, and is fixed. Maybe it's just a rex thing? If you find a solution, let me know. I have noticed that when I don't feed him baby carrots his droppings aren't everywhere and they are firmer, so I don't feed them anymore. Maybe you should try that? Good luck!

Purplebunny · #5 10-21-2005, 07:41 PM

Mine have litterboxes all around the shed and they still miss..

**Sasami** · #6 10-21-2005, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millimi


	Harry is just like that too. He's a rex, has a litterbox, and is fixed. Maybe it's just a rex thing? If you find a solution, let me know. I have noticed that when I don't feed him baby carrots his droppings aren't everywhere and they are firmer, so I don't feed them anymore. Maybe you should try that? Good luck!

Maybe it is a Rex thing

. He doesn't really eat baby carrots as he doesn't like them much. Occasionally he gets a whole carrot as a hand-fed treat but that's not very often and it doesn't make much of a difference.

I'll let ya know if I find a solution.

**Sasami** · #7 10-27-2005, 05:08 PM

Update: He's getting a little better but still seems to mark alot. But I did notice that he almost never has accidents anywhere else in the house...just my room. Seems Catherine was right

. The only problem with letting him out in different places is that the whole time he mostly just tries to get back in my room (he gets nervous when he's away from my room). Which means that while he's out I have to close my door so he can't get in and then the other rabbits are stuck in my room, lol. So I'm still trying to get him to stop marking in my room.