[kjm84]

I got my first rabbit 5 days ago, a black, female, ~6month old, holland lop. She is very friendly, although does not like to be picked up. Anyway, I keep her in her cage and move the cage onto the living room floor when it's time to play (several hours a day). She just runs around and will periodically go over to her cage for some hay or veggies while out. My problem is she keeps jumping on the couch and if I'm not quick to get her off, she will pee and poop on it. She has not peed anywhere else besides her cage except on the couch every night. Any ideas how to get her to realize the couch is not the litter box. BTW, I do have a litterbox in the cage (which she uses as a bed). The living room is not big so I don't see a need for an additional litterbox as she can easily access the cage, but chooses the couch. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

[Nibbler]

is she spayed ? it sounds like she is going through teenage phase. spaying could help with littre box training.Rabbits, go through a teenage phase were often they need to be retrainned to use the box.

 

[Sasami]

Yeah, I agree that she needs to be spayed.

Also, I'd place a second litterbox outside of the cage. It doesn't matter if the living room is small, I've found that it helps a lot . Make sure to keep both boxes stocking with plenty of fresh hay.

While spaying usually helps, some rabbits still do potty on soft things...like couches and beds. Sometimes it's just a phase but either way the best thing to do is to prevent the bunny from going on the furniture in the first place.

 

[kjm84]

ok thanks for the information. I can't get her spayed right now. I have throughly cleaned the couch so hopefully she can't smell the pee on it anymore. I will get another litterbox, maybe that will help because she already knows the cage is hers so maybe she's trying to declare the living room hers as well...? She's definitely not allowed on the furniture, but its happened when I left the room for a minute. I'll just have to make absolutely sure she has enough litterboxes with hay in them and can't get on the couch. Thanks again!

 

[Sasami]

Good luck!

Just make sure you get her spayed as soon as you're able to or things may get worse. Females need to be spayed anyway or they're very prone to reproductive cancers.

 

[kjm84]

Since I'm a new rabbit owner I was easily misled. She is not a female afterall (as I was told), but most definitely a male. I'm curious if this changes litterbox habits at all. Male vs female?

 

[Sasami]

Since I'm a new rabbit owner I was easily misled. She is not a female afterall (as I was told), but most definitely a male. I'm curious if this changes litterbox habits at all. Male vs female?

When fixed, both are equally easy to litter-train in my experience . The difference between intact rabbits is that males often spray urine as adults to mark territory...not fun! Luckily for you, neutering is cheaper than spaying.

 

[Purple-Hops]

It's sometimes hard to tell baby bunnies males from females! We spent about an hour picking out Acacia 5 years ago bc we needed a female. Males keep it tucked inside, if you know what I mean!!
Anyway, a vet will tell you the best path to take. If it's a female, have her spayed as soon as you can. If it's a male, I would have him neutered bc male pee spray is a far worse (and grosser) problem than a piddle on the couch!!
The litter in the cage is also used as a bed? That could be the problem. He might not be litter trained at all. A bunny should never use his pee area as a bed!! How big is the cage? And is the litter separate from the bedding? To reduce confusion, the litter box substrate should differ from the cage liner and bedding substrate. Paper pellets or kiln dried kitty pine are good for pee box litter. While something softer like fleece is a preffered bedding
As Sasami stated as well, bunnies just like to pee on soft things sometimes. I NEVER have a problem with Acacia unless she's on our bed for too long. And "too long" to her is like 10 minutes. She's perfectly litter trained everywhere else. Silly buns!!
An important note to make, never scold your bunny for peeing on the couch or for anything. Harsh language and sharp voices can penetrate your bonding process. Bunnies are sensitive, and they don't pee to be manevolent! They just don't know.
To get the smell and stain off the couch (and to increase the chances of him not doing it over and over) pick up some Nature's Miracle. It's enzymatic formula breaks down odors and stuff in the fibres of the couch
Good luck!

 

[kjm84]

He is definitely a male bunny, we were told a female, but I have since seen all male parts. The cage is pretty big (3 levels too) with a litter box inside with carefresh for litter. His litter box wasn't supposed to be his bed (he has one in his cage), he had just decided to make it his bed. With some rearranging of the cage, I have gotten him to pretty much stop sleeping in the litterbox, but he really doesn't use it for potty much either (we're working on it). At first I had carefresh for all bedding, but realized that would prob confuse him in terms of where to potty. So now it's carefresh in litterbox, paper on bottom on cage and a fleece blanket for bed on 3rd level (where he has since chosen to start sleeping). No more potty on couch as we won't allow him up, we put a litterbox on the living room floor too, he goes in to eat hay sometimes poops in it but never pees. It's my first bunny so still trying to figure this litterbox training all out.

It's sometimes hard to tell baby bunnies males from females! We spent about an hour picking out Acacia 5 years ago bc we needed a female. Males keep it tucked inside, if you know what I mean!!
Anyway, a vet will tell you the best path to take. If it's a female, have her spayed as soon as you can. If it's a male, I would have him neutered bc male pee spray is a far worse (and grosser) problem than a piddle on the couch!!
The litter in the cage is also used as a bed? That could be the problem. He might not be litter trained at all. A bunny should never use his pee area as a bed!! How big is the cage? And is the litter separate from the bedding? To reduce confusion, the litter box substrate should differ from the cage liner and bedding substrate. Paper pellets or kiln dried kitty pine are good for pee box litter. While something softer like fleece is a preffered bedding
As Sasami stated as well, bunnies just like to pee on soft things sometimes. I NEVER have a problem with Acacia unless she's on our bed for too long. And "too long" to her is like 10 minutes. She's perfectly litter trained everywhere else. Silly buns!!
An important note to make, never scold your bunny for peeing on the couch or for anything. Harsh language and sharp voices can penetrate your bonding process. Bunnies are sensitive, and they don't pee to be manevolent! They just don't know.
To get the smell and stain off the couch (and to increase the chances of him not doing it over and over) pick up some Nature's Miracle. It's enzymatic formula breaks down odors and stuff in the fibres of the couch
Good luck!

 

[Sasami]

Once neutered, there isn't much actual training involved. They tend to just go in the litterbox, especially if there's hay in there to munch on . Putting the litterbox where they tend to have accidents also helps.