Litter Box Training Tips
Long time bun-parents know well that rabbits can be trained to use a litter box. This is good news since rabbits can poop up to 200-300 poops a day! So how do you exactly teach them how to use the potty?
1. Choose a good litter box. Spacious, accessible and easy to clean. One that has a plastic mesh would be ideal so their paws will not get soiled, and they won't be able to dig their litter box!
2. Place the litter box where your bunny likes to do his/her business. The best area to place their litter box is near their hay rack. Rabbits tend to poop while they eat, so placing their litter box beside or below their hay rack would be effective.
3. Place your rabbit's poop inside the litter box. If he/she pees outside, get a tissue to wipe it off then place the tissue inside the litter box. This will encourage your rabbit to use the potty since it has his/her scent.
4. If you see your rabbit preparing to pee or poop outside of the litter box (he/she will put his butt or tail up!), try to catch your rabbit before he pees/poop. Place him/her inside the litter box and hopefully, he/she will continue his/her business there.
5. Keep repeating #3 and #4. Have lots of patience! It usually takes a lot of time and repetition for them to use their litter box on their own.
6. Remember that rabbits who are spayed or neutered are easier to train since they are less territorial. Young and territorial rabbits will pee in random places to mark their territory.
7. To clean accidents outside of the litter box, soak in vinegar then wipe clean. This will help remove the scent so your rabbit does not pee on the spot again.
8. For your bunny's first successful attempts in using the litter box on his/her own, you can give him/her a small treat as a reward.
9. Do not expect them to be 100% perfectly potty trained! Rabbits, no matter how long they've been litter box trained, will sometimes pee or poop outside of their potty.