Do you have a decorative pet rabbit? Amazing. It’s so cute, it’s true, when such a cutie jumps under your feet, he’s fluffy and nice, but all the charm of owning a pet rabbit can be ruined by his habit of making puddles and scattering peas anywhere.
In principle, decorative rabbits are very clean animals. They carefully look after their skin, wash themselves with their paws, lick themselves and do not like to sit in the dirt. Usually there are no special problems with the toilet.
What kind of tray should a rabbit have?
For a rabbit, both a specialized corner tray and a cat litter box are suitable. The corner tray is placed in the cage and hooked to the bars of the lattice. These trays are made of plastic. They have a very high side, and I'll tell you why. When a rabbit walks small, it presses its butt against the corner of the tray and lifts its tail high, and this can cause it to miss if the side is too low. Therefore, a regular cat litter box for a cage is not very suitable, but it is suitable when the rabbit is walking around the apartment. The corner tray cannot be pulled out of the cage; it will fall, but the cat's tray is stable.
Difficulties in training and ways to solve them
Below are the most common problems that arise during training.
walks by
This is probably due to the container leaking. You need to carefully check its bottom. If this is indeed the case, then you can place a tray down.
The reason may also lie in the walls being too low. You will have to change the toilet or make the layer of filler thinner.
If the rabbit continues to miss, the only solution is to place a rubber mat next to the tray. This will simplify the cleaning process.
Sleeping inside
This behavior of the pet means that he is more comfortable in the tray. In order for the rabbit to sleep in the right place, you need to reconsider the features of its arrangement. The bedroom should be warm, with plenty of hay, closed from prying eyes.
Throws out contents
You can try changing the filler. If this does not help, the only option is to purchase a tray with completely closed walls.
Rabbit eats litter
Many owners of furry animals are wondering if the rabbit has litter for the toilet, what to do. It is recommended to show the animal to a veterinarian, because... This phenomenon is associated with serious reasons.
Why does he eat inedible things?
Experts identify several reasons:
- the rabbit is not allowed to eat its own feces;
- the animal has intestinal worms;
- the pet has dystrophy or malnutrition;
- the rabbit does not have enough fluid in its diet;
- the animal is poorly and insufficiently fed;
- The pet is in some pain.
The rabbit must be allowed to eat its own feces. They contain many nutrients. In this way, animals make up for their deficiency.
Where to put a tray for a domestic rabbit
Let's decide that it is not you who will decide where to put the tray, but the rabbit himself. When you buy a rabbit, pay attention to which corner of the cage it goes to the toilet. This is where you will need to put the tray. If this is not possible, observe your pet and see which corner it chooses in your cage. Usually this is a corner diagonally from the sleeping place. We install the toilet in this corner. When walking around the apartment, the animal also usually goes to one place, and a second (walking) toilet should be placed there.
Filler selection
When choosing a filler, you should take into account that rabbits are extremely curious: they can try anything that interests them. That is why the material must be, first of all, safe.
Did you know? Rabbits are often characters in children's books - these include "Alice in Wonderland", and "Winnie the Pooh", and "Peter Rabbit", as well as many fairy tales from around the world
The Frenchwoman Genevieve Hurie did not ignore the fluffy one either. She began writing stories about a rabbit family back in 1987; to date, more than twenty stories have been created, and some stories have been filmed.
Granular form
Granulated sawdust is safe in case of accidental ingestion and absorbs odor well. By absorbing feces, the granules swell but do not spread, which makes them easy to clean. In place of the removed lump, fresh mixture is poured, so the consumption is small. The granules have a woody smell, which does not scare away or alarm the animal.
Sawdust and paper
Sawdust and paper can be used as filler, but in this case the tray will require more frequent care and washing. The materials do not absorb “aromas” and moisture very well, and they creep apart.
You will probably be interested to know how many years rabbits of different breeds live.
How to fill the tray
The toilet is installed, now you need to pour filler into the tray. Any filler for rodents (pressed sawdust) or cats will do. Please note once again that the sawdust should be pressed in the form of granules, and not the kind that can be collected at a sawmill.
Pour the litter only into the tray, otherwise your decorative pet will think that the toilet is everywhere, and you won’t be able to train him to go to the corner. For the first time, you can lay a piece of fabric in the living part of the cage; it will make it easier to shake off the poop into the tray.
Creating optimal conditions
It's worth remembering the following:
- most rodents spend a lot of time in the toilet
- Rabbit urine has a very strong smell
- rabbits eat their droppings
How to choose a filler?
It is necessary to choose a safe filler based on paper, unprocessed aspen sawdust, special wood pellets, and alfalfa-based oat grain. Cat litter is not suitable for this purpose.
Important! You can lay newspaper or film under the filler, then cleaning the tray will be faster. Before using the newspaper, it is important to make sure that the ink does not leave stains on the rabbit's fur, as such marks can be toxic.
Pressed pallets are a good option: they are non-toxic, easy to use, and if a rabbit eats them, they will also not cause any harm. Another suitable type of filler is citrus-based.
Not recommended:
- Use sawdust containing oils (pine, cedar, etc.) as a filler, as fumes can irritate the rabbit's lungs.
- Fill the tray with sand (this sedimentary rock is also bad for the animal's lungs).
- Cover the tray with torn newspapers - such a mass will quickly get wet and become unusable.
- Use clay as a filler: the rabbit may start eating it and clog the intestines. Clay litter is very dusty and can cause pneumonia in your rabbit.
- Earth is also not suitable as a filler, since animals like to dig in the ground, which can result in a lot of dust.
- Use untreated sawdust as a basis - they absorb moisture much worse, and the dust from them will prevent your pet from breathing freely.
- You should not use litters made from corn, as the rabbit will prefer to eat them and quickly gain weight.
- Deodorizing crystals can be toxic.
- Clumping litters accumulate inside the rabbit's digestive and respiratory tracts, causing problems and leading to the death of the animal.
Important! Rabbits, unlike cats, do not bury their waste, so there is no need to add a thick layer of litter.
How to train
So, in your cage there is a tray filled with compressed sawdust. All the preparatory work has been done, you can train it. Actually, if the cage is clean and the litter in the pot is fresh, the rabbit will most likely immediately go into the litter box to pee. If you do pass by, we collect some of it, put it in a tray, wash the floor of the cage thoroughly with soap so that there is no smell, and then wipe it dry. If you went to another corner, we wipe everything and rearrange the tray.
Watch the baby rabbit, as soon as he sits down and characteristically lifts his tail, put him in the tray.
But with peas the situation is more complicated. Babies do not have much control over the act of defecation. Rabbits eat constantly, and their intestines also produce feces constantly. Your decorative little friend just isn't feeling it. With age, self-control improves. Therefore, you should not demand everything from your pet at once. If he piled it up, put it in the tray, let him understand where it belongs and where it doesn’t belong. Patience and patience again, let him grow up to 4 months, don’t give up and don’t stop training your pet to use the tray day after day. In fact, rabbits are very smart; they can not only be toilet trained, but also trained. They can respond to a nickname, understand the command “fu” and jump over a stick or over your leg.
Additional Tips
Some more useful tips:
- Do not hit the animal if it defecates in the wrong place.
- It is easier to litter train an older rabbit than a baby.
- Training will be easier if a clear schedule of all procedures is drawn up. You need to stick to it every day.
- Good fillers: sawdust, shavings, scraps of newspaper, straw, oats.
- Change the litter daily.
- The cage should be selected in such a size that the pot fits in it.
- To prevent the rabbit from having the desire to mark territory, let him feel like the owner of his house.
Find out how to keep decorative rabbits in an apartment.
As you can see, potty training a long-eared dog is a necessary and easy task. With patience and perseverance, a positive result can be achieved after a week of training.
Tray for walking around the apartment
When a rabbit runs around the apartment, that is, it is not in a cage, access to the toilet must be provided. Either raise one wall in the cage, or put it outside the cage, or use an additional (cat) litter box so that the baby can use it at any moment. Rabbits can even be patient for a little while if they want something small, but if the tray is far away, they simply won’t be able to find it by smell. And again, if you see that the tail is lifting, put it in the tray. If the matter is already in progress, you can shout “ugh” and immediately transfer it to the tray.
If the animal persistently shits on the floor, place a walking tray in this place. But don’t think that you will completely get rid of peas on the floor, as already mentioned - this is a feature of the rabbit’s gastrointestinal tract. If you need sterility when walking around the apartment, put diapers on your rabbit. Just not for long, otherwise he will completely forget how to go to the litter box.
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.
The best ways to keep your pet clean
The first step is to give your pet a separate place where he will feel comfortable. You should not let your baby rabbit run around the house, as in this case, messy bowel movements cannot be avoided. It is also not recommended to punish the rabbit for his misdeeds, as he will get very stressed and it will be more difficult to teach the rabbit to relieve himself in a certain place.
Containers for defecation should be placed in darkened and secluded corners. You should also choose the right filler. To do this, you need to follow several rules. First, give preference to regular sawdust. Natural material will recreate conditions similar to natural ones for the rabbit.
Secondly, it is often not recommended to change the filler; you need to wait until the young animals get used to the tray. There should be some incense in the container that will remind your pet exactly where to defecate.
Third, it is prohibited to use the same filler that goes on the litter. Because of such a mistake by the owner, the animal will regularly soil it with urine and feces.
