Contrary to common belief, rabbits are far from being a messy kind of pet. In fact, they choose a certain spot where they could use as a toilet area most of the time. If you are a pet rabbit owner who wants to learn how to litter train your rabbit in a hutch, this article will help make it easier. Rabbit litter training is a big help in rearing your bunny. All you need is to keep these following steps in mind, from choosing the correct rabbit litter tray to congratulating your bunny for a job well done.
Step One: Choose a rabbit litter tray.
There is no need for you to stress over what type of rabbit litter tray to buy. A normal cat litter tray with shallow sides, which allow your rabbit to hop in easily, is enough.
You can also improvise by using a shallow storage tub. However, if the sides are too tall, you can create a hole that will act as the doorway. On the other hand, you can recycle a shallow cardboard box and turn it into a rabbit litter tray. Just keep in mind that you have to replace it frequently since it usually gets chewed.
Another important factor to consider is the size of the rabbit litter tray. It must be large enough for your bunny to fit into, but also with a room to spare for some hopping space and some hay.
Photo Credit: pigs n buns
Step Two: Buy the right litter.
Since rabbit eating litter is not uncommon, using organic litter, made from alfalfa, oat, citrus, or paper, is the safest option recommended by the House Rabbit Society.
Using hay as a litter is also another alternative. Keep in mind to place layers of newspaper below the hay in order to absorb the urine. You also need to change the hay regularly since your rabbit will love to munch on it. The use of hay as litter is strongly recommended because it encourages good litter habit and at the same time encourages hay consumption to your rabbit.
Step Three: Find a good spot in your home.
Do you still remember that rabbits tend to choose a particular area to relieve themselves? If your rabbit shows this habit even before the litter training, then lucky you! Take note of that location because that is the most convenient location where you can place your rabbit litter trays.
However, you must make sure that it is far away from foot traffic. Your fluffy companion would not appreciate any disturbance whilst it is in the middle of relieving oneself. This step is a tricky balancing act between finding a location you can easily remember, choosing an area that is not in the middle of everything, and making sure that your bunny is comfortable with it.
Step Four: Setting up your rabbit litter tray.
Scoop some of the rabbit pellets and place them into the tray. After that, fill in space below the litter tray with folded sheets of newspaper. Then spread roughly one inch of the litter that you bought on top of the newspaper. By doing this, you are able to place a small amount of your bunny’s scent into the box. This will give your rabbit an idea that it is the correct place to relieve oneself.
Step Five: Add your bunny to the litter tray.
Introduce the bunny to the litter tray, which is also its training area now. Since this is your first time, you must stay and observe in order to facilitate how things might go. It is not a rare scenario for a bunny to leave the litter tray and poo or urinate on the floor. Since it’s its first time in litter training, it is understandable.
Pick up the bunny and its droppings, and then return both of them into the litter tray. Keep the litter tray a little bit dirty whilst the rabbit is still on its learning phase. If you clean the litter tray too much, it might get the message that it’s is not supposed to use it.
Don’t forget to spend more time with your bunny in order to train it better. If you need to leave, do not let it stay inside the rabbit litter tray and return it back to its cage.
You might want to consider your bunny getting spayed or neutered since it is easier to train them. Spayed and neutered rabbits don’t have strong inclination to mark their territory by urinating or defaecating.
Step Six: Always remember to reward your bunny if it did great.
Photo Credit: lovekumao
Reward your bunny every time it uses the litter tray. You can pet it, give it healthy treats, or simply do both. This will aid it in associating its relieving with something good happening. It will encourage it to keep in mind where to relieve itself.
Step Seven: Patience.
Rabbit litter training is a pretty tricky thing to do. But always remember to be patient when training your bunny and don’t be too hard on yourself or on it. Good things will take time and surely it will yield a good outcome.
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