Litter box training is so simple with rabbits it’s virtually effortless. Here are the steps I used to train Miss Maggie.
1.) Assemble Litter Box- I took a standard size cat litter box and added 1 inch of Oxbow Naturals Comfort Blend bedding to the bottom. On top of that, I placed a layer of loose Timothy Hay to encourage foraging
2.) Observe Going Patterns- I noticed after about 3 days with Maggie that there was a specific corner of her kennel she preferred to go potty in. I placed the litter box in that corner and mounded the hay up on the opposite side of the box. Rabbits like to go potty as they forage, so having the hay in front of her favorite potty spot encouraged her to use the litter.
3.)Clean up accidents quickly- Rabbits are very sensitive to scent. I noticed that any time I had on a sweatshirt that I wore while playing with or brushing the dogs, Maggie didn’t want to come to me or be held because I smelled like the animals she was afraid of. So, I applied this knowledge to her litter training; if she smelled her scent, that signaled to her that particular area was hers and safe. I neutralized her scent by keeping a spray bottle with a mix of white vinegar and lemon oil handy. By cleaning up her accidents that weren’t localized to the litter box, she began to learn that only her litter box contained her scent. That became her safe place to forage and eliminate.
4.) Let it Be- for the first few days, I cleaned out only her kennel floor and left her litter box alone, only adding hay and a thin layer of bedding. This ensured she didn’t get confused or forget where her potty spot was because the scent stayed in the box.
That’s it! After two weeks, she still has the occasional accident if she is startled while she is out of her kennel exploring, but she urinates exclusively in the box now! It was such a smooth transition, I wish potty training my son would be that easy.
Wholly Holy Living 