Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 4: Gather the supplies
• Part 2 of 4: Preparing the litter box and your cage
• Part 3 of 4: Training your rabbit
• Part 4 of 4: Cleaning the bin and dealing with accidents
• Tips
• Warnings

Do you want to let your new bunny walk around the house, but are you afraid that you will find small droppings everywhere? Do not worry. Rabbits are naturally very clean and can easily be house trained. Gather the right supplies, make a "rabbit box" and teach your rabbit to use it.

To step

Part 1 of 4: Gather the supplies

1. Buy a container. A container for rabbits to use has a raised edge at the back (so that the filling doesn't fly everywhere when he scrapes) and a low front (so he can get in and out more easily). You can also buy multiple bins and place them in different places around the house so you can take turns cleaning them.
   • You don't have to buy a special rabbit box. A litter box with low sides is also fine, and a shallow box will work too (although you will have to replace it more often because they will chew on it).
2. Grab some newspapers. Use the newspapers to line the bottom of the container to make it easier to clean.
   • Most newspapers these days are printed with soy-based inks, which are non-toxic to rabbits, but check before using them. The ink can also transfer to your rabbit's coat, causing black or gray spots.
3. Buy the correct filling. Choose a product that is safe for rabbits, such as a paper-based filling or untreated wood chips. Do not use coniferous shreds, as they contain oil that can irritate your rabbit's lungs
   • Do not use clay pellets or cat litter. If your rabbit eats this, it can stick together in its stomach.
4. Buy a cage. The cage should be three to six times the length of your rabbit. The first step in house training your rabbit is to lock him in a cage with food, water and a hiding place in one corner, and the litter box in the other corner. If he has little space he will not want to pollute his habitat and go to the bathroom in the tank.
5. Buy good quality hay. Use the hay to lure your rabbit to the bowl. Rabbits like to chew on something while they are pooping, so that way you get him to use the bowl.
6. Buy a scoop and a disinfectant. You have to scoop the filling that contains urine out of the container every day. The entire container must be disinfected at least once a week. Buy a disinfectant that is especially suitable for small pets.

Part 2 of 4: Preparing the litter box and your cage

1. Prepare the tray. Cover the bottom of the tray with newspaper. Sprinkle about 2-3 cm of stuffing on the newspaper. Rabbits don't bury their poop the way cats do, so it doesn't have to be a deep layer of stuffing.
2. Put a few pots in the container. Pick up some straws and put them in the rabbit's box. Then your rabbit will smell its own scent so it knows it is the right place to poop.
3. Put the tray in the cage. Place the litter box in one corner of the cage and put some fresh hay in it, or attach the hay rack to that side of the cage. Rabbits like to eat while defecating, so some tasty hay lures him to the bowl.
4. Make a place to sleep and a dining area in the cage. Make a place to sleep on the other side of the cage and place a bowl with food, water and a hiding place there. Then he can hide somewhere and he feels safe.
5. Place rabbit boxes elsewhere in your home. Place several rabbit trays where your rabbit is allowed to roam. The more containers you have, the sooner your rabbit will use one of them.
   • When using the tray for the first time, check where your rabbit poops. Usually it is somewhere in the back corner. If you know where his favorite place is, put the permanent rabbit box there.

Part 3 of 4: Training your rabbit

1. Start training your rabbit as soon as you get it in the house. Adult rabbits are easier to train than young rabbits (under four months). But it's never too early to toilet train him. As soon as you have your rabbit, make a rabbit box right away and teach him how to use it. Have patience, then he will eventually learn.
   • If he poops next to the bowl in the beginning, scoop up the drip and put them in the bowl to show where they actually belong.
2. Consider having your rabbit spayed or neutered. An adult rabbit that has not yet been helped is more aggressive and wants to mark its territory. He does this by placing urine and droppings around the house, like scent flags. If you let your rabbit help, it will be easier to house train, because it will have less territorial urge.
3. Teach your rabbit to use the tray in his cage. In the beginning it is good to keep the rabbit in its cage so that it learns not to soil its eating and sleeping areas. This will only take a few days, and once he understands this, you can let him out.
4. Always let your rabbit out of the cage for a while. If you let him out to run and you see him wanting to poop, pick him up carefully and place him on the litter box in the cage. You notice that he wants to poop when he lifts his tail a little. You will have to pay very close attention to this, but it will help if you can pick it up on time.
   • Don't let him out for more than ten minutes at first, and don't leave him alone in the room (you want to be able to get him before he poops). Once he uses the box regularly, you can give him a little more space.
5. Reward your rabbit for using the tray. Don't get angry or yell if he's not pooping on the bowl. Rabbits don't learn this way. Staying positive and rewarding works much better.
   • Give a small treat, such as a small piece of apple or carrot, right after he uses the tray. Then there is a positive relationship between defecation and the bowl.
6. Adjust the number of bins. If your rabbit uses the box more often, you can adjust the number of boxes or place them in different places.
   • For example, if your rabbit only uses two bowls and ignores the rest, you can remove them. If your rabbit ignores a particular bowl, but is pooping or peeing in the corner a yard next to it, put the bowl in that corner.

Part 4 of 4: Cleaning the bin and dealing with accidents

1. Clean the tray locally. Once a day, scoop out the urine filling from the container. It is best to leave the droppings for a few days, as they act like scent flags so the rabbit knows where to return.
2. Don't get all the droppings out of the dirty bin. When you clean the tray, look for larger, moist droppings made up of semi-digested food. Leave them in the bowl as your rabbit will eat them to get important nutrients. Without these droppings, your rabbit will develop digestive problems and diarrhea, and will be deficient in nutrients in the long run.
3. Clean the container completely. Empty and clean the container completely once a week. Dispose of the entire contents in a plastic bag, tie it tightly and dispose of it in the trash. Clean the tray with a disinfectant, rinse well and let it dry. Then line the tray again with newspaper and filling.
   • You can purchase special cleaning products that are safe to use on pets at the vet or pet store.
4. Clean up accidents. Accept that your rabbit has had an accident and clean it up with a cloth or sponge. Then rinse it again with clean water.
   • Do not yell or punish your rabbit. Rabbits don't learn anything when you punish them, and they only get scared of you.
   • When you clean up the mess, first test whether your carpet is colorfast.
5. Make bad odors disappear. Rub some baking soda into your carpet and rinse with water. If you have a smooth floor, such as tile or linoleum, rinse it with some rubbing alcohol.
   • Do not use cleaning agents that contain bleach. It contains ammonia, which is also in urine, which can actually enhance the smell.

Tips

• Some rabbits prefer different types of filling or containers. If the rabbit used a tray in its previous home, try to get a similar one.
• Make sure your rabbit can get in and out of the bowl easily.
• Place the hay for your rabbit in the corner of the tray, which can help as many rabbits defecate while eating.
• If your rabbit forgets his toilet habits, limit his freedom. This should fix the problem. A run is often useful in this case, to shield off the extra space until habits have returned.

Warnings

• Avoid fillings with softwood, corn, clay and clumping fillings. Aromatic pine or cedar coniferous fillings emit gases that damage the liver and respiratory tract. This can lead to chronic asthma and respiratory illnesses and cause your rabbit to stop responding properly to medications.
  • Inhaled clay filler dust can irritate a rabbit's nose and eyes and form lumps in a rabbit's lungs, making them more prone to respiratory problems. When a rabbit eats corn or clumping stuffing, it can form a lump in the rabbit's digestive system, shutting it down. This is usually fatal.
  • Even if you don't see your rabbit eating the filling, don't assume it's safe. Rabbits wash well, and your rabbit will ingest stuffing particles that stick to its coat.