How to Train a Rabbit to Go to the Toilet

Want your newly adopted rabbit to be free to run around the house but worry about the rabbit going to the toilet everywhere? You should not worry. Rabbits themselves are clean animals, and training them to use a litter box isn’t as difficult as you might think. Just prepare all the supplies, arrange the litter box, and teach the rabbit how to use it. Most domestic rabbits learn this easily. In fact, most adult and neutered rabbits will choose a fixed spot to defecate, so pretty much all you need to do is place the litter box in that spot.

Table of Contents

Prepare the materials

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Buy a toilet tray. The litter tray/tray/box designed for rabbits will have a raised back edge (to prevent dirt from spilling out when the rabbit digs) and a lower front edge (to make it easier for the rabbit to jump in). ^{[1] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher:Souvenir Press} You can buy several trays to keep around the house as well as easy to change when cleaning and disinfecting the litter box.

You do not need to use a special litter tray for rabbits. A regular low-sided cat litter will also work, or even a low-sided cardboard box (but be prepared to replace it often as the box is often gnawed by rabbits).

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Prepare papers. Use newspaper to line the tray to make cleaning the toilet easier. ^{[2] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher: Souvenir Press}

Most newspapers today are printed with soy-based inks that are not toxic to rabbits, but you should still check before using. Newspaper ink can also get on a rabbit’s coat and cause it to turn black or gray.

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Choose the right type of sawdust/sanitary compacted wood. You should buy products that are safe for rabbits, such as unprocessed paper or aspen sawdust. Do not use pine or cedar, as these have been treated with oil and will irritate the rabbit’s lungs. ^{[3] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher: Souvenir Press}

Do not use cat litter (clay or clumps). If rabbits ingest these soils, it can cause intestinal obstruction.

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Buy a rabbit cage. The length of the cage should be three to six times the length of the rabbit’s body. The first step in potty training is to limit the rabbit to a cage with food, water and shelter on one side, and a litter tray on the other. Limiting the living area will encourage the rabbit not to spill dirt on the rabbit’s area and will only defecate in the tray. ^{[4] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher: Souvenir Press}

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Buy high-quality hay. Use hay to get your rabbit’s attention by placing it in the litter box. ^{[5] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher:Souvenir Press} Rabbits love to nibble while pooping, so this step will encourage your rabbit to use the tray.

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Buy a shovel and detergent. You will shovel dirty sawdust containing waste every day. And the entire litter box needs to be cleaned at least once a week. ^{[6] X Research Source Why My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher:Souvenir Press} You can use a cleaning agent specifically designed for small pets. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Prepare the Toilet Tray and Cage

Rabbit Training

Start training your rabbit as soon as you bring it home. Adult rabbits will learn to defecate faster than young rabbits (under 4 months old). However, it’s never too early to start potty training your rabbit. You should have a litter tray ready as soon as you bring your rabbit home, and start teaching your rabbit how to use it. Just be patient and the rabbit will learn its lesson. ^{[11] X Research Resources The Medical Handbook of Rodents and Rabbits. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. Publisher: Pergamon}

Normally, when neutered, rabbits will only choose one corner to go to the toilet and urinate, so you just need to put the litter box in that position.
In the first stage, when the rabbit defecates outside the tray, you should shovel and spread the litter in the tray as a way of suggesting where to go to the toilet.

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Consider neutering rabbits. Adult rabbits that have not been neutered often have a stronger sense of territorial defense and will use scent to mark. This includes leaving urine and feces around the house, using smell as a way to mark territory. Spaying will make it easier to potty train your rabbit, because the need for territory marking will be significantly reduced. ^{[12] X Research Source BSAVA Rabbit Medical Handbook. Meredith and Lord. Publisher: BSAVA publications.}

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Instruct the rabbit to use the litter tray inside the cage. At first, this helps limit the rabbit’s stay in the cage with the tray, so that the rabbit will learn not to defecate in the eating and resting area. This process only takes a few days – once the rabbit understands the lesson, you can let the rabbit out.

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Let your rabbit play outside for short periods of time. When you allow your rabbit to play outside, if you see him start to sit to go to the toilet, you should gently pick him up and place him in the litter tray in the cage. A sign that the rabbit is about to go to the toilet is that the tail of the rabbit will be slightly raised. This is a little hard to spot, but it helps if you get it right. ^{[13] X Research Source Why is My Rabbit..? Anne McBride. Publisher: Souvenir Press}

In the early stages of training, you should not let your rabbit go outside for more than ten minutes at a time, and should constantly observe when the rabbit is playing in the room (to correct it before it can go to the wrong place). Once your rabbit has used the tray regularly, you can relax and give your rabbit more freedom.

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Reward your rabbit for learning how to use the litter box. You should not scold or get angry at your rabbit if they do not use the litter box. Rabbits will not be able to absorb this way. Cheering with praise will bring better results.

Reward your rabbit with a piece of apple or carrot, right after using the litter box. This will make a positive association between going to the toilet and using the tray.

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Adjust the number of toilet trays. Once your rabbit has firmly started using the tray, you can change the number or position of the trays as needed.

For example, if your rabbit uses only two litter boxes and ignores the others, you can eliminate the excess litter. If your rabbit is not interested in the litter box, but defecates in a corner of the room 1 meter away, you can move the tray to that corner.

Cleaning the Tray and Troubleshooting

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Remove the dirty part of the tray. Every day, you should shovel the sawdust that has sucked the urine out. You can leave the poop in the tray for a day or two to retain the smell as a marker so the rabbit knows to go back there and go to the bathroom. ^{[14] X Research Source BSAVA The Medical Handbook of Rabbits. Meredith and Lord. Publisher: BSAVA publications.}

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Do not shovel all the feces out of the tray. When cleaning the litter box, you should look out for large, moist faeces made up of partially digested food. You should leave them in the tray for the rabbit to eat again and absorb the necessary nutrients. Without these faeces, rabbits are at risk of stomach disorders and diarrhea, which, if prolonged, will lead to nutritional deficiencies. ^{[15] X Research Resources The Rodent and Rabbit Medical Handbook. Laber-Laird, Swindle, & Flecknell. Publisher: Pergamon}

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Completely empty the toilet tray. You should pour the humus in the tray and wash it once a week. Just put it all in a plastic bag, tie it up, and throw it in the trash. Use detergent to clean the tray, rinse with water and then dry. Then re-prepare the litter box with newspaper and fresh sawdust. ^{[16] X Research Source BSAVA Rabbit Medical Handbook. Meredith and Lord. Publisher: BSAVA publications.}

Veterinarians or pet stores sell cleaners that are safe for pets.

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Clean up after the incident. You should accept this, and then clean the stain thoroughly to avoid the rabbit continuing to defecate in the area. Use biological cleaner and use a cotton cloth or sponge to clean. Then rinse again with water. ^{[17] X Research Source BSAVA Rabbit Medical Handbook. Meredith and Lord. Publisher: BSAVA publications.}

Do not scold or punish the rabbit. Rabbits can’t learn anything from being punished, except to become afraid of the person who is scolding them.
When cleaning stains, you need to check the color fastness of the carpet.

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Eliminate residual odors. You can use a baking soda solution on the carpet, then rinse with water. If the floor surface is smooth, like tile or wood, simply clean it with rubbing alcohp (isopropyl alcohol). ^{[18] X Research Source BSAVA Rabbit Medical Handbook. Meredith and Lord. Publisher: BSAVA publications.}

Do not use cleaning products that contain bleach. This contains ammonia, an ingredient in urine, and can actually make the urine smell stronger.

Advice

Be patient, your rabbit will need some time to grasp it all.
If your rabbit goes to the toilet in a corner of the house and doesn’t use the litter box, you should move the litter box to that corner location.
When you lift the rabbit, never grasp the back of the rabbit’s nape or lift the rabbit’s ears. The correct way is to put your hand under the chest and at the same time support the rabbit’s butt.
In case the rabbit loses the habit of using the litter box, you should narrow down the rabbit’s running area. Use pet barriers to reduce space until the rabbit starts to use the tray again.
Some rabbits prefer to use only a certain type of sawdust or tray. If your rabbit is used to a certain type of litter box in the old home, you should prepare the same type of litter box.
You need to make sure the cage is good and sturdy.
The side of the litter box should be low enough for the rabbit to jump in and out easily.
Buy brightly colored litter boxes because rabbits are attracted to bright colors.
Talk softly to the rabbit.
You can use vinegar to clean if your rabbit accidentally goes to the toilet on the floor.
If the rabbit is too young, wait until the rabbit is 4 months old.

Warning

Avoid using sawdust made from pine wood (pine, fir, spruce), sawdust from the cob, and clay or lumpy toilet sand. Sawdust from pine (pine) or cedar (cedar) releases gases that damage the liver and respiratory tract of rabbits. This can lead to chronic asthma and respiratory diseases, making the rabbit less able to absorb the necessary medications.
- Inhaling dust from clay litter can irritate rabbits’ noses and eyes and form dust clumps in their lungs, making them more susceptible to respiratory-related illnesses. In the case of rabbits ingesting clumps of toilet sand or corn cobs, they are at risk of forming a hard mass in the digestive tract that leads to inactivity and is often life-threatening.
- Even if you don’t see your rabbit eating litter, don’t assume it’s completely safe. Rabbits are very meticulous about hygiene and they can clean up dirt on their fur. ^{[19] X Research Source}

Steps