Rabbits and Litter Boxes

Rabbits eliminate waste frequently, which makes sanitation a key part of housing. Training a rabbit to use a litter box is typically easy, even with a rabbit that has not yet been spayed/neutered (altered). Litter boxes keep most urine and feces contained in one designated area. When properly maintained, litter boxes are easy to clean and sanitize due to their smooth surfaces.

Rabbits will still scatter “poops” around their primary enclosure, and you might even see them in random areas of your home. This is a natural-for-rabbit behavior and is often related to claiming territory or “marking” what they believe is theirs, but some of it occurs when a bunny jumps in or out of his litter box. This can scatter a large number of poops and move them into other areas.

Since rabbit poops are round and roll easily, they need to be tossed back into the litter box and covered with a thin layer of hay. Or, you can collect them and use them for fertizer outside. 

Normal rabbit poops are said to be one of the cleanest fertilizers available. This is largely because of a rabbit’s strict, herbivoure diet. However, any animal feces is not something you want scattered around your home.

Rabbit Spraying and Urine Odor

Prior to surgery, they might also “spray” urine. This is where you will detect foul odors. Rabbit urine is very strong smelling but it is absorbed in a properly maintained litter box. Spraying presents an entirely different problem, because the rabbit is not doing it in his litter box.

There are creative ways to contain the effects of spraying which have to do with additional bunnyproofing at home. Additional bunnyproofing, such as lining the walls with cardboard that is easily removed and replaced, may not be pretty but it is a good temporary solution to this problem. Using disposable borders to protect your home is helpful while rabbits are in this pre-surgery phase of life.

With altered rabbits (after spay/neuter surgery)… as long as you are using the right litter box materials and maintaining it properly, you should not smell rabbit urine until it’s time to change out the litter box entirely (empty all contents and reset the litter). You should only smell hay. Hiding urine odors is one of the best reasons to use a simple dishpan or cat-sized litter box, put litter material as the first layer, and stack hay on top.

There are the litter boxes for rabbits that have a plastic “grate” at the bottom. Under the grate is a removable tray that catches poops and urine, but many people do not use them due to the odor issue. There are also other issues, such as toes getting caught, the bunny stepping on his own urine and feces that sticks to the grated part, et cetera. Even with frequent cleaning, the urine in the bottom removable tray allows that strong urine odor to escape into the environment. Rabbits have sensitive lungs, so traditional odorizer powders/other air fresheners are not safe for rabbits. Scented cat litter, for example, should not be used in a rabbit’s litter box. 

Spraying and leaving excess poops in the environment are minimized after alteration surgeries. Also, you typically won’t see a rabbit spraying much, if at all, after healing from alteration surgery. Though, it can happen in certain circumstances. In over a decade of rehabilitating, bonding and daily care of many different breeds, sizes and ages of rabbits, I have never had a rabbit spray anything in my home after they were completely healed from surgery. It is more common to find poops here and there, but surgery significantly reduces that problem, too.

Wire-Bottom Cages And Other Such Flooring

Wire flooring or any flooring that uses metal or even hard plastic that forms “holes” in the floor has historically been promoted as a cleanliness solution. However, rabbits housed on flooring with holes or grates, especially wire or metal, often remain in constant contact with the same surface where waste passes through. Simply rinsing with water does not eliminate bacteria found in urine and feces.

Rabbits have fur on the bottom of their paws. They do not have pads on their paws like cats and dogs so. Since rabbits constantly groom themselves to stay clean, they will be licking their own urine/feces from paws. 

There are also injury concerns. Openings large enough to allow waste through is large enough for toes to become caught, which can result in cuts, fractures, sore hocks, and other painful conditions. Rabbits suffer in silence. You will likely not know the rabbit is injured. Some injuries eventually become too painful for the rabbit to hide, and you could be met with a high veterinary bill that could have been avoided.

While injuries can occur in any environment, solid, supportive flooring that is properly maintained does not carry the same inherent risks. Flooring that has these types of “holes” or “grates” for waste to pass through can caused suffering in rabbits, especially wire or metal. This is a human-caused issue that can be avoided with proper education and a committment to the health and safety of your rabbit. Not all trends or new products are an improvement to a rabbit’s life. Weigh the pros and cons of litter box types and choose what is best for you and your rabbit.