How to Toilet Train Your Rabbit

Did you know you can toilet train your rabbit? Just like dogs and cats, teaching your rabbit where to toilet can be done. Here’s how.

We’ve all heard of toilet training our dog, and even our cats, to ensure no accidents happen and our floors stay clean. But, did you know that you can toilet train your rabbit? Rabbits are naturally clean animals and tend to pick a spot where they’ll go every time. So, you can use this innate behaviour to your advantage.

Follow the tips below, and you’ll have a toilet trained bunny in no time.

Pick a spot they always have access to

If you’re going to designate an area where your rabbit needs to do its business, put it in a spot that they always have access to, like the corner of their hutch.

Place a litter tray in that spot

Once you have picked the spot, this is where you’ll want to place the litter tray. The SPCA suggests lining it with some newspaper and fill it with a layer of clump-free litter, dust-free straw or shredded paper.

Keep an eye on them

If they’re not using the litter tray you’ve provided, pop in a few of their droppings or urine-soaked paper. Rabbits will often use the same spot based on its smell, so if you make the litter box smell like their droppings, they’re more likely to use it. If you pick a spot you’d like your rabbit to go, but they continue to toilet somewhere else, it may pay to move the location of the litter box, otherwise you’ll have to keep picking up after them.

Limit their room

When first introducing your rabbit to toilet training, it may pay to limit the area they have to explore. This gets them used to going back to the litter box and limits their ability to poop and pee wherever they like.

Be patient

Toilet training your rabbit can take a while, and they may not get it perfect every time. But stick with it and be patient. And, if an accident does occur, pick up any solids and place them in the tray, as a little reminder to your rabbit that the tray is the right spot.

Spey or neuter your rabbit

You may wonder what this has to do with toilet training your rabbit. If one of the reasons you’re wanting to toilet train them is so that they don’t make the rest of your house smell like rabbit droppings, then spaying or neutering them will help. Entire rabbits are more likely to want to mark their territory (aka your house) so desexing will help reduce this behaviour.

Toilet training your rabbit may take a few weeks, but a clean house – and not always having to clean up after them – will make it worthwhile in the end.