Did you know that a single rabbit can do up to 200 poops in a day? Couple this with the notion that most bunny owners have more than one rabbit and that’s a lot of poop!
Of course, your rabbits will also need to urinate and short of replacing the entire bedding in the cage or hiring carpet cleaners for your home, you’re going to need a way to train them.
Puppy pads might seem like a good option but are puppy pads safe for rabbits?
Puppy pads contain chemicals which although harmless to dogs make them unsuitable for use with rabbits due to their instinct to nibble and ingest them.
Still, your rabbit will need to be trained but there are other methods that can be used and are proven to be pretty successful.
Why Can’t Rabbits Use Puppy Pads?
Rabbits’ teeth never stop growing. If the rabbit is not able to chew on things to grind down their teeth, then there will come a point where their gnashers become overgrown and this can cause a whole host of health problems.
With this in mind, owners must think about the fact that bunnies will chew on anything they can get their teeth into; this includes puppy pads.
While rabbits will benefit more from chewing on harder objects like wood, they really aren’t too fussy. What’s more, if your rabbit is bored, they will begin chewing on more and more things.
For this reason, it is vital that you provide your rabbit with lots of things to keep it entertained.
Now, back to puppy pads. These handy products are made for dog owners when toilet training their pups. While they may be suitable for canine companions when it comes sto bunny besties, they’re far from appropriate.
This is because puppy pads contain various chemicals to help them absorb moisture and expand as they do so. If your rabbit were to chew on a puppy pad, which it likely would, and ingest some of it, it may expand in the gut.
This could cause all sorts of problems, most notably a blockage which could make your rabbit very ill.
Are Puppy Training Pads Toxic?
As well as the problems with expansion in the stomach, the chemicals in a puppy pad could stand to make your bunny incredibly sick.
The chemicals that are used in these pads are there to attract dogs to them; this, of course, encourages the dog to use the puppy training pad. However, these chemicals, when ingested by a rabbit could bring on some rather strange and unwanted behaviors.
What Can I Use Instead Of A Puppy Pad?
Now that we know puppy pads aren’t ideal for rabbits, you’ll likely wonder what you can use instead. Even if you have successfully litter trained your rabbit, there may be times when you need to lay down something absorbent.
One of the best options is to lay down newspapers. While they do contain print ink, this is likely not enough to cause any major issues to your pet’s health if they do ingest any of the paper.
If your rabbit only poops on the floor and is using the litter tray to urinate, you could, in theory, go without using anything at all. Unless they have gastrointestinal issues that cause diarrhea, rabbit droppings are dry and very easy to clean up.
What Can I Use For Rabbit Litter?
When it comes to litter training a bunny, there are many options. While it might seem strange, rabbits will quite easily learn to use a litter tray.
These are very hygienic animals that do not like to live in a squalid environment (so remember to keep their home clean and fresh, removing soiled or wet bedding at least once a day.)
For this reason, bunnies will quickly associate a litter tray with going to the toilet.
It is always best to place the litter tray in an area where the rabbit naturally does its business. When you first bring your bun home, take some time to observe its behavior and you’ll soon notice where it prefers to pee and poop.
This is where you should place the litter box, even if it means moving something else out of the way.
Your rabbit’s litter tray will need to be relatively shallow so that he or she can easily hop inside. There are many rabbit-specific litter trays that can be found at your local pet supply store.
In addition to the type of litter tray, you will also need to think about what you put inside it to absorb the moisture.
There are several products that you can use in the litter box but we would always recommend going for a non-scented product. Rabbits, provided that they are kept clean, don’t give off a terrible odor, even when they poop so there really is no need to use anything scented.
Furthermore, you should go for paper pellets as the rabbit will likely chew them, just as he does with everything else. The packaging of the litter will detail whether the product is safe for use with rabbits, but if you are in any doubt, speaking to your vet or pet store will provide you with the best choices.
When you spread the litter in the tray, you won’t need to use a lot. Unlike other animals, rabbits won’t take the time to bury their business and will simply leave it on the surface.
You’ll need a good enough layer to absorb moisture but avoid using too much or you’ll simply be wasting it. Not to mention, you’ll end up spending a fortune on litter.
How To Get A Rabbit To Use A Litter Tray
It can be incredibly frustrating trying to get your pet to do its business in the litter tray and for all intents and purposes, you just need to remain patient. However, in the meantime, there may be some things you can do to encourage your rabbit into its litter box.
Since rabbits are such clean animals, you will need to make sure that their litter is kept fresh. Owners would do well to empty the tray of any wet or soiled litter every day.
Once a week, you should also remove all the contents and give the litter tray a good clean with a rabbit-safe disinfectant.
You might also consider that the litter box is not in a prime location. As we have already discussed, rabbits will typically choose one area to use as a toilet and this is where the litter should be placed.
Finally, if you are having trouble encouraging your rabbit to use their litter tray, you might consider placing in some hay. This can work well if the hay contains the rabbit’s scent as it will encourage your pet into the litter box.
Furthermore, rabbits enjoy having something to chew on while they use the litter tray so having hay present is the perfect solution.
