Most animals that groom themselves tend to have a better aptitude toward litter training, rabbits are fastidious groomers and very clean by nature hence very easy to train in this respect - even in the wild they will tend to urinate and deposit droppings in a few places, but never inside their burrows. Domestic rabbits will tend to use one or two areas to relieve themselves, and so respond well to house-training.

If you are vigilant and invest the time initially, it could take just a day or two to house-train your rabbit, the majority of bunnies learn quickly and prefer to urinate in a tray, though don’t be surprised if they scatter a few droppings here and there. This is normal for them and often pops out involuntarily - the pellets are dry and odourless and easy to dispose of -so don’t be angry should the odd one go astray.

For successful litter training, neutering and spaying are essential. Rabbits can be trained from just a few weeks old but adult rabbits (over a year old) are often easier to train due to being generally more docile. Adolescents have a strong urge to mark their territory with urine and droppings hence neutering will also eliminate spraying which can take from a couple of weeks to 2 months to take effect.

Getting started
Its important your bunny gets accustomed to their litter tray from day one, so be sure to have one or two trays ready for when they arrive. If you can its worth setting aside time when you are less busy so you can follow your bunny around. Rabbits are creatures of habit and once they get used to urinating in certain places it is more difficult to stop them from doing so repeatedly. The provision of more than one litter tray will increase your chances of success, in time you can remove those trays your bunny uses less frequently.

Buy litter trays relative to the size of your rabbit, ensuring the sides are low enough for them to hop in and out of, and large enough to accommodate the full size of your rabbit eg. kitten litter trays or corner trays with low sides are good for dwarf or baby rabbits and jumbo trays like those made for small dogs or large cats, for giants or larger rabbits. One suggestion is to use a plastic dog or cat bed which combines high sides with easy access.

It’s a good idea to start with one room even if you intend to give your rabbit the run of the house – if your bunny has too much to explore they can get excited and forget where the litter trays are. Try to use a room with a linoleum or wood floor as opposed to a carpeted room, you rabbit is less likely to urinate on a hard surface and is more likely to find and opt for the litter trays.

Place one litter tray in their cage or near their bed and a second in a corner of the room or between a piece of furniture and the wall. Leave a few droppings and a piece of urine-soaked paper inside the trays so your rabbit associates these areas with the toilet. If your bunny hops into the tray, give them lots of praise plus a treat to try and keep them in situ. Else ease them gently towards the tray, maybe using a favourite goodie as enticement.

Make their litter tray a nice place to be
Many rabbits like digging and rolling in their trays, grooming or even taking a kip – if your rabbit likes spending time in their litter tray, they’re more likely to mark it with urine and droppings. Eating also stimulates defecation, so by filling the other half with fresh hay, a scattering of their favourite nuggets and maybe a few dandelion leaves, you’ll find your rabbit will hang out in their tray for a snack and do their doings to boot.  Try out different types of litter to find the one your bunny prefers, many rabbits will eat their litter so it is imperative to buy products that will not harm their intestines.  We use a paper based pellet product, though wood based pellets (unscented), wood shavings or even hay are a good alternative.  Steer well clear of any clay based or clumping litters, most suitable products will be marked as suitable for rabbits and small animals.

Pushing the bottom out with tail slightly raised is a sign they are about to urinate. If your rabbit is already in the tray, wait til they have finished before giving them lots of praise and a tasty reward. If your rabbit is making this motion out of the tray, say “No” in a firm manner without raising your voice. Then gently pick them up and place them in the tray. If they don’t like being picked up, always have a treat on hand to coax them in. You should never chase or trap your rabbit before putting them in their cage or litter tray else this will equate to punishment and not assist your litter-training efforts. Once in the tray be sure to give them the treat and a lot of praise – though you might find your rabbit hops back out and pees on the floor! Be patient – litter-training doesn’t always happen in one day but you will get there.

It’s important to consistently say “No” every time your bunny urinates on the floor, and to do so immediately after the event so your bunny associates their action with your voice tone. Failure to do so at the time will only confuse them as they won’t understand your displeasure. You should never chastise or smack your rabbit, no matter how lightly, you will only terrify your rabbit and achieve nothing further.

No matter how you hard you try and steer them, many rabbits prefer finding their own toilet spot (under a chair, in the corner of a room). It is easier to work with them in this instance, so move the litter tray to where they have chosen, even it it means rearranging a piece of furniture to accommodate. Clean the puddle well and try to eliminate all odours and soak up a little of the urine into a piece of toilet or kitchen roll and place this with a few droppings into their tray to encourage them to use this next time.

As your rabbit becomes better trained you can gradually expand their terrain by giving them access to more rooms (one room at a time). It’s a good idea to have a litter tray in every room, at least initially, and perform the same exercise per room. Once you know their favourite toilets, litter trays can be removed and you will find your bunny will instinctively jump into their favourite tray to do their business!

Scenarios that might apply to you
Urinating in the place where the litter tray used to be. As mentioned above, when litter-training your bunny it’s a good idea to put the trays where they prefer to urinate, though once your rabbit has got used to using their tray, you can gradually move it somewhere more appropriate for you. If your rabbit continues to soil in the previous location, clean the area thoroughly trying to eliminate all odours and cover it with a piece of furniture or a box just til such time they have got used to its new location.

Kicking the litter out of the tray. If on enterring and existing your rabbit tends to expel most of the litter on the floor – either try using a different type of litter or invest in a covered top litter box like those supplied for cats.

Urinating over the edge of the tray. Your going to need either a bigger box or a higher sided box as described above. You could alternatively try a corner litter tray that has a low entrance with high sided walls. If the litter tray is in the kitchen or bathroom, try pushing it up against a tiled/washable wall to encourage your bunny to stay in the middle of the tray.

Urinating in the bathroom. It makes sense as some rabbits are attracted to the smell of human urine in the bathroom and join you in doing their business near the toilet. Its wise to ensure you clean up any of your own spills (gentlemen?) especially if you have a fluffy toilet mat that may take the odd peppering!  If this is the case wash any furnishings thoroughly so your rabbit cannot smell any urine and is less likely to soil there in future.

Urinating on rugs, beds and sofas. Yes this is an interesting scenario – rabbits love to urinate on beds and sofas because they are soft and comfortable and have a strong human scent. If your bunny tends to relieve themselves on your bed or sofa, you need to establish right from the start that these are no-go areas. It will help to teach your rabbit the “No”/”Down” command. When you see your bunny is about to urinate on the bed/sofa, clap your hands to get her attention and say “No” as described above, then push your rabbit gently towards the floor. Make sure there is at least one litter tray in the room, ideally near the bed, sofa, etc. and encourage your bunny to use it with he help of a food reward. If she is very tame, pick her up and put her in the tray, then give her lots of praise. Clean the stain thoroughly to get rid of the smell of urine; remove any droppings from the sofa and put in the litter box.

One of our volunteers has resorted to leaving a litter tray on her sofa bed – although not ideal her rabbit has quickly taken to it and has stopped soiling the bed.

If your bunny continues to urinate on your sofa or bed, simply keep the doors closed to prevent access to your bedroom or living room. This is particularly important if an accident is likely to upset you. Is also a good idea to protect your mattress/sofa with a waterproof sheet. You can then cover the sofa with a washable throw (buy two throws so your sofa is covered while one is in the wash).

Slow Learners/Very Territorial Bunnies.
Be patient if your rabbit is a bit messy – some rabbits take longer than others to refine their litter-training. You may be giving your rabbit too large a territory or not enough litter trays for his needs. Concentrate on urine rather than pellet training and reward your rabbit every time she does well.

If your bunny isn’t neutered arrange for it to be done as soon as possible, however expect that it may take a few weeks or months for her behaviour to improve.

If the sides of the tray are too high your rabbit may be unwilling to use it. It could be that your rabbit doesn’t like urinating in a tray so try something else:

•A wooden box with a hinged roof (to make cleaning-out easier) or, as a temporary measure, a strong cardboard box lined with lots of newspaper.
•A covered litter box (like the ones used for cats).
•An untreated straw/wicker basket, for instance a baby Moses. Line the bottom with a bin bag and a layer of newspapers, then fill with hay/straw or another type of litter.
•A small plastic dog bed.
•Anything else your bunny may like to use, including his travel cage.
Experiment with different kinds of litter – rabbits have definite preferences in these matters. Provide multiple litter trays to help your rabbit get it right. While your bunny is still in training, keep her in her cage or a small easy-to-clean room and set up an exercise area on your balcony/terrace or in the garden.

Cleaning-up
Urine. If your bunny has urinated on the sofa/carpet, etc. absorb as much urine as possible using an old towel or a few sheets of kitchen roll. Wipe the area with sodium bicarbonate or diluted white vinegar, which neutralises the smell of urine. Mop up puddles on linoleum and wooden floors with warm soapy water, using undiluted white vinegar to remove stubborn stains. Remember hat rabbit urine has a strong smell and can stain furniture, fabrics, painted surfaces, etc. so clean up as soon as possible.

Droppings. Uneaten soft droppings can be removed with a tissue or piece of toilet paper and flushed down the toilet. Dry pellets can be picked up with a tissue or a dustpan and brush and thrown in he toilet/dustbin or used in the garden as a fertiliser. You can also vacuum up dry pellets with a hand-held hoover (empty he contents straight away so they don’t become mouldy or smelly).

Litter trays. Depending on how often a tray is used and how many rabbits share it, change the litter every 1-2 days and rinse the tray in warm soapy water. Calcium deposits on the bottom of the tray can be removed by letting the tray soak in white vinegar.