LITTER TRAINING & CLEANLINESS.
A tidy home starts with good habits.
Why Litter Training Matters
Rabbits are naturally clean animals who can be easily litter trained—especially once they are spayed or neutered. Good litter habits not only make your life easier but also support your rabbit’s health by keeping their living area dry and sanitary. A clean habitat helps prevent sore hocks, respiratory irritation, flystrike, and urinary tract infections.
When to Start Litter Training Your Rabbit
You can begin introducing litter training as soon as you bring your rabbit home, even if they're very young. Rabbits are naturally clean animals and tend to choose specific spots for eliminating, which makes litter training relatively straightforward, even for babies. Early introduction of litter habits sets a solid foundation, helping your rabbit associate the litter box with elimination right from the start.
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However, it's important to understand that young rabbits, especially those who haven't yet reached sexual maturity, may still struggle with perfect litter habits. This is because hormonal changes during adolescence strongly influence their behavior, often prompting rabbits to mark their territory through spraying urine or scattering droppings around their living space. This marking behavior can make consistent litter training challenging.
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That's why spaying or neutering your rabbit is crucial for long-term litter training success. Once a rabbit is spayed or neutered, hormonal behaviors significantly decrease, making your rabbit far less inclined to spray or mark their territory. Typically, rabbits can be safely spayed or neutered between four and six months of age. After this procedure, you'll notice litter habits becoming more predictable, making it easier to reinforce and maintain cleanliness in their environment.
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In summary, while it's beneficial to start introducing litter habits early, keep in mind that complete litter training success usually happens after your rabbit is spayed or neutered. Patience, consistency, and understanding your rabbit's natural instincts will go a long way in creating lasting litter habits.
What You’ll Need to Start Litter Training
Before you begin litter training your rabbit, it’s important to gather the right supplies. You don’t need to spend a lot—many of these items can be DIY'ed using things you already have around the house. For example, an old storage bin can double as a litter box, and a paper cup works as a makeshift scooper.
The one item that’s harder to replace is safe litter. While some people use shredded paper, it doesn’t absorb well and isn’t ideal for odor control. Even with a larger bag of quality litter, your total setup should cost under $100 and last several months.
Image Source: The Bunny Lady
Essential Supplies for Litter Training
Before initiating the training process, gather the necessary tools to create an optimal environment:
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Appropriate Litter Boxes: Select boxes spacious enough for your rabbit to sit and turn around comfortably. Cat-sized litter pans are often suitable. For multi-level homes, consider placing litter boxes on each floor.​
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Pooper Scooper: A scoop with small holes aids in removing waste without discarding clean litter.​
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Safe Litter Material: Opt for paper-based litter made from recycled materials. Avoid clay-based or clumping litters, as they can be harmful if ingested and may cause respiratory issues.
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Absorbent Lining: Line the bottom of the litter box with old newspapers or magazines to absorb moisture and facilitate cleaning.​
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Pet-Safe Cleaning Solution: Use a disinfectant safe for animals to clean the litter box and surrounding areas. A homemade solution of equal parts water and vinegar is effective and non-toxic.​
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Covered Trash Can: A lidded garbage can helps contain odors and allows for environmentally friendly disposal of soiled litter without using multiple plastic bags.​
Choosing the Right Litter Box
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Size matters: Choose a box large enough for your rabbit to sit, turn, and eat hay comfortably. For larger rabbits, cat litter boxes or under-bed storage bins work well.
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Multiple boxes: If your rabbit has a larger free-roam space, provide litter boxes in more than one corner.
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Low entry: If your rabbit is older or disabled, select a box with a low front entrance for easy access.
Choosing the Right Litter
Most litters are designed for cats, making it tricky to know what's safe for rabbits. Avoid clumping clay litter, deodorant crystals, and scented varieties. Rabbits may nibble their litter, and substances like clumping agents or fragrances can cause internal blockages or respiratory issues.
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Also steer clear of dusty litter and wood shavings like pine or cedar, which have been linked to liver damage in rabbits.
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Paper-based litters are one of the safest and most effective options. They’re low-dust, unscented, and absorbent. You can also try pelleted litters labeled for small animals or natural pelleted cat litter. If your rabbit doesn’t take to one type, try another until you find the right fit.
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A trusted option is Small Pet Select’s paper-based litter, which is free from added scents and safe for even sensitive rabbits.
Setting Up the Litter Box Area
Once you’ve gathered your supplies, it’s time to prepare your rabbit’s space. Ideally, set everything up before your rabbit arrives, but if you’re starting after they’ve already moved in, don’t worry—it's not too late to establish good habits.
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Start by thoroughly cleaning the enclosure or pen. A clean environment helps you track your rabbit’s habits and encourages them to keep their space tidy, which naturally supports litter training.
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Place a clean litter box in one corner of the enclosure. Add a thin layer of paper-based litter—there’s no need to fill it. If possible, place a few of your rabbit’s droppings inside the box. This helps signal to them that this is the right place to go. If you’ve already noticed your rabbit using a specific corner as a toilet, place the litter box there.
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Next, add a handful of hay to one side of the litter box. Rabbits often like to eat while they do their business, and this encourages them to spend time in the litter box.
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You can also lay newspaper or puppy pads over the rest of the enclosure floor. If your rabbit urinates outside the box, simply move the soiled paper into the litter box. The scent will help reinforce that this is the correct spot for bathroom use.
How to Litter Train Your Rabbit
Once your setup is ready, it’s time to begin litter training. Many rabbits catch on in just a week or two, but others—especially stubborn or older ones—may take a bit more time and patience.
Step 1: Start in a Small Space
Once your setup is ready, it’s time to begin litter training. Many rabbits catch on in just a week or two, but others—especially stubborn or older ones—may take a bit more time and patience.
Watch and Relocate: Observe your rabbit to see where they naturally go to the bathroom. Most rabbits will choose one corner. Move the litter box to that spot and place a few of their droppings inside to reinforce the behavior.
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Use Soiled Newspaper: If your rabbit urinates outside the box, place the soiled newspaper under the litter in the tray. This helps transfer their scent and teaches them to associate the box with bathroom habits. Keep lining the enclosure with fresh newspaper until they consistently use the box.
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Don’t Overclean Too Soon: While keeping things tidy is important, avoid fully scrubbing out the litter box during training. Leaving some droppings and urine scent behind will reinforce that this is the correct bathroom spot.​
(1) put the litter box in the corner; (2) put peed-on newspaper in the litter box; (3) Keep a little mess in the litter box when you clean it out; (4) Clean out the enclosure frequently.
Image Source: The Bunny Lady
Maintain a Clean Environment: Rabbits are naturally clean animals. Regularly cleaning the enclosure and removing waste will support their instinct to keep their space tidy and encourage box use.
Most rabbits will be trained quickly, but be patient—some take longer. Young rabbits often need more time, and older rabbits who are used to different habits may be slower to adjust. In these cases, you may want to place multiple litter boxes inside their enclosure for better success.
Step 2: Gradually Expand Their Space
After a few days of consistent litter box use, it’s time to let your rabbit explore a bit beyond their enclosure. Even if they haven’t mastered it yet, giving them supervised time outside the pen is important for exercise and enrichment. Just be sure to expand their space slowly and monitor their bathroom habits along the way.
Add Additional Litter Boxes: Before giving your rabbit access to a larger area, place a few extra litter boxes in the corners of the room. If your rabbit chooses a different spot to relieve themselves, move a box there right away. Include some soiled newspaper and droppings to help them connect the new location with the correct behavior. Be sure to use the same litter in every box to keep things consistent.
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Start with One Room: Don’t give your rabbit full access to your entire home just yet. Begin with a single, manageable space—like a bedroom or living room. As their litter box use improves, you can introduce new rooms gradually, always making sure there are litter boxes accessible in each new area.
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Closely Observe Their Behavior: The best way to encourage litter box use is to catch your rabbit right before they make a mistake. Pay close attention when they’re out exploring. Just before urinating, rabbits typically raise their tail slightly. That’s your signal to intervene.
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Redirect Gently and Positively: If you catch your rabbit just as they're about to go in the wrong place, calmly say “no” and guide them to the nearest litter box. Placing a small treat in the box can help reinforce that using the litter box leads to a positive outcome—not punishment.​
(1) Add litter boxes outside the enclosure; (2) Shut the door and keep your rabbit in one room to start with; (3) Watch your rabbit closely as they explore; (4) Yell “no!” when you see your rabbit peeing outside the litter box; (5) Clean up any accidents; (6) Start with a short amount of time out and slowly increase it.
Image Source: The Bunny Lady
Clean Up Accidents Immediately: Rabbits will often return to places they've previously soiled. To prevent bad habits from forming, clean up any accidents right away using a pet-safe cleaner. If possible, place any soiled newspaper and droppings into a litter box to help redirect the behavior next time.
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Extend Out-Time Gradually: Start with short, supervised sessions—15 to 30 minutes a few times a day is a good beginning. As your rabbit shows consistency with using the litter box, you can begin allowing longer and more frequent free-roam time.
Step 3: Transition to Fewer Litter Boxes
Once your rabbit is reliably using the litter box, you can begin phasing out the extra boxes placed around your home. The goal at this stage is to move toward having just one primary litter box in your rabbit’s enclosure—without sacrificing the progress you’ve made.
Gradually Remove Extra Litter Boxes: Start removing extra litter pans one at a time from around your home. Begin by taking away the litter box closest to your rabbit’s main enclosure on the first day. On subsequent days, continue removing the next closest box, repeating this gradually until only one litter box remains in your rabbit's enclosure.
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Monitor Your Rabbit's Behavior: As you remove each box, observe your rabbit to ensure they regularly return to their main enclosure to use the litter box. Although you likely won't need to watch them closely all the time, remain attentive enough to notice if they periodically return to the enclosure. If your rabbit isn't regularly using the litter box in their enclosure, it could indicate they've found an alternate location in your home.​
(1) put the litter box in the corner; (2) put peed-on newspaper in the litter box; (3) Keep a little mess in the litter box when you clean it out; (4) Clean out the enclosure frequently.
Image Source: The Bunny Lady
Check for Accidents: Regularly inspect areas of your home, particularly locations where litter boxes used to be. Keep an eye out for any accidents or signs of your rabbit eliminating outside their enclosure. If you notice accidents, return the litter box temporarily and give your rabbit a few days before attempting to remove it again.
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Congratulations!: When your rabbit reliably returns to the single litter box in their enclosure without accidents around your home, you've successfully litter trained your rabbit. Great job!
Most rabbits will be trained quickly, but be patient—some take longer. Young rabbits often need more time, and older rabbits who are used to different habits may be slower to adjust. In these cases, you may want to place multiple litter boxes inside their enclosure for better success.
The Impact of Spaying or Neutering
Once your rabbit is spayed or neutered, their hormone levels decrease significantly. These hormones typically drive territorial behaviors, including marking with urine and scattered droppings. After your rabbit recovers from the surgery, you might notice immediate improvement in their potty habits, though in some rabbits, full improvement may take several weeks as hormone levels gradually decline.
Territorial Marking Behavior
It's normal for even well-trained rabbits to occasionally scatter droppings when exploring new spaces, marking them as their territory. Usually, once the territory is marked initially, this behavior greatly decreases. However, expect some occasional droppings whenever your rabbit enters a previously unexplored area. Generally, though, spraying behaviors should stop entirely or become very rare following spaying or neutering.
X Pen Pro Tip
X Pens are highly versatile and convenient, making them excellent for both permanent enclosures and temporary exercise areas. They're adaptable to various spaces and easy to clean. Consider using multiple X Pens linked together for expanded exercise spaces, providing your rabbit with flexibility and safety.X Pens are highly versatile and convenient, making them excellent for both permanent enclosures and temporary exercise areas. They're adaptable to various spaces and easy to clean. Consider using multiple X Pens linked together for expanded exercise spaces, providing your rabbit with flexibility and safety.
An X Pen provides a safe, versatile space ideal for litter training and gradually expanding your rabbit's roaming area.
Troubleshooting Tips
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Accidents: If your rabbit starts having accidents after previously good habits, reassess their space. Ensure the litter box is easily accessible and clean.
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Consistency: Always maintain consistency in litter box placement and cleanliness.
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Health Check: If accidents persist despite good training practices, consult a veterinarian to rule out health issues.
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Patience: Remember, patience and positive reinforcement are key to successful potty training.
Image Source: The Bunny Lady
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Where can I see the rabbits for adoption?You may view the list of rabbits for adoption in this page
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What is included in the adoption?All rabbits are spayed/neutered. All rabbits have had a veterinary exam. All rabbits are vaccinated for RHDV (Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus).
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What are the adoption requirements?Adult Primary Caregiver: The rabbit’s primary caregiver is an adult, and is wanted by everyone in the household. No group ownership, like a classroom pet. Indoor Housing: Rabbits adopted from Kribs For Kritters live indoors as part of the family. Due to the emergence of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) in 2020, we strongly recommend no outdoor playtime, even when vaccinated. RHDV Vaccination: Vaccination of all rabbits in the household for RHDV is required to adopt a Kribs For Kritters rabbit for bonding/adoption. Spay/Neuter: All rabbits in the home must be spayed/neutered.
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Why is there an adoption donation?Our adoption donation helps us cover the cost of the medical care that the rabbit receives from our vet. It is cheaper to adopt a Kribs For Kritters rabbit than to adopt/buy an unaltered, unvaccinated rabbit.
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