Last Updated on March 12, 2023 by Marjon Ramos
Rabbits can be litter-trained in 1-2 weeks, depending on your rabbit’s personality, age, and whether or not they are spayed or neutered.
To train your rabbits fast, first see where your rabbits would pick to pee. Rabbits are creatures of habit and will usually pee in one spot.
After finding out what area your rabbit chooses to pee in, move the litter box to that spot. Just make sure that the litter you use is scent-free and specifically made for rabbits, like wood pellets, aspen, and cellulose.
Unneutered rabbits could also affect the time it takes to litter train a rabbit. Rabbits that are not spayed will often spray urine everywhere after they reach puberty.
So make sure that your rabbit is neutered to make litter training easier.
And finally, if your rabbit takes more than a week to be litter trained, be patient. Rabbits have different personalities. Some get litter trained immediately, while others require more time.
Now that I’ve given you the gist of the article, read on as I explain in more detail how long it would take to litter train your rabbit:
Table of Contents
How long would it take to litter train a rabbit?
The time it would take to completely litter train your rabbit would depend on your rabbit’s personality, age, and whether or not they are neutered.
Rabbits that are young are harder to litter train because their attention span is shorter. But as your rabbit ages, it becomes easier to litter train them, especially if they are neutered.
Being neutered or spayed is a huge factor in how long it will take to litter train your rabbit.
Rabbits that are not neutered or spayed are prone to hormonal-related behaviors such as spraying urine everywhere to mark their territory.
That’s why it’s always recommended to get your rabbits neutered or spayed as soon as they reach sexual maturity.
Finally, your rabbit’s personality is also a factor in the time it would take to litter train them. Some rabbits are just more adept at litter training than others.
On average, it can take 1-2 weeks for a rabbit to start understanding their training if you properly litter train them.
How do you litter train a rabbit quickly?
To litter train your rabbit fast, you first need to make sure that the litter you have is scent-free and made for rabbits. Rabbits hate scented litter boxes and will usually avoid them.
Then, wait for your rabbit to pee and see where it is. Place the litter box near the spot where your rabbit usually urinates.
If your rabbit urinates outside the litter box, wipe the urine with a tissue and clean the spot to remove any scent. This would ensure that your rabbit would not smell their “mark” in that area.
You can then place the tissue that you used to clean their urine on the litter box itself. This would “transfer” the smell of your rabbit’s urine into the litter box, making your rabbit think that it’s their territory.
You can do the same thing with any poop pellets you can find outside their litter box.
This process could take a couple of tries, so be patient.
Here’s a great video that shows how to properly litter train your rabbit:
Is it hard to litter train a rabbit?
Rabbits have different personalities. Some are more trainable than others. But usually, rabbits can be litter-trained in 1-2 weeks on average.
Rabbits are creatures of habit and will defecate and urinate in the same spot every time to mark their territory.
If you’re having a hard time litter training your rabbit, bring him to a veterinarian to get checked out.
Your rabbit might be suffering from bladder-related diseases like:
- Urinary Tract Infections
- E. cuniculi
- Arthritis
Rabbits that are not spayed or neutered could also make it harder to litter train. Unneutered rabbits will spray their urine everywhere and forget their litter training after reaching sexual maturity.
What are the problems you might encounter while litter-training your rabbits?
Rabbits peeing on the side of their litter box
Rabbits peeing on the side of their litter is a sign of reaching sexual maturity. Unneutered rabbits will often spray urine on the sides of their cages or litter boxes.
After neutering your rabbits, this behavior would drastically improve and would even make their litter habit more permanent.
Relapsing
Relapsing or peeing outside of their litter box is also a sign of reaching sexual maturity in unneutered rabbits.
Getting your rabbits spayed would improve their litter habits.
Completely forgetting litter training
Sometimes, rabbits can forget their litter training.
This can be due to reasons like:
- Moving to a new environment or house.
- Bladder-related medical condition.
- Age. Young rabbits are harder to train and could forget their litter training after reaching sexual maturity.
- Changes in their litter box. Rabbits are creatures of habit and hate changes in their routine. If you change something in their litter box, like the brand, it could result in a temporary loss of litter training.
- Unclean litter box. A dirty litter box that is not cleaned regularly could result in your rabbit not using it anymore. Keep your rabbit’s litter box clean.
Why is it important to litter train your rabbits?
Litter training your rabbit is important to both you and your rabbit. For you, it would make cleaning their cage or hut easier.
If you have your rabbits inside your house, it would also drastically improve the smell of their cages.
As for your rabbits, it’s beneficial to them because rabbits are meticulous cleaners, and they could get depressed if their environment or home is dirty.
Can old rabbits still be litter-trained?
Yes, older rabbits can still be litter-trained. In fact, it’s easier to litter train old rabbits, especially if they are neutered.
Young rabbits who are litter-trained will often forget their litter-training after reaching sexual maturity. Neutering would solve that problem, but you have to start over again.
Conclusion
Litter training a rabbit could be done in 1-2 weeks. To properly litter train your rabbits, you first need to have the proper litter that’s made for rabbits.
Unscented litter like wood pellets, aspen, and cellulose is best for rabbits.
To litter train your rabbits, you must first wait for them to pee on their own and remember the spot. Then, move the litter box to the same spot.
Unneutered rabbits could take longer to train and could even forget their litter training after reaching sexual maturity. Make sure that your rabbit is spayed or neutered because they have better litter habits.
Cite this article:
Sources and further reading
- Patry, Karen, et al. The Rabbit-Raising Problem Solver: Your Questions Answered about Housing, Feeding, Behavior, Health Care, Breeding, and Kindling. Storey Publishing, 2014.
- Neutering in Rabbits
