10 Rabbit Litter Box Tips and Tricks

I’ll just come out and say it right now: your rabbit will never be perfect at using the litter box. Rabbits will always leave stray poops around and some rabbits will decide to pee in places they shouldn’t no matter how hard you try.

Now that that’s out of the way, I can also say that almost all rabbits can still be trained to have pretty good litter box habits, especially with their urine. It can take a little bit of time and patience, but you can help your rabbit improve their litter box habits and make your life a little easier.

You don’t need to use all of the tips in this article, but choose a couple that make sense for you and your rabbit and try them out to see which ones make a difference.

1. Use a large litter box

Most litter boxes marketed for rabbits are a bit on the small side. You know, the ones that are meant to sit in the corner of a cage that most rabbits can barely fit in. Most rabbits will refuse to use these small litter boxes entirely.

Instead, you’ll want to buy one that your rabbit can completely fit and be able to turn around in. Usually getting litter pans made for a cat is a much better option (something like this). Honestly, this is one of the easiest and cheapest changes you can make, and it usually makes a huge difference.

2. Make sure the sides of the litter box are high enough

Some rabbits are better at using the litter box than it seems. The problem is that when they pee their butt hangs over the side of the box and they pee on the floor (you’d be surprised at how far from the litter box it can get. The good news is that your rabbit is probably litter trained in this case, they just don’t realize the pee is going over the edge. 

There are a couple solutions you can try:

• Get a larger litter box with higher sides
• Get a litter box with higher sides
• Place a dog pee mat underneath the litter box to act as a urine guard

3. Place hay inside the litter box

One of the best things you can try is putting your rabbits hay directly into their litter box (or at least somewhere they can reach while sitting in the litter box. You see, rabbits like to eat while they do their business, so their hay-eating spot will naturally become their pooping spot as well.

Of course, the hay is more likely to get soiled this way, so make sure to replace the hay in the litter box every day so that it doesn’t get moldy. It’s good to make sure your rabbit always has fresh hay anyway because it encourages good eating behavior!

4. Leave a small amount of soiled litter

Keep a little poop and urine in the litter box. While you’re litter training your rabbit, avoid completely cleaning out their box. Leaving some of their scent in the box helps them continue to associate it with their bathroom, making the training process more effective.

5. Always clean up any accidents and deodorize them

Whenever your rabbit pees or poops outside the litter box, it’s important to clean it up thoroughly so your rabbit doesn’t pee there again. Sweep or vacuum up the excess droppings, mop up the urine, and use a pet-safe cleaner to disinfect the area. This helps keep your rabbit’s scent confined to the litter boxes, making it more likely they’ll associate the box with the bathroom.

I recommend using a vinegar-based spray, as it’s pretty effective at neutralizing the smell of rabbit urine. You can make your own by mixing equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Four tougher urine stains, I recommend Fizzion. This is the best product I’ve found for getting pee stains out of the carpet (it works best if you use it twice, once immediately and again after the spot dries)

6. Put the litter box in whatever corner your rabbit chooses

Move the litter box to whatever spot your rabbit prefers. Rabbits are naturally clean animals and typically choose one corner of their enclosure as their bathroom spot. Once your rabbit has selected a potty area, relocate the litter box to that corner even if it’s a little inconvenient for you to reach. Additionally, sweep up some of your rabbit’s droppings and place them in the litter tray to reinforce the association.

7. Start in an enclosed space

If your rabbit is struggling with potty training, try starting in a smaller space. Begin by litter training your rabbit in their enclosure even if your goal is to eventually let your rabbit roam freely around the house. You can even add multiple boxes into the small space so that there is less chance of your rabbit missing.

Keeping the area small helps your rabbit locate the litter box when they need to go. It also promotes general cleanliness, as soiling the entire habitat will leave no clean spots for lounging, and most rabbits don’t like sleeping in pee.

Once your rabbit improves in a small area, try expanding the space bit by bit. This helps your rabbit develop good habits while keeping the litter box within easy reach. It also makes it simpler for you to monitor your rabbit, clean up after them, and place additional litter boxes where needed.

8. Give your rabbit extra litter boxes when they are exploring

Before letting your rabbit out to explore, place a few additional litter pans in corners of the room your rabbit is likely to see as bathroom material. If your rabbit picks a different spot to use the bathroom while they’re out, move a litter box to that location. 

Add some pee-stained newspaper and rabbit droppings to help your rabbit associate the new box with the bathroom. Be sure to use the same type of litter in all the boxes. Scoop more droppings into the boxes if your rabbit doesn’t catch on right away. 

9. Clean their enclosure daily

Until your rabbit develops good potty habits, it’s important to clean their enclosure every day. Leave a small amount of pee and poop in the litter box, but ensure that the rest of the enclosure is spotless (as much as possible). Keeping the enclosure clean will help reinforce the idea that the litter box is the designated bathroom area for your rabbit.

Over time, your rabbit will improve their litter box habits, and you won’t need to clean the enclosure quite as frequently. It will also be much easier to maintain, as you won’t have to deal with so many urine stains.

10. Give your rabbit some privacy

Some rabbits feel a little anxious about doing their business out in the open. They often prefer a spot that offers some cover. For example, You might notice that in the bedroom or living room, their preferred bathroom spots are under the bed or beneath a chair.

To address this, it’s important to provide your rabbit with a bathroom space where they feel secure. You can cover part of their enclosure with a towel to give them some privacy in the litter box. Alternatively, you could place it underneath a chair, in back of furniture, or even lay a large cardboard box on its side and put the litter box inside, offering them some cover.

Bonus: make sure your rabbit is spayed or neutered

The top piece of advice I can offer for addressing poor potty habits in rabbits is to get them spayed or neutered. Like many other animals, rabbits mark their territory by scattering droppings and spraying urine all around the area. This issue is especially common in unneutered male rabbits, though female rabbits can also spray.

Once your rabbit is spayed or neutered, they produce fewer hormones that drive territorial behavior, reducing their urge to mark their territory. You might notice an improvement in your rabbit’s litter habits soon after surgery, but it could take a few weeks for hormone levels to fully decline.

What if your rabbit suddenly starts peeing outside the litter box? 

If your rabbit used to be litter trained, but suddenly stopped using the litter box, you probably have a different issue altogether. These are some of the likely problems that can result in your rabbit changing their litter box behaviors:

1. The litter box hasn’t been cleaned in a while. Rabbits like having a clean bathroom, so they may be protesting the dirty conditions by finding another place to go.
2. Rabbits with mobility issues (such as disabled, elderly, and obese rabbits) may have trouble hopping into the litter box. They may end up using the area right next to the litter box instead. Try finding a litter box with lower sides or a low entry point.
3. Your rabbit may have a urinary tract infection or bladder sludge. These are medical conditions that often result in dribbling urine around. If your rabbit continues to pee outside the litter box, make an appointment with your rabbit’s vet.
4. Has another pet moved into your home recently? Sometimes the smell of another animal will trigger your rabbit into reclaiming the borders of their own territory by spraying urine and scattering poop.