You'll also want to periodically scoop more poops into the boxes if your rabbit doesn't get the hang of it right away. Most of the time it won't take very long at all before you notice your rabbit's potty habits have greatly improved with just these steps.
In general, rabbit poop is not harmful to humans, cats, dogs, or other animals. The diseases that can be transmitted through their feces are species specific and would only pose a threat to other rabbits. Even then, it's likely that if your rabbit is healthy, they will not spread anything through their poop.
This is completely optional. I like to use a small baby diaper garbage can to scoop the soiled litter into, but you can just as easily use daily plastics bags or any garbage can you already own. I like to use this one because I can keep it in my rabbit's area to make scooping out the litter box easy.
How often should you clean out your rabbit's litter box? Your bunny's litter box will need to be cleaned every 1-7 days.
Fill the bottom of the litter box with a layer of bedding (recycling paper pellets are great) – about an 2-3 inches deep. Add a thick layer of hay at one end or in a hay feeder close enough to the tray so they can munch while in the box. Rabbits will naturally want to munch on the hay while going to the bathroom.
It is best to keep the babies in a warm, quiet place in a nest. Bunny fur is the best lining for the nest, but clean cotton wadding will do as a substitute. Just be sure the babies do not get tangled in it. For heating, two or more babies usually are able to snuggle and keep each other warm if they have a good nest.
Obesity - overweight rabbits often struggle to clean themselves and tend to move around less/sit in dirty bedding. Diarrhoea - if your rabbit has diarrhoea, they are very likely to develop a dirty bottom, especially if they are feeling too unwell to groom.
Some spayed or neutered rabbits may continue to mark their territory with their poop outside their litter box, you shouldn't get alarmed as it's quite normal for them to do so.
Poopy butt is usually caused by an upset in the rabbits diet. Try feeding more hay and pellets and fewer fresh veggies to see if it bulks up the poops. If it doesn't clear up in a day or two, take your rabbit to the vet. Normally rabbits have soft poops called cecals which are eaten straight away.
Urinary Tract Infections
When a litter box does not get cleaned properly, cats risk squatting over and stepping in old excretions. Bacteria from festering waste in the dirty litter box can travel up the urethra, causing a urinary tract infection (UTI) in your cat.
For rabbits, use litter made from aspen shavings or recycled paper. Pine and cedar shavings can be unhealthy for rabbits so they should be avoided. Locate your rabbit's preferred "potty spot." Figure out the areas of the cage or room that your rabbit uses as a bathroom. Simply place a litter box in that corner.
Many rabbits even sleep in their litterbox. Conversely, every time he eliminates outside a litterbox, that behavior is becoming habitual.
Rabbits do not require routine bathing and in fact frequent washing, either with or without shampoo, strips the rabbit's fur of its natural oils, which helps to keep the rabbit's coat in good condition. Bathing is also extremely stressful for rabbits and has many potential and serious dangers.
It may seem gross, but rabbits normally eat some of their feces once a day, either early in the morning or late at night. These special feces are called cecotropes, or “night feces.” They are produced through fermentation of food in the part of the rabbit's digestive tract called the cecum.
Disposing of rabbit waste
Some people will try to flush it down the toilet, but I don't recommend this since it's likely to clog up the drains. Instead, use the kind of trash bag that does not rip easily. Simply shovel your rabbit's poop and soiled litter into a plastic bag and put it in the trash.
It takes at least one week for the easy ones but it could take a while longer for a stubborn rabbit. You'll also find that older rabbits are easier to teach compared to younger ones as they have better a attention span.
Keep your rabbit's bottom as clean as possible and check every day, a few times per day, during warmer weather. Any sign of fly eggs or maggots, and you need to get your rabbit to the vet immediately. Don't wait to wash it; just go to the vet now.
Baby wipes are the easiest method of cleaning your rabbit without bathing it. Use baby wipes that are fragrance-free, alcohol-free and hypo-allergenic for best results. You want a wipe that is strong enough to clean your bunny without tearing, and which is soft so that it won't hurt your bunny's skin.
As long as you're rabbit's poops are all a uniform color, you shouldn't worry that the color seems a little light. If your rabbit has very dark poops, it might be an indication that they have a diet that's too high in protein. But sometimes it just comes down to the rabbit's specific digestion.
Put down a thick layer of litter to cover the bottom of the box. On top of the litter at one end of the box, place a nice big pile of hay. You will probably need to refresh the litter each day and dump the contents every couple of days to once a week, depending on the size of the box and your rabbit's output.
We recommend using CareFresh (a rabbit-safe pet bedding that does not contain any pine or cedar products) and fresh hay to prepare your bunny's litter box. Spread one inch of clean CareFresh covering the bottom of the pan, then add a big handful of hay. Remember to use rabbit-safe litters in your bunny's box.