You may be surprised at how easy it is to train your rabbit to use her litter box. By nature, rabbits tend to go in the same spot. You may have noticed your rabbit backing up into a corner and lifting her tail. Many times, it’s as simple as identifying where she likes to go and putting a litter box in that spot. However, there are many factors that can make or break your rabbit’s litter box habits. The simple choices you make, such as the type of litter to use, are crucial to your rabbit’s health, as well.

Spay and neuter first

Spaying and neutering your rabbit is essential to successful litter training. Unaltered mature rabbits are extremely territorial and typically mark territory with urine and fecal droppings. Spaying and neutering can curb territorial marking behavior considerably. In addition, you will rule out any chance of unwanted babies and significantly decrease the chance of ovarian cancer in females.

Rabbits need to be sexually mature to be spayed and neutered. The minimum age is about six months old. Rabbits adopted from shelters are typically spayed and neutered before you take them home. If you have an unaltered rabbit on your hands, be sure to choose a veterinarian with extensive experience performing these operations on rabbits.

Choose the right litter

Rabbits tend to spend a lot of time in their litter boxes. They also like to taste-test some of the litter. For these reasons, the litter you choose can be a matter of life or death for your rabbit. Generally, organic litters made from alfalfa, oat, citrus or recycled papers are good to use. Another rabbit-safe litter is the food pellets themselves. If your rabbit is not overweight, food pellets are a very economical choice. Once the pellets are contaminated with urine and fecal droppings, your rabbit won’t find them very appealing.