By Sienna Walsh · Last updated 17 May 2026
Rabbits are naturally clean. In the wild they pee in a specific “latrine” area of their warren. The pet-rabbit version of this is one corner of their pen — and once you’ve identified that corner, you put a tray in it. That’s most of it. The rest is timing, equipment, and not undoing the training accidentally.
When to start
- Best results after spay/neuter. Intact rabbits, especially males, mark territory with urine sprays — no amount of litter training will fix that until the hormones are gone. Wait 4-6 weeks post-op.
- Wait until 4 months old for very young rabbits — they grasp it earlier than that but consistency improves after weaning.
- You can train any age — adults often get it within a week.
Equipment
Litter tray
- Low-sided tray, big enough for the rabbit to fully sit in (most “rabbit litter trays” are sold too small)
- Cat litter trays work, or under-bed plastic storage boxes with one side cut down
- For mini-lops or dwarfs: tray ~30x25cm
- For medium rabbits: 40x30cm
- For Flemish Giants and larger: 50x40cm
- One tray per rabbit minimum, plus one — exactly like cat litter rule
Litter substrate (this matters)
| Litter | Safe? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Paper-pellet (Carefresh, Back-2-Nature) | ✅ | Our pick — absorbent, low dust, safe if eaten |
| Compressed paper pellets (“Yesterday’s News”) | ✅ | Excellent absorbency |
| Wood pellet (kiln-dried, not pine) | ✅ | Cheap, absorbent — confirm it’s stove pellets or aspen |
| Hemp | ✅ | Premium |
| Aspen shavings | ✅ | Use deep, refresh daily |
| Clay cat litter | ❌ | Dusty, clumps in gut if eaten |
| Clumping cat litter | ❌ | Worse than clay — definitely don’t |
| Pine / cedar shavings | ❌ | Respiratory issues |
| Silica crystals | ❌ | Not safe if eaten |
| Corn-cob | ⚠️ | Some rabbits eat it |
Hay on top
The trick almost nobody mentions: put hay on top of the litter in the tray. Rabbits eat and poop simultaneously, so dropping hay in the tray naturally encourages them to use it. Add fresh hay in the tray every morning.
The method, step by step
Day 1 — pick the corner
Confine the rabbit to a small area for the first day or two (X-pen size, not the full free-roam room). Observe which corner they use for the first few pees and poops. Place the litter tray there.
Day 2 — seed the tray
Pick up any “stray” poops with a tissue and put them in the tray. Soak up a stray pee patch with a paper towel and tuck it under the litter in the tray. This labels the tray with “your pee/poop goes here” signals.
Day 3-7 — reward and expand
When you see the rabbit using the tray, say “good” in a calm voice (rabbits don’t get verbal praise like dogs, but the consistent association builds). Expand the pen gradually over the week. Add a second tray once you expand to a bigger space.
Week 2-4 — full room or free-roam
Once they’re 95%+ using the tray in the small pen, give access to the rest of the room. Watch for new “latrine corners” — if they pick a new spot, put another tray there. Yes, you might end up with three trays. That’s fine.
Daily maintenance
- Top up hay every morning
- Scoop visible poops out of the tray every 1-2 days
- Full clean: empty tray, wash with white vinegar, refill — every 2-3 days for one rabbit, more for multiple
- Don’t use scented disinfectants — they can deter the rabbit from using the tray
Troubleshooting
“They’re pooping outside the tray”
Rabbits scatter dry “poo pellets” as territorial markers. Some scatter never fully stops. After spay/neuter it reduces dramatically. Stray poops outside the tray are easy — they don’t smell and you can sweep them up. Pee outside the tray is the bigger concern.
“They were litter trained and now they’re peeing on the carpet”
- Medical first. UTIs and bladder stones cause sudden litter-box regression. Get a vet check before assuming it’s behavioural.
- Is something stressful new? A new pet, new partner, building work next door, a move?
- Are they bonded with a new rabbit? Territorial re-marking is common during bonding
- Has the litter brand changed? They might prefer the old one
- Is the tray dirty? Rabbits are fussy
“They pee in the tray but on the rim”
Tray is too small. Get a bigger one. Many “rabbit” trays are sized for a single dwarf and not the rabbit sitting comfortably plus eating hay.
“They’re pooping ON the rabbit they live with”
Dominance display. Usually settles within a few weeks of bonding. Bath / spot-clean as needed.
Cleaning the spot they peed
If the urine smell remains, the rabbit will pee there again. Standard household cleaners with ammonia make it worse (rabbit urine has its own ammonia). Use:
- White vinegar diluted 1:1 with water (kills the calcium-carbonate residue rabbit urine leaves)
- Enzyme cleaners marketed for pet urine (Nature’s Miracle and similar)
- Avoid bleach, ammonia, scented disinfectants
A note on hay-on-top
It seems counterintuitive to put food in a toilet. But rabbits eat hay constantly, including while pooping, including while peeing. Hay-on-top trays maximise hay intake (good for GI health) AND lock in the use of the tray. Refresh hay daily; soiled hay composts.
Sources
- House Rabbit Society — Litter training guide
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — RWAF behaviour pages
- Our complete rabbit care guide
We get asked — pet rabbit food FAQ
What’s the basic split of a healthy rabbit diet?
80% hay (unlimited Timothy, orchard, or meadow), 15% fresh leafy greens (about 1 cup per kg of body weight, split morning and evening), and 5% pellets (a small egg-cup-sized daily portion). Fruit is a treat, not a daily food. Alfalfa is for under-6-months and pregnant/nursing only.
What’s GI stasis and why does it matter?
It’s the rabbit killer. When a rabbit’s gut motility slows or stops — usually because of low hay intake, dental pain, stress, or something else — they can spiral fast. A rabbit that hasn’t eaten or pooped in 8 hours is an emergency. Ring an exotic vet immediately, do not wait until morning.
Should I spay or neuter?
Yes, ideally before age 1. Female rabbits have a reported 50-80% uterine cancer rate by age 5-6 if unspayed. Neutered males stop spraying, calm down, and become better companions. Both surgeries are routine for an experienced exotic vet.
Related reading
- The complete pet rabbit care guide
- Master food safety table
- How to litter train a rabbit
- Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund — RWAF resources
Portion sizes & serving rules
Daily greens for an adult rabbit: roughly one cup of fresh veg per kilogram of body weight, split into morning and evening servings. A 2kg dwarf gets 2 cups daily total; a 4kg medium rabbit gets 4 cups. Pellets are about an egg-cup-sized daily serving regardless of size. Hay should be unlimited and available 24/7 — not topped up “when it runs out”, but always present.
Fruit is a treat, not a meal. We give one tablespoon-sized fruit treat once or twice a week, no more. Even “natural” sugars accumulate.
Greens rotation
The “three different greens daily” rule keeps mineral loads moderate. A working daily mix might be:
- 1 herb (basil, coriander, mint, dill, parsley — rotate)
- 1 leafy base (romaine, butter lettuce, endive)
- 1 stronger green (bok choy, rocket, radish tops, dandelion)
High-calcium greens (kale, parsley, spinach, swiss chard) are excellent rotations but not daily staples. Two days of kale followed by five days of milder greens keeps the calcium load moderate and the risk of urinary issues low.
Warning signs after a new food
- No or fewer poops within 12 hours
- Soft, mushy or smelly poops (caecotrophs being missed too)
- Sudden disinterest in hay
- Hunched posture, tooth-grinding while hunched (pain signal)
- Bloated belly
A rabbit that hasn’t pooped or eaten in 8 hours is an emergency. GI stasis progresses fast and silently. Vet now, not tomorrow. Full GI stasis primer in our complete rabbit care guide.
Page last updated 17 May 2026. We re-check our pet-care content regularly and update when something changes.
