I'm rabbit sitting, why does it love to poop in it's food dish, how do I stop him?

I'm taking care of my girlfriends rabbit, while she's at the beach, and I was wondering, why does the little fellow insist on pooping in his food dish. It's one that hangs from the side of the cage, and he sits in it and poops...i don't get it, how do i get him to stop?I'm rabbit sitting, why does it love to poop in it's food dish, how do I stop him?
They do not like to walk in their poop. If it is a corner feed dish, fill it with bedding, and let it poop away. Buy another bin type feeder and place it on the other side of the cage. Clean the poop bin daily . If it really bothers you, Problem solved!


Also,, a rabbit makes a certain type of poop in the mornings, that it actually eats, it replenishes the bacteria in the digestive tract. If the bunny doesn't mind, don't do anything. As long as the feed stays dry, and you are cleaning out the dish each time you feed, there is really not a problem. Obviously this bunny has been doing this for a long time, not something new, talk to your girlfriend and see.I'm rabbit sitting, why does it love to poop in it's food dish, how do I stop him?
move da poop dish.
It is just an animal.
First try moving the dish. If the rabbit still poops in it try using a different food dish. Rabbits like to poop in corners, so if the dish is in a corner that might just be that rabbits favorite corner. If that doesn't work I'm at a loss.
Bunnies like to poop in corners, so if the food dish is in the corner, move it. They also like to poop on and around their stuff as a way of showing the world that it belongs to them. They'll also start pooping in places that they shouldn't if their litter box is full. They're not fond of standing in their own refuse, so if his cage is a mess, it's time to clean it.
You dont, he'll eat around it.
my rabit Elle mcpherson did that too i think its a rabit thing
There are special food bins that prevent that. Buy one at Petsmart; they're around $8. I know, I work there.
It's not easy to train a rabbit. Just relax and try to enjoy it being cuddly. They don't ever stop pooping either.





I'd put him outside in a secure area if you have one. Maybe just call her and ask her what SHE does. I don't know.
Rabbits are wierd like that, you can dump it out, and put food in the bowl more often so you aren't dumping out food. You might want to move the bowl to somewhere else but there might not be much you can do.
A 12 Gauge Shotgun will do wonders for you !!!
awww..rabbit sitting how cute!!
ypu dont. i have a rabbit and a hamster and they both do that occasionly but it doesn't hurt them. it probable needs a weel or something to make him active
its really normal...they are nasty little rodents and that's just one of the gross things they do





you are just going to have to feed him a little bit at a time and clean his feeder regularly %26amp; thank goodness you get rid of it when your friend gets back from the beach!
well, its just a habbit of a rabbit. You cant stop him/her unless you're a sort of professional rabbit trainer, which I can see, you are not.





Rabbits usually take well to litter training, although some flexibility may be required by the owner. Rabbits naturally pick one or more toilet areas, and owners can take advantage of this in litter training.


The Litter





First a suitable litter is needed. You rabbit will probably like to lay in the litter box and may even nibble on the litter, so something absorbent and safe is necessary. Rabbit urine also has a strong odor, so something that absorbs odor is ideal. Do not use clay or clumping litters, or cedar or pine wood shavings. Organic or paper-based pellets and litters are a good choice.





Steps to Litter Training


To start, confinement and supervision is the key. If a rabbit is allowed to urinate and defecate wherever it likes from the beginning, it will be much harder to train. At first, keep your rabbit primairly in his (or her cage), which should be fairly small at first, with a litter pan. Place a litter box in the cage, and note where you rabbit eliminates. He (she) may start using the box, or may be pick another corner of the cage as a toilet. If this is the case, then move the litter box to the area your rabbit seems to prefer. Flexibility on litter box placement may be necessary both in and out of the cage.





Once your rabbit is using the litter pan in the cage, allow the rabbit out of the cage in a limited area. Provide a litter box within this area, and perhaps make it enticing by placing a a treat or favorite toy in the box. Watch your rabbit for signs he is about to urinate or defecate (they usually back up and lift their tail slightly), and try to herd him to the box immediately (if your rabbit is very calm about being picked up it should be okay to place him right in the box). If your rabbit uses the box, give the rabbit a treat (food, toy, petting, or praise) right away. If you notice your rabbit tends to head to one area to do its business, consider putting the box here.





Accidents will happen, and punishment has no place in training a rabbit. Your rabbit will absolutely not be able to make a connection with physical punishment and elimitnating outside the litter box. If you catch your rabbit in the act calmly and gently take him or her to the litter box immediately. But, if your don't physically catch your rabbit urinating or defecating, it is too late for your rabbit to make the connection. Just clean up and watch your rabbit a little more closely next time (clean the spot diluted vinegar, or a commercial pet stain/odor remover). The key is to get your rabbit to the box before he goes, so a trip to the litter box every 10 minutes during playtime can be helpful.





Over time, your rabbit will probably develop a preference for using the box, and amount of freedom you give your rabbit can be increased. You may need to provide more boxes as you allow your rabbit acces to more space (rabbits may not go far in search of a box so have them handy). Again, if your rabbit repeatedly chooses one place in he room to eliminate, consider putting or moving a litter box there. Try to work with what your rabbit naturally wants to do, but if the location they ';choose'; is inconvenient, you can try putting a litter box there for a while and then gradually move it to a better spot. Sometimes, placing a bowl of food where you don't want them to go works too.





The process sounds daunting, but usually goes pretty smoothly as long as the owner works with the rabbit's natural tendencies and provides undivided attention to the rabbit during it's free time in the beginning. Establishing a routine with your rabbit will also help. Sometimes a previously trained rabbit will get a little careless, and this usually means backtracking and restricting freedom until your rabbit is trained again.
Hey, everyone's gotta learn from their mistakes. Just let him eat it. I'm sure he'll figure it out soon enough.
Super Glue his Pooper shut! (kidding!)





Let the rabbit be!





=)