It's a bunny thing about litter boxes

Q: One of my friends has two pet bunnies. They have the run of her apartment when she's home, and she says they use a litter box like a cat. Is that true?

A: For the most part, yes. While many rabbits will use a litter box, they don't use them in the same way cats do. Rabbits typically don't cover their waste, and they aren't into "go and go" - they like to spend a great deal of time in their boxes. And rabbit owners don't scoop the litter: A rabbit's entire box needs to be changed daily. (Unlike a cat's waste, what a rabbit leaves behind is a safe addition to any compost pile, and the composted waste is a wonderful organic fertilizer.) The best filler for a rabbit's box is a layer of fresh hay over litter made from recycled paper or compressed sawdust (sold as pellets for wood stoves).

Not all rabbits will use a box. Older, sexually intact rabbits who have not had prior access to a box will be less likely to use one. Young rabbits who have been spayed or neutered prior to hormones kicking in (at about four months) are more likely to use a litter box and less likely to mark territory.

You don't really "train" a rabbit to use a box. You provide the opportunity by setting up an inviting box - large, comfortable, safe and with a layer of fresh hay to munch - and limiting other choices. Even rabbits who use boxes reliably may leave "pellets" now and then. Fortunately, rabbit pellets are easy to clean up. It's a small price to pay for the companionship of a rabbit, as people who enjoy these wonderful pets will tell you.