Rabbits can be taught to use a litter box just like cats. In fact, because these creatures of habit will usually return to the same spot to expel their waste, it might be easier than you think to train yours. This can prevent you from having to clean up pee and poo from around the house while also enabling your rabbit to keep its house and private space clean and tidy.
As well as a little patience, you will also need a decent quality litter box, and using the 5 DIY rabbit litter box plans below, you can craft your own to match the dimensions of a hutch or according to the materials you have on hand.
The 5 DIY Rabbit Litter Box Plans
1. DIY Bunny Litter Tray by House Of Nums
| Materials | Cat Litter Box, Plastic Mushroom Crate |
| Tools | Scissors |
| Difficulty | Easy |
This DIY bunny litter tray uses a cat litter box with a plastic mushroom crate as the grate that stands above the litter itself. A grate acts as a barrier between the litter and your rabbit, so your little one won’t get dirt on their feet, and it prevents them from kicking used litter out of the box.
You don’t have to use a grate but doing so does make cleaning everything easier. If you do use one, ensure that it isn’t sharp, and don’t use a wire grate because it will cause sores on the bottom of your rabbit’s feet.
These plans are easy to follow, don’t require any tools other than a pair of scissors, and the only difficulty is likely to be finding a plastic mushroom tray – try your local produce store and see if they have any spare.
2. DIY Sifting Litter Box by Floppy Cats
| Materials | Two Plastic Stacking Boxes |
| Tools | Drill, Drill Bit |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Sifting litter boxes are those that effectively sift smaller pieces of litter into a bottom box and leave the remaining pellets in the top box where your rabbit pees and poops. The benefit of this type of litter box is that as the pellets break down from being used and when they are scratched and kicked around the tray, the bits of sawdust will be pushed to the bottom where they are easily removed. You do still have to scoop or bag solids from the top box, but it is much easier.
This DIY sifting litter box is designed for cats, but if you have a smaller rabbit, you can adjust the design simply by buying smaller stacking boxes. The boxes should have about 1 inch between them when stacked, allowing plenty of room for the bottom layer of pellets. Other than drilling some holes in the top box, there is no work involved in this little project making it easy and convenient.
3. Ikea Hack Litter Box by Nocturnal Knits
| Materials | Ikea Gabbig Storage Box, Litter Pan, Shelf Liner |
| Tools | Glue Gun, Wire Cutters |
| Difficulty | Medium |
Ikea hacks are everywhere. They use an inexpensive Ikea product and modify it to meet specific needs that are usually quite different from the intended use of the item in the first place. This Ikea hack turns a rattan storage box into a discreet, hidden litter box. Once again, it was designed for feline use but can be adapted to rabbits. The plans use a clear drawer liner to prevent solids and liquids from getting through to the rattan and ruining it, but you could use any similar material.
This Ikea hack litter box plan is a little more difficult because you do have to cut through the rattan and clean up the frayed edges, but it is more time consuming than it is difficult.
The storage box used in the original plan is no longer available from Ikea, but the designer does offer an alternative and you could use any suitably similar rattan or another storage container.
4. Scatterless Rabbit Litter Box by DJ Pet Channel
| Materials | Cookie Cooling Racks, Plastic Container, Binding Clip |
| Tools | Scissors |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Cookie cooling racks are made from metal, and they bend to shape easily, which makes them a good choice for making a grate system for a rabbit litter box. Rabbits do have a tendency to kick when they walk, especially if they run when startled. If they happen to be standing in the litter tray at the time, this means pellets and the content of the pellets can be kicked all over the room.
This scatterless rabbit litter box separates the rabbit from the pellets and most of its contents, which means that it won’t get spread across the room.
The design uses a plastic container box, and you can use pretty much any container you already have laying around, or buy a storage type container specially for the project.
5. Rabbit Hay Feeder and Litter Box by Instructables
| Materials | Plywood, Round Dowels, Square Dowels, Litter Box |
| Tools | Brad Nailer, Circular Saw, Drill |
| Difficulty | Moderate/Difficult |
Rabbits love to chew and eat while they’re using the litter tray, so combining a hay feeder and litter tray enables your rabbit to combine two of its favorite pastimes in one.
This rabbit hay feeder and litter box uses a large litter box and combines dowels and plywood to create a single unit. It’s tidy, better looking than having a plastic tray on the floor, and it effectively does the job it’s designed for. While it is more difficult to make than the other litter boxes on this list, if you’re handy with a circular saw and a drill, it’s still a relatively easy DIY project that can be finished in no time.
FAQ
Is It OK to Use Cat Litter for Rabbits?
It is OK to use some cat litters for rabbits, but not all are safe. You should avoid using clumping litter and avoid those that have scented wood because some of these scented materials can be toxic to rabbits, despite being safe for cats. Recycled paper cat litter pellets are usually safe for use with rabbits.
How Big Does a Rabbit Litter Box Need to Be?
The size of the rabbit litter box you need depends on the size of your rabbits, and how many you have. A single medium litter tray, measuring 22 x 17 x 16.5 inches is big enough for a medium or two small rabbits. If you need a larger litter tray because you have a lot of rabbits or very large breeds, you may need to look at storage boxes and other solutions, because cat litter trays may not be big enough.
How Do You Toilet Train a Bunny?
Toilet training rabbits is easier than you might think. Rabbits are creatures of habit, and they will tend to pee and poop in the same area. When you see where your rabbit is going pee or poo, put a litter tray there. If they use the litter tray in this spot, clean it and continue to use it. If they go somewhere else, move the tray or use a second tray in the new area. It may take a few attempts to get it right, but your rabbit will eventually get the idea. You can also try hanging some hay next to the tray because rabbits do enjoy chewing while they’re toileting.
Conclusion
Using a rabbit litter box means that you don’t have to put up with your rabbit indiscriminately toileting anywhere in its hutch or, worse still, in your home. You could absolutely use a cat litter tray, put it in the spot where your rabbit most often toilets, and enjoy the benefits of a clean rabbit hutch, but it only takes some moderate modifications, and you can create something more substantial and beneficial for you and your rabbits.
Featured Image Credit: KanphotoSS, Shutterstock
