training
How to Litter Train a Rabbit: NZ Step-by-Step Guide
5 June 2026
Rabbits are naturally clean and can be litter trained. How to set up the tray, choose safe litter, and work with your bunny's instincts. NZ owner's guide.
The quick answer: rabbits are naturally clean animals that like to toilet in one spot, which makes most of them litter trainable — especially once desexed. The trick is to work *with* their instincts: put the litter tray where they already choose to go, use a safe litter, and always pair the tray with hay. Patience and desexing do most of the work.
Why desexing matters first
Entire (un-desexed) rabbits mark territory with droppings and urine driven by hormones, which makes litter training an uphill battle. Desexing dramatically improves litter habits (and is far healthier — entire female rabbits have a very high rate of uterine cancer). A desexed rabbit past adolescence is much easier to train.
Set up the tray
- Pick the right spot. Rabbits usually choose a corner — watch where yours goes and put the tray there. You can't easily force a new spot; follow their lead.
- Use a safe litter. Paper-based pellet litter or large untreated wood pellets are good choices. Avoid clay/clumping cat litter, cedar and pine shavings — they can harm rabbits.
- Add hay. Rabbits eat and toilet at the same time, so put a hay rack over the tray or hay at one end. This is also the single most important food in their diet — see what do rabbits eat in NZ.
- Don't over-clean. Leave a few droppings in the tray at first so it smells like "the toilet".
Step-by-step
1. Start small. Begin in a pen or one room, not the whole house — too much space makes training harder. 2. Place the tray in their chosen corner with hay. 3. Encourage use. Pop stray droppings into the tray; gently guide them back to it. Reward good use with a small treat or praise. 4. Expand slowly. As they get reliable, give more space, adding extra trays in new areas at first. 5. Stay consistent. Accidents are normal early on — never punish; just clean thoroughly (so it doesn't smell like a toilet) and keep guiding them to the tray.
If training slips
A previously-trained rabbit that suddenly stops using the tray may be telling you something — a new pet or change of environment, a dirty tray, reaching maturity (if not yet desexed), or a health issue. Sudden changes in toileting, or signs like straining, can be medical, so see a rabbit-savvy NZ vet if it persists.
Quick takeaways
- Desex first — it transforms litter habits and is much healthier.
- Put the tray where the rabbit already chooses to go.
- Use paper or untreated wood-pellet litter; avoid clay, clumping, cedar and pine.
- Pair the tray with hay; start in a small space and expand slowly.
- A sudden loss of habits can be hormonal or medical → rabbit-savvy vet.
Shop related categories at PetMall
Looking for litter trays, safe litter and hay racks in New Zealand? Browse the PetMall small pet range for current options and nationwide delivery.
Related reading
References
- SPCA New Zealand, rabbit welfare & care, checked 2026-06-05: https://www.spca.nz/advice-and-welfare/
- Companion Animals New Zealand, rabbit care, checked 2026-06-05: https://www.companionanimals.nz/
Important notice
*General training information for NZ owners. Desexing advice and any sudden change in toileting should be discussed with a rabbit-savvy NZ vet.*
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