sleeping in poop

Question
We have four female, outdoor bunnies that have a wire floored cage but with a wooden box in it for shelter. They seem to like to poop and pee in their boxes and like to lay amd sleep in it. When we try to clean the boxes out, they get aggressive and upset. Why do they do this and is it normal?

Answer
Dear Erika,

If the bunnies are not spayed, they are likely being territorial about having you mess with their scented areas.  But that doesn't mean you should let them sleep in a messy pile of feces and urine.

Replace the bottoms of the boxes with litterboxes that can be changed regularly.  The best litter to use is pelleted sawdust, which absorbs odor and moisture very well, and can be used as compost afterwards.  Put a soft layer of grass/timothy hay over the pellets. The bunnies will use this as litterbox, and you can just lift the boxes up when you need to change the litter. The whole thing will be a LOT cleaner and more pleasant that what you're having to clean now.

Also note that unspayed, unbred female rabbits have a *VERY* high risk of uterine cancer, so all should be spayed for their health and longevity.  Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

and find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope this helps.

Dana