peeing on my daughter

Question
My daughter has a 2 month old brown savannah bunnie. Every time she holds it(not sure what sex yet) it pees on her. Another problem is It likes to pee in the food dish! Please help with these 2 problems
thanks

Answer
Dear Sandi,

A baby bunny who urinates on someone who holds him is probably doing this out of baby nervousness.  Most rabbits do NOT like to be held and carried around, and I think it's important for you and your daughter to read these overviews so you'll know the best way to handle and interact with your bunny:

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

and

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/children.html

The bunny is a little bit young to be good with his litterbox yet, but it's never too late to start conditioning him.  You can find tips on training here:

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

Before you pick up the bunny for cuddling, put him in the properly-equipped litterbox, which should promote his urinating, if he needs to go.  To prevent him from peeing in his food dish (the pellets seem like good litter to him!), place the box filled with pelleted sawdust litter (e.g., Feline Pine) and a thin covering of very soft hay where the food bowl is (if it's in a corner).  Make sure the box is low enough for him to comfortably jump in to munch hay. His natural response will most likely be to urinate in a back corner of the box, and sit and much a fluffy bunch of hay that you've put in the front of the box, just for that purpose.

Gradually, he will learn to differentiate food dish from litterbox, but he's just a baby yet.  It will take time and his getting used to his new home and the "lay of the land."

For all the best information on proper rabbit care, diet, and housing, please visit www.rabbit.org/

and please read:

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

and

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

Hope this helps!

Dana