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We know from What is required to house break a rabbit? that litter box training a rabbit is very similar to a cat. We know from How can I train my cat to use the toilet? that cats can be trained to use a toilet.

From personal experience I know that bunnies are not as comfortable with having their feet on slippery surfaces as a cat is, so some kind of no-slip seat would be required. I also know that they will readily jump up to chair or couch height, so it seems possible in theory.

Are there any documented cases of a bunny using a toilet? Does anyone have first person experience in an attempt?

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    I really dislike "You should not even try" answers... but I think in this case it may be appropriate. I think ill wait and see if anyone has any other opinions that are valid before answering though.
    – user9
    Nov 8, 2013 at 16:31
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    Well, it depends on the height of both the rabbit and the toilet, right?
    – JoshDM
    Nov 8, 2013 at 19:11
  • I never tried with my buns, though I did with cats, so I can't directly answer. The concern I would have is agility. Rabbits can jump, but they don't have the agility or limb dexterity of cats and that is a slippery surface. I simply wouldn't risk it.
    – Joanne C
    Nov 9, 2013 at 1:48
  • And what about cecotropes? Is it advisable to do this? Or do you just train the rabbit to use the toilet during the daytime?
    – user6796
    Nov 9, 2013 at 4:03
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    @Skippy-psI'mawoman Cecotropes are not a litter box activity. They go straight from the container to consumption, usually while in the sleeping place.
    – James Jenkins
    Nov 9, 2013 at 10:29

1 Answer 1

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This is probably not a good idea.

First due to the nature of the activities that take place in a human bathroom, there are places that the average human does not come in contact with on a regular basis that can collect liquids and germs. These types of places, like the seam where the toilet meets the floor, are the type of places that rabbits like to explore. Rabbit systems are delicate and foreign germs can devastate a rabbits system, and potentially causing death. Just out of an abundance of precaution I keep my rabbits out of the bathroom.

Another concern is that rabbits are not as agile as cats. This means that a rabbit that loses its balance while on the seating area is much more likely to find themselves in the basin with the water and any unflushed waste. Domestic rabbits are not used to dealing with being wet if you are not there to help clean and dry them this can lead to other issues with their fur, and potentially cause the rabbit to go into shock.

Rabbits like to eat hay while in their litter box. Successful litter box training nearly always includes a hay source positioned so that hay can be consumed while producing droppings. Stray or imperfect hay migrates to the floor of the litter box, where it goes to compost with the rest of the litter. Assuming you train the rabbit to use toilet (conceivable), if you fail to include hay (a dietary requirement) at the toilet the rabbit will prefer to use the facilities where the hay is. If you do include hay at the toilet, your plumbing system is unlikely to appreciate the extra fiber.

In addition there is really no practical reason for this. Most bunnies are clean and will leave their potty in the same place most of the time. If you provide them with a litter box to do this they will leave most of their mess there. Any problems you have with droppings left in other places are not going to be alleviated by training the bun to use the toilet. They are most likely either territory marking or the fact that rabbits do not have the control like humans do. Neither of these is going to change if you can manage to train your rabbit to use the toilet.

Lastly, rabbit dropping are make a super fertilizer when composed that is hard to top.

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    Great answer, did you want to include that rabbits like to eat hay while they are in the litter box, and this would also be a problem on toilet?
    – James Jenkins
    Nov 12, 2013 at 15:53
  • @JamesJenkins - I am not a house rabbit expert. Most of our rabbits live in cages and get out to play in an area where it is easy to clean up. Most of their business is done into their trays. If you can edit that into my answer fee free. At best it would look awkward if I tried and I would probably fail to make the point you are seeking.
    – user9
    Nov 12, 2013 at 22:35

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