If you care for one of these adorable animals, you may have experienced your rabbit peeing on you. Obviously, this situation can be quite annoying and surprising for many people, since it is the last thing we would expect from these little friends.
However, there are many reasons why this can happen, whether the animal pees when you pick it up or decides to spray you without warning on top of your feet, for example. If you want to know why your rabbit urinates on you, in this article on our site we explain the main reasons.
My rabbit urinates on me when I pick him up
If your rabbit pees on you when you pick it up, these are the causes that can explain this behaviour:
He is afraid of you
The main reason your rabbit urinates when you pick it up is most likely fear. It is possible that he is afraid of you because he has not been socialized with people as a child, you have not yet gained his trust or he has associated you with a bad experience (like once you picked him up and accidentally hurt him).
This pee due to fear can happen even if you pet him or get close to him, in case he has no chance to run away (for example, in his cage) and therefore feel trapped. In these circumstances, the furry is so nervous that he loses control of his urinary sphincters, which causes him to pee involuntarily.
He hasn't learned to relieve himself
It may also be that your rabbit has not learned to relieve himself in a place enabled for it, such as his corner. This results in your rabbit urinating on you, but also in different areas of your house, such as the sofa, carpets, etc.
Not feeling well
Finally, it is possible that this problem is due to your rabbit not having its physical and social needs met. For example, he does not get enough exercise or he should go out of his cage more often, he spends a lot of time alone… If your rabbit is not in a state of well-being, he may be stressed and frustrated, which can cause misplaced urination.
Also, it is possible that your rabbit is not feeling well due to an organ problem and therefore it is necessary to take it to the veterinarian to rule out any pathology. Consult the most common diseases in rabbits and their symptoms to collect all the possible information.
My rabbit urinates on me
Rabbits, apart from urinating as part of their physiological needs or as an emotional response to a very stressful situation, can voluntarily spray urine on objects, other rabbits or people. When a rabbit sprays urine, it gives off a stronger odor than usual. Also, while normal urination is directed at the ground, spraying is directed at vertical surfaces and is similar to a spray. This behavior is usually carried out as a marking Because these cute animals, like many species, have a highly developed sense of smell, so urine is usually used as a form of communication.
Due to the above, this marking behavior is often carried out frequently to leave their scent and communicate to others of their species that what they they have marked belongs to them, be it their territory, valuables and even us, since we are the ones who provide them with sustenance and security.
Likewise, and although it may seem strange to us, during the courtship period the males usually spray the females with urine as a sign of love. In the same way, when we incorporate a new companion to our rabbit, it could be another rabbit, a cat, a dog…, it could be that he welcomed it by spraying it with urine to blend in with the smell of the group. As in other animal species, such as cats, this common scent transmits security, trust, comfort and, ultimately, well-being and balance.
Finally, it should be noted that although marking is a natural behavior in these animals, excessive marking is usually an indicator that something is wrongand is generating insecurity in your animal. For example, if you have recently taken in another pet and the rabbit has not adapted properly to the change, it may display behaviors like this. In relation to what we mentioned, your rabbit throws urine at you and urinates on furniture and objects to seek that calm that it so badly needs. He has suffered an imbalance, he needs to recover it and resorts to marking to leave that smell that is so familiar to him. For this reason, it is essential to properly introduce any animal or person before introducing them completely.
What to do if my rabbit urinates on me?
You already know what it means when your rabbit urinates on you and you have verified that there are different causes. Let's see, then, what to do in each case:
Earn their trust
If the reason why your rabbit urinates on you every time you pick it up, pet it or go near it is because of fear, you will have to make friends with it. This process will require time, since you will have to gradually let the animal approach you and reward it with food when it does. In this way, you will get him to associate you with something positive As you see that he feels safer by your side, you can start trying to pet him and hold him in your arms careful not to hurt him and for a short time.
However, if despite gaining his trust you notice that your rabbit feels uncomfortable every time you pick him up, stop doing it. It is not advisable to force him to experience situations that he fears, annoys him or simply does not want
Educate him to relieve himself where he should
If your rabbit urinates on you and everywhere in the house because it has not learned to do it correctly, it will be necessary to educate it to relieve itself in a suitable place. The procedure to follow will be as follows:
- Place a corner pad in his cage with a specific substrate.
- Place his feces in the corner so he can associate it with that smell.
- If he doesn't mind being picked up, Take him to the corner when you see that he has to urinate or defecate.
- Reward him instantly as long as he does it correctly.
Go to the vet
If your rabbit does not pee out of fear, but clearly sprays his urine as a mark, it is best to take him to the vet to neuter himThis is because this behavior is closely related to the secretion of sexual hormones and, for this reason, the sterilization procedure eliminates the gonads in charge of reproduction, as well as the secretion of these hormones, making this type of urination disappear as the hormonal changes stop happening.
Also, if you suspect that your rabbit suffers from any ailment or pathology, going to your trusted veterinarian is the most advisable thing to do so that can diagnose it properly.
See the following article to find out how to properly care for this animal, especially if you have just adopted it: "Rabbit care".
