Litter training

We've had a mixed experience with getting our buns to use a litter tray.  We've tended to put it by the hay rack and use newspaper and hay in it so they can eat and poop.

Our first two were young & pre-neuter (which I understand can make it harder) and were having none of it. They'd go in the litter tray, but also anywhere else they fancied.

Our next pair, older neutered females, used it straight away and rarely did anything out of it.

Our current pair, an older neutered male & female, are not interested. They don't go at all in the litter tray by the hay, but only toilet at one end of their bedroom area (I don't use hay in there). So I put a litter tray in there with their usual bedding (it's a big one so comfortable to lie on with bedding on), but Sophie (who has an interest in interior design as she moves everything that isn't nailed down!) isn't impressed and just upturns it and pushes it out of the way! Should I just take the hint and give up?! Or will she be disappointed she has less stuff to throw around?!

Perhaps it's just whether or not they've been in a home where they've used one before. I don't really mind if they use one or not, especially not as we only have them for relatively short periods of time so aren't training them for life. But I'm just curious if anyone has any light to shed.

With my indoor guinea pigs I've always managed to persuade them not to go to the loo on my floor, but to return to their cage. But any attempts to get them to go in a certain place within the cage have never worked.  I know they're perhaps not quite as sharp as rabbits (sorry pigs!) but am wondering if it's something that's easier in a bigger area. These guys don't even go when they're out in their run, and if they're out on the grass they nip back to the carrier (which I leave in as a hidey) to poop. My lawn had been getting quite well fertilised with the other pairs!

Have you tried putting some soiled bedding in the litter tray, along with the clean stuff? 

With hector he peed in one corner, i put his tray there, and he's been litter trained ever since (this was at 8 weeks old!) i also put some soiled bedding from his mum in his tray so the smell was there

I could only suggest putting a litter tray in the area where they pee and maybe attaching it to stop Sophie from moving it? Is there any way you could do that?

I also second Zo on the soiled bedding. It could encourage them if you sweep up some of their poops and pop them in there...

Sometimes it just never works. I doubt my Willow will ever be litter trained - but she's not neutered. Mo is an angel but I don't get to feel the benefit of a litter trained bun thanks to Wills

We've always placed the litter tray where the buns have chosen to use as their bathroom and then we gradually move it to where we want it to be. In front of the front door and even though we never used it was NOT a good place aesthetically for a litter box.

You just have to bear with it. Repeatedy put the litter back in the tray soiled or clean and brush and stray poos into it as well. I would also put the hay in the litter tray until they get the hang of the situation. For a lot of buns they only get hay as bedding so don't expect it in a rack and or in a tray. So the tray is being moved because it is in the way. They will adapt.

I've been putting some soiled litter in it each time - I meant to mention that.

If I put both litter trays in the bedroom, they might wedge in a bit more and stay put - maybe I'll try that, with some hay on top.

They never moved the litter tray by the hay rack, they'd quite happily sit in it to eat hay and then go through to the bedroom to poop... It's only the tray in the bedroom that's getting flung about! Mind you, whatever bedding I put in the bedroom just gets trashed/ moved through to the living area - maybe they want to sleep in the living area because their bedroom is like a toilet?! It always looks like they've had lots of fun digging and flinging anyway.

After I posted earlier I went to clean them out and found they had actually used the one in the bedroom a bit, so with the extra tips, maybe it'll work! Thanks.