FIN Blog, 1-2018 Concepts to think about: Hygienic toilets, Hygiene behaviour
Manoj is our web manager. He does everything to make our website attractive and he is very clever. So one day, I was telling him about how difficult it is to get people to change their unhygienic behaviour.
He replied, “You know what Madam? Even animals seem to cooperate more than people sometimes.”
I asked, “what do you mean Manoj? Are you telling me that it’s easy to get animals to use toilets? You must be joking!”
“No”, he said, “I am not joking.”
Then he told me his true story.
Joji and Nischal – my pet rabbits by Manoj
JojiI have two rabbits. Their names are Joji and Nischal. They live in a large comfortable room that is part of our verandah. It is open to the outside.
When I first got them, I found it really hard to keep their room clean. Their pee and poop were everywhere! By the way, that’s Joji on the left and Nischal is below.
After watching them for some days I realized that they pee and poop in a particular corner. But with their mishandling, it spreads all over the place. So I sat and watched some more. I studied their behaviour and patter.
I came to know that they identify the place to use as a toilet – by searching through their smell for their own pee and poo. So I thought, “Why don’t I place an old tray in a corner and put some of their pee and poop in it?”
I continued to study them. I noticed that it was difficult for them to use just the tray, as it fills up very soon and becomes wet. So Joji and Nishchal had to still go outside near the tray. Also, sometimes the poo and pee just spilt out. So I introduced a larger plastic box with holes on the bottom after removing one of its sides and put it on top of the old tray. This way their pee could fall through the holes and onto the old tray below, keeping the bottom of the plastic box dry.
toilet
Joji and Nishchal liked their hygienic toilet from the start! But, at first, even after placing this tray, they sometimes did it outside and I had to clean up after them. But, within two weeks they totally adapted their behaviour to this system. Now, Joji and Nischal pee and poo only in their toilet! And I love them even more!
So that’s the story. And this means I have to also get back to my task of the day! Today is Valentines day and I have to decide whom to ask to be the Finnies Valentine of the year? hmmmm. Of course, I got it! download
Dear Joji and Nischal – Won’t you be our Valentine? Please consider our request seriously. We love you too!
source of this picture: Pininterest