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gwhoosh

gwhoosh

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Location
, Florida, USA
After having my first bunny for over a year, I've learned to protect my things from her in various ways, but I've run out of creative juices for this one. She keeps chewing on the various doorframes in my room (entrance, bathroom, closet) which is bad to begin with, but my apartment is No Pet, so it's even MORE important that she stop chewing on it! I've tried spraying them with lemon or vingear and all those tricks. It works for only like a minute after I spray it. I've tried taping a piece of carboard, but she loves cardboard and tug on it till it comes off. My go-to fix of NIC panels won't work, no room, it's on a corner. I'm looking for something to cover it, I guess.

Any ideas? :(
 
I've tried vinegar, lemon and nature's miracle all to no avail, I thought that they would never be deterred by anything until I tried Ivory soap. Ivory soap works wonders if you don't mind the white residue. It's also cheaper that a lot of the other stuff out there *bonus* :biggrin2:
 
I stick NIC panels around my door frames and along the popular chewing walls, this isn't working for you? I also use screens, hardware clothor wire mesh. You can buy the latterby the foot at the hardware store and staple it to the door frames.

Here's some examples:

http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Wire-Mesh-c-1.html

Hope this helps!



sas :bunnydance:




 
You got me! Ringer loves wood. LOVES IT. Not the cute little pieces at the pet store. The doorframe in the bathroom and the actual door to the linen closet. AND she ADORES the walls. Yes the walls. She eats the covering right off the wallboard. Down to the paperboard. Its all eaten off about 2 feet upall around the bathroom. I have gotten mad at her and sprayed her with water, I have rubbed Ivory soap everywhere. It works for a couple of days till the strong scent wears off and she is back. The bathroom looks bad! When I tell her no she backs off but is back 2 minutes later. She knows not to do it, but she does it anyway, especially at night when she is bored. She has toys galore, but it's the walls she loves. The baby gate is falling apart. When she had her babies she taught them to do it too. What a mess.

If anyone can figure out what to do I'd appreciate any advice.

I don't want to staple up wire mesh. It's our bathroom.

You should see our louvered door. Around the base the slats are all eaten down. Oh and she actually EATS the finish off the walls. Chews and swallows.



OH where do I get NIC panels? Would they work as an outdoor pen too?

 
Ringer wrote:
I don't want to staple up wire mesh. It's our bathroom.
Click to expand...
The wire mesh (or hardware cloth) can be light and flexible enough to fit snuggly around the wood and not be noticable at all, especially if you paint it the same colour, and it also comes in decorative styles.

I'd use it around the door jams and set up NIC panels for the walls. (Mine just LOVE drywall, they've eaten it right down to the wood).



sas :)

 
Ringer wrote:
OH where do I get NIC panels? Would they work as an outdoor pen too?
Click to expand...

You can get NIC panels at Target, sometimes Walmart. I wouldn't use them for an outdoor pen.

We made one this summer for outside and I love it! My husband got some of that rabbit proof fencing for gardens and used stakes to hold it up. It's about 4 ft high, and it's about 12 feet on each side;). I can get you a pic if you'd like:).
 
Mine just got tired of doing it and stopped.

ed
 
We're dealing with the woodchucks also! Tony and Bo are in BIG trouble with Daddy! they've eaten the woodwork in the familyroom and now he's really displeased (nice word for really ticked off - and I can't say what he really is LOL)

I'm going to try the soap!
 
Pipp wrote:
I stick NIC panels around my door frames and along the popular chewing walls, this isn't working for you? I also use screens, hardware clothor wire mesh. You can buy the latterby the foot at the hardware store and staple it to the door frames.

Here's some examples:

http://www.meshdirect.co.uk/Wire-Mesh-c-1.html

Hope this helps!



sas :bunnydance:
Click to expand...

I'm not able to put up NICs.

20070925023600x450.jpg


I don't know if this is a good picture or not, but that's one of the doorframes, sitting right on a corner, there's only a few inches there. One of the other doors is the same thing.

The mesh sounds good, but I don't want to staple it and make holes etc. I'm only going to be here till May too. So, I guess it needs to be something very temporary. Maybe it could tape the mesh?...
 
I found a trick that seems to work well on my bun and has deterrred him from chewing things he isn't allowed to chew :).

I buy a bottle of liquid grapefruit seed exract (which is a common natural supplement sold in health or vitamin stores or online supplement sites) it also goes by the name "GSE". The second I hear his teeth going at it, I'll rub a bunch of this on the place and he immediately gets this horribly digusted look on his face and runs away giving me numerous foot flicks and refuses to taste that spot again.. lol. Good! :D Sometimes he'll wait a few days and taste test it, so it's good to diligently re-apply until the desire is gone.

If that doesn't work for some reason, I will also use either lemon, orange, tangerine, or grapefruit essential oils. Either rubbed directly on or put 10+ drops into a tiny spray bottle and spray on location. These can also be bought in health food stores or some online sites. I've found the straight oil works best since it is so strong tasting and smelling, so it works as a double deterrent. My bun also absolutely HATES the taste and smell all of these and clearly really regrets licking anything that has been doused in it :D.

The essential oils are extremely strong so be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after getting them on your hands, you way don't want them in your eyes! Same with the grapefruit seed extract, it is the most horridly bitter thing in the world.. :D.

A nice bonus is that the essential oils will make the room smell really yummy!




 
My favorite has been self adhesive plastic corner protectors. Available at places like Home Depot, and they can be cut to whatever length you want. Just peel off the paper and stick to the corner you want protected. I've used them on door frames and wall corners all over my apartment, they don't typically leave any residue or anything either.

Here's a pic of one of my corners, this is a pretty good one too cuz you can see how the corner on the left got chewed because I forgot to protect it:headsmack

P1090022.jpg

 
Raspberry82 wrote:
I buy a bottle of liquid grapefruit seed exract (which is a common natural supplement sold in health or vitamin stores or online supplement sites) it also goes by the name "GSE". The second I hear his teeth going at it, I'll rub a bunch of this on the place and he immediately gets this horribly digusted look on his face and runs away giving me numerous foot flicks and refuses to taste that spot again.. lol. Good! :D Sometimes he'll wait a few days and taste test it, so it's good to diligently re-apply until the desire is gone.

The essential oils are extremely strong so be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after getting them on your hands, you way don't want them in your eyes! Same with the grapefruit seed extract, it is the most horridly bitter thing in the world.. :D.

A nice bonus is that the essential oils will make the room smell really yummy!
Click to expand...
Raspberry is right, essential oils are a good choice. They do need to be continually reapplied, though. We keep a product called Fooey! on hand which is a bitter-tasting pet deterrent. You can find it at Petsmart and other places like that - usually with cat or dog products. It's pet-safe...and disgusting!

The warning to thoroughly wash your hands is RIGHT-ON! I've made that mistake more than once. If you do, you will totally understand why your bunny hates the stuff. The miserable, bitter taste doesn't leave your mouth for a while.

Other than that, since your living here is temporary, my other suggestion would be to not allow the bunny access to places he likes to chew. That may be a bummer for the bun (and you), but it might save you stress and money in the long run.

I wish you the best finding the solution that works for you!

 
One word....FABRIC :biggrin2:!


I went to Joann's and got a yard of heavy fabric, cut it about 1 foot in length, then used tacks to pin it around the corners. It won't ruin the walls, it's just a simple little tack.

I find that the bunnies can't get their teeth on it and rip it off the wall if you tack it up tightly. It has worked for me...and my bunnies are in my closet where there are definite corners that they could chew.



I can take a picture, if you'd like :).
 
Amy, That'sa GREAT Idea! I just finished putting some stain on the woodwork mine have chewed and hubby was livid! It keeps it from standing out so much for him to see and complain about LOL!

I usually push their rug up there, but I could easily tack some cloth against it and I'll actually double the cloth over - maybe fleece........ YES! thank you!
 
Hmm! Funny you should suggest fabric! I had a problem with my windows too, with her chewing the paint off the corners there. I took an old bedsheet and tacked it up, covering the bottom half of both windows. Doesn't look so nice, but does the job. I don't know why I didn't think of buying a small amount just for the corners?? Thanks!
 
gwhoosh, if the fabric doesn't work for you, at the Target here they sell smaller NIC panels. I was just looking at them last night. I think they were only 10 inches or so across. Maybe putting some of those up would work if nothing else does. They would jut out into the doorway some, but not too badly since they aren't that big.

Everyone has such good suggestions!
 
If you are worried about holes from the tacks or staples. My advice is pick up a little tub of "patch & paint" spackle. Just put a dab on the end of your finger and rub it into the little holes. That's how the landlord will repair them, and if you do it ahead of time they will never notice the holes. Best thing is on most shades of white, you don't even have to paint it! If you've been there longer than a year the landlord will most likely paint before new tenants move in anyway.

Depending on the number of tack/nail holes we charge tenants somewhere around $50 to repair them this way. It can easily be done yourself with 5 minutes time and maybe $3. No tools or expertise needed.
 
I cleaned up all around where they have been chewing. I took a clean old rubber backed area rug and I stapled it with a good heavy duty staple gun along the woodwork edge. We'll see how it does. They also tend to pee right there to mark their territory. Tony might end up having a different play area so some of that might stop.


 
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