A Solution for Incessant Chewing
- Thread starter Usagi_Chan
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MsBinky
Well-Known Member
Not my thing.
I thump. When bunnies sense danger, they thump. So everytime one approaches a wire, I thump. So far it is working well. I don't think it will work for everyone though.
I thump. When bunnies sense danger, they thump. So everytime one approaches a wire, I thump. So far it is working well. I don't think it will work for everyone though.
undergunfire
Retired Moderator
I would never use one of those mats, not even for a dog :shock:.
There are other alternatives, like using NIC cubes to block off the couch area or any area that is being chewed.
When Marlin chews on the wood in his bunny room, I pin fabric over those areas....and he stops the chewing. To keep him from the computer area, I use a NIC cube fence.
If he is being a little turd and chewing on the wood on our television stand, I get up from whatever I am doing (even if I am laying down and sewing), and shoo him away while making a loud click with my tongue or kiss noise.
I don't beleive in shocking your animals to cure a bad habit, but that is my personal opinion. If you think about it, it is almost like smacking your child if he is doing something wrong, again...that is my personal opinion.
There are other alternatives, like using NIC cubes to block off the couch area or any area that is being chewed.
When Marlin chews on the wood in his bunny room, I pin fabric over those areas....and he stops the chewing. To keep him from the computer area, I use a NIC cube fence.
If he is being a little turd and chewing on the wood on our television stand, I get up from whatever I am doing (even if I am laying down and sewing), and shoo him away while making a loud click with my tongue or kiss noise.
I don't beleive in shocking your animals to cure a bad habit, but that is my personal opinion. If you think about it, it is almost like smacking your child if he is doing something wrong, again...that is my personal opinion.
Usagi_Chan
Well-Known Member
Pipp
Well-Known Member
Yeah, around here, I think I'm the one in the cage. My house is decorated in early NIC, from one end to the other.
All my blanket and clothes have holes in them.
I've easily burned through $3000 worth of electronics.
But my rabbits are happy! :biggrin2:
Not a lot of potential bunny homes, however are manned by people this insane. :craziness
If the choice is keeping my bunnies caged (which I don't),giving them up, or putting down a few mats, I think I'd go for the mats. And I guess Ihope people faced with giving up their bunnieswill do the same. It really is sad, but there are many people in the world who don'tvalue their bunnies more than their $3000 designer couch. And with not enough fanatical homes to go around -- by a long shot -- those people are still decent pet owners. I'd rather see themget the mat, save thecouch and keepthe bunny.
And Christmas is coming -- and Christmas trees -- so in the interest of safety for the bunnies, this might be an option. As per the bunny proofing thread, it's hard to deter determined bunnies.I have some very determined bunnies.
I honestly don't care about holes in my sheets, but knowing how hard it was keeping them away from the pretty lights and the many, many wires that power them -- even with the tree totally fenced -- the mat is the lesser of the evil shocks.
sas :nerves1
All my blanket and clothes have holes in them.
I've easily burned through $3000 worth of electronics.
But my rabbits are happy! :biggrin2:
Not a lot of potential bunny homes, however are manned by people this insane. :craziness
If the choice is keeping my bunnies caged (which I don't),giving them up, or putting down a few mats, I think I'd go for the mats. And I guess Ihope people faced with giving up their bunnieswill do the same. It really is sad, but there are many people in the world who don'tvalue their bunnies more than their $3000 designer couch. And with not enough fanatical homes to go around -- by a long shot -- those people are still decent pet owners. I'd rather see themget the mat, save thecouch and keepthe bunny.
And Christmas is coming -- and Christmas trees -- so in the interest of safety for the bunnies, this might be an option. As per the bunny proofing thread, it's hard to deter determined bunnies.I have some very determined bunnies.
I honestly don't care about holes in my sheets, but knowing how hard it was keeping them away from the pretty lights and the many, many wires that power them -- even with the tree totally fenced -- the mat is the lesser of the evil shocks.
sas :nerves1
Sarah8000
Well-Known Member
I'm sorry, but in my personal opinion thats just cruel :nosir:
I wouldnt use that on any animal - especially a bunny. There are ways and means to train bunnys and stop them being naughty. Shocking them is just wrong.
And you say its her choosing to shock herself rather than you doing it - erm, your the one that has put the mat down - where she likes to go, so its really not her fault! :shock:
I also quote you "The whole idea to me is to have a pet which I can live with. I can't live with an animal or a person who is destructive" Rabbits are naturally destructive anyway, why buy an animal of this nature if you cannot 'live with them'?
No doubt i'll be slated for saying that but i truly believe this is just wrong and cruel.
I wouldnt use that on any animal - especially a bunny. There are ways and means to train bunnys and stop them being naughty. Shocking them is just wrong.
And you say its her choosing to shock herself rather than you doing it - erm, your the one that has put the mat down - where she likes to go, so its really not her fault! :shock:
I also quote you "The whole idea to me is to have a pet which I can live with. I can't live with an animal or a person who is destructive" Rabbits are naturally destructive anyway, why buy an animal of this nature if you cannot 'live with them'?
No doubt i'll be slated for saying that but i truly believe this is just wrong and cruel.
Pipp
Well-Known Member
Sarah8000 wrote:
Hey Sarah, I expect that you'll be in the majority on this one. People who love their bunnies enough to join a forum don't want to see them suffer even the slightest discomfort. I can certainly relate to that!
sas
Hey Sarah, I expect that you'll be in the majority on this one. People who love their bunnies enough to join a forum don't want to see them suffer even the slightest discomfort. I can certainly relate to that!
sas
Sarah8000
Well-Known Member
Pipp wrote:
Hi sas :wave:I guess your right. Thats why i love this forum - because there are sooo many bunny lovers out there! xx
Leslie102
Well-Known Member
Hmmmm...I don't think I would ever use that mat. In fact i'm sure I wouldn't. When I brought Oscar home this became his home.
I believe in distarcting him. If he is doing something he is not suppose to I move him and give him something else to play with. I often rearange his tunnels or put his cardboard house in a new location.
Having said that Oscar is not a very determined or a very destructive bun. Perhaps because he has a routine that I stick to everyday. Or maybe just because it's not in his nature.
I guess i just couldn't stand hurting Oscar even a little. When my baby is in a destructive mood(carpet behind the door, closet, too many electronics to name) I get mad for about two seconds. I tell him I'm not talking to him anymore and than I look at his cute face and forgive him.:biggrin2:
Anyway, It's not something I would use on any animal. :twocents
I believe in distarcting him. If he is doing something he is not suppose to I move him and give him something else to play with. I often rearange his tunnels or put his cardboard house in a new location.
Having said that Oscar is not a very determined or a very destructive bun. Perhaps because he has a routine that I stick to everyday. Or maybe just because it's not in his nature.
I guess i just couldn't stand hurting Oscar even a little. When my baby is in a destructive mood(carpet behind the door, closet, too many electronics to name) I get mad for about two seconds. I tell him I'm not talking to him anymore and than I look at his cute face and forgive him.:biggrin2:
Anyway, It's not something I would use on any animal. :twocents
BeckyH20
Member
Obviously a lot of people on here would not be fond of shock therapy, but I guess I understand its usage.
Has your rabbit stopped all together or does he occassionally still forget and shock himself. I think the only thing that I would find slightly unsettling is if a rabbit kept doing it to himself without really understanding what was happening. However, this doesn't seem like what has happened in your case. Glad to see you still have a loving relationship!
Has your rabbit stopped all together or does he occassionally still forget and shock himself. I think the only thing that I would find slightly unsettling is if a rabbit kept doing it to himself without really understanding what was happening. However, this doesn't seem like what has happened in your case. Glad to see you still have a loving relationship!
Leaf
Well-Known Member
Usagi_Chan, you've made quite an impression on me in your creative solution to the problem!
Do you think it'll be a permanant soultion, one you'll be able to remove for a while, or something you'll always keep on the couch?
Do you think it'll be a permanant soultion, one you'll be able to remove for a while, or something you'll always keep on the couch?
I don't know what to say - this sounds like a difficult situation for everyone involved.
My hope is that the mat is, at most, a very temporary thing. It does [bnot[/b] sound like a "solution for incessant chewing."
here's an idea for you:
perhaps you could contact the folks at B.U.N.S. (http://www.bunssb.org/ ) - they are big advocates of clicker training and at least one of their volunteers has worked closely with "difficult" bunnies. It's worth a try, I think.
My hope is that the mat is, at most, a very temporary thing. It does [bnot[/b] sound like a "solution for incessant chewing."
here's an idea for you:
perhaps you could contact the folks at B.U.N.S. (http://www.bunssb.org/ ) - they are big advocates of clicker training and at least one of their volunteers has worked closely with "difficult" bunnies. It's worth a try, I think.
Usagi_Chan
Well-Known Member
Pipp
Well-Known Member
It may have been mentioned before, but the best solution for chewing in this house has been to provide a LOT of apple and pear tree branches as alternative targets. And I don't mean the silly little sticks they sell in stores, I mean big chunks of a tree.
The fosters will chew branches (with gusto) just lying in their pen, but the others require them to be immobile before they willuse themin place of walls, baseboards and table legs. The 'bad' chewingvirtually stops when the branches are plentiful.
THis has worked for all of them but Pipp -- and even she's given them a nibble here and there, although her favourites are still wires, clothes, furntiture and phone books, in that order. (I'm pretty sure Pipp would be happy with a box of old towels, just haven't gotten around to trying that yet).
Thought I'd pass that on!
sas :bunnydance:
EDIT: Wires arefirst on Pipp's list!
The fosters will chew branches (with gusto) just lying in their pen, but the others require them to be immobile before they willuse themin place of walls, baseboards and table legs. The 'bad' chewingvirtually stops when the branches are plentiful.
THis has worked for all of them but Pipp -- and even she's given them a nibble here and there, although her favourites are still wires, clothes, furntiture and phone books, in that order. (I'm pretty sure Pipp would be happy with a box of old towels, just haven't gotten around to trying that yet).
Thought I'd pass that on!
sas :bunnydance:
EDIT: Wires arefirst on Pipp's list!
seniorcats
Well-Known Member
Pipp wrote:
Just thought I would pass this along also since folks don't know. When Robert's bunny was chewing like crazy, I pruned one of our apple trees and snail mailed as much as I could cram in a medium size PO box. It included 'big chunks' of the tree. in between size sticks and small ones. I know he mentioned in an earlier post that Thumper was chomping away on the sticks.
I gotta' tell ya', we have 6 apples trees hence a plentiful supply of branches. The bad chewing never stops for one of my bunnies, Ali. I am covinced Ali could chew his way through an entire tree and still chew to China or Vancouver and back, in a day.
Melody and Wilbur chew the sticks and not much else. Mel's thing is digging and she could dig her way to China in a day or 2. Ali's favorite thing on the planet is eating hay followed by chewing and chewing and chewing and more chewing.
I haven't facedthe same problem as Robert because the bunnies are in their own room that is completely bunny proofed. The former owner added it on to finish as a play room for his children. The bunnies and I are very fortunate in this respect.If Ali were in any other part of the house, I expect he would be eating the house and furniture. Now that I've rambled on, apple branches may stop some bad chewing but there are some rabbits who are just natural born chewers of every blessed thing.
Let me know when Thumper needs a fresh supply of apple branches and I will gladly mail them.
Ann//seniorcats
Just thought I would pass this along also since folks don't know. When Robert's bunny was chewing like crazy, I pruned one of our apple trees and snail mailed as much as I could cram in a medium size PO box. It included 'big chunks' of the tree. in between size sticks and small ones. I know he mentioned in an earlier post that Thumper was chomping away on the sticks.
I gotta' tell ya', we have 6 apples trees hence a plentiful supply of branches. The bad chewing never stops for one of my bunnies, Ali. I am covinced Ali could chew his way through an entire tree and still chew to China or Vancouver and back, in a day.
Melody and Wilbur chew the sticks and not much else. Mel's thing is digging and she could dig her way to China in a day or 2. Ali's favorite thing on the planet is eating hay followed by chewing and chewing and chewing and more chewing.
I haven't facedthe same problem as Robert because the bunnies are in their own room that is completely bunny proofed. The former owner added it on to finish as a play room for his children. The bunnies and I are very fortunate in this respect.If Ali were in any other part of the house, I expect he would be eating the house and furniture. Now that I've rambled on, apple branches may stop some bad chewing but there are some rabbits who are just natural born chewers of every blessed thing.
Let me know when Thumper needs a fresh supply of apple branches and I will gladly mail them.
Ann//seniorcats
Usagi_Chan
Well-Known Member
Pipp
Well-Known Member
Usagi_Chan wrote:
:laugh:
I rather doubt that Thumper and Pegasus could be considered "deprived."...
seniorcats
Well-Known Member
Now that's a well equiped playroom!
Phinnsmommy
Well-Known Member
Wow they are very spoiled :biggrin2:
I must say, I would never do that to my rabbits, just since they are so delicate.
I must say, I would never do that to my rabbits, just since they are so delicate.
