Carpet Chewing options

[bobbyv]

Hi All,



No matter what we do, our 9 month old Netherland Dwarf insists on digging and trying to pull up carpet. I've added some vinyl mats to a couple of areas that he used to work at, but he just goes elsewhere. I've also used cardboard in other areas, but he stills finds a spot here and there.

For his cage, we have tried chewing twigs, timothy cubes and other options, but this still doesn't distract him from the carpet.

Are there "carpet" mat options that he could chew without it hurting his digestive system?

He's a great bunny and he's just doing what naturally comes to him, but we don't want to spend all of our time chasing him away from the spots that he chews on. He was fine up until about a month or two ago, but there seems to be no way to stop him and we don't want to restrict him to his cage for all day long. He does get about 4-5 hours of free time outside his cage.

I appreciate any help you can give me. Do we keep adding more options to his cage?



Thanks,



BobbyV

 

[Runestonez]

Hi there!

Is your bunn neutered?
If he is around 9 months old...he has hit puberty and without neutering his more destructive behaviors may increase...digging, chewing, spraying...

Neutering is a good place to start...
It will take a month or two for the behavior to decrease after the surgery...

If all else fails you may have to find a different type of cage covering. Some bunns just can't help eating thier carpets!

We have two nethies and the female LOVES to dig...we found that we weren't trimming her nails often enough...our other bunns only need nail trims once a month but Gypsy needs to have her nails trimmed every 2-3 weeks...

Hope some of this helps!

Danielle

 

[Jessyka]

Bump. I'm interested as well. I can't find anything that mimics the pull of carpet.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

well, in order to get our bunnies to leave the carpet alone, we replaced it with tile. Nikki, our avatar bunny then went after the throw rugs with abandon--we also figured that all the furniture in the family room was mostly sacrificial too. Of our 17 rabbits, only 2 liked to tear up the carpet and there was nothing we could do to change their ways.

 

[bobbyv]

Yes, he was neutered at age 5 months and for a month or two after that, he was really fine and didn't chew at all.

Thanks

 

[bobbyv]

Did you ever have a problem with the bunny swallowing the carpet? I'm just concerned that he doesn't get any blockage issues.



Thanks,



bobbyv

 

[Runestonez]

Yesterday to be honest...

I heard Gypsy digging and ran in to find her with a big tuft of carpet hanging out of her mouth...so I grabbed her and flipped her over to grab it and she sucked it in like sphagetti. <shaking head>

It doesn't happen very often...MOST of our kids prefer the hay we feed them...:grumpy:

If it continues to be an issue I will have to remove the carpet...but yes blockages are a very real issue...it can happen...

Does your bunn have access to lots of fresh hay?
I didn't see it mentioned in the post?

Danielle

 

[bobbyv]

Yes, he has a constant supply of fresh hay.

Thanks

 

[Runestonez]

Plenty of hay will help keep his GI tract moving...but carpet fibers are undigestible.

I usually equate eating carpet with bored rabbits...the only time our bunns eat carpet or shred it is when they are locked in their hutches or need their nails timmed...they have never yet eaten carpet while out roaming around...

I can only suggest that you try to re-direct bunn when he starts to go after the carpet...or block off the areas he seems to really like...

Like Nancy said...some bunns just really take a liking to carpet...

When Gypsy starts to let lose I give her a different toy...or a snack or if all else fails I use the water bottle...just the noise of it spraying is enough to send her running without having to wet her! I hate using the water bottle...but I don't want her to end up with a blockage either!

Danielle

 

[lorri]

I have the same problem with Pepper. She was neutered 2 months back and every now and then she chews the lounge carpet. So this is what we (me & my hubby) did. We put loads of hey in a serial box and plenty food, toys cardboard around the lounge. My lounge is in a mess put I don't care. It keeps her occupied from chewing chewing the carpet.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Gus likes to chew carpet too. I think, for the most part,he does it to get attention or try to communicate with us. "Hey,I haven't got my dinner salad yet. Look, I'mso hungry I have to eat this carpet." or sometimes, "You were late with my pellets. I will show you my displeasure by eating your carpet!"

I find if I get down on my hands and knees and whack the carpet rightwhere he was chewing (usually inches from his nose!)and say "NO!" in a loud voice,it generally gets him to stop. In response I usually get an ear flip and a leg flick as he hops off, but he'll generally let it be.If he keeps it up, I simply put him in his cage.

Silly rabbit!

Rue