Chewing!!

[Rowan]

Well most of the books I read as soon as I knew I was going to get my little flock said that it was quite easy to train bunnies not to chew furniture etc as long as you gave them other stuff to chew. But I've been reading the posts and although I laughed and maybe I shouldn't have, it seems that there are an awful lot of bunnies out there who haven't read the books. Eaten them maybe but not read them! Just to humour me as I have four little rascals eating the walls, floors, books, most of the furniture, windowsills, the rug etc.Is there any hope at all, anyone out there who has got a rabbit who has grown out of these things? I'd just like to know if it was possible.

They've started working in teams now. As soon as I shout no and try to get up to go and stop one of them from chewing away on something forbidden another one jumps on me and tries to distract me by asking for love. This has happened too often to be coincidence. Who says rabbits aren't smart!

 

[mygrl2k3]

I have a bunny 3 and half. Only had her about 6 months and she don't chew stuff she is not supposed to, never been a problem for me. But then again I don't know if she did and outgrew it or just never was an issue with her. Good luck.

Cristy

 

[Lissa]

There is a spray that you can buy in petstores. I forgot what it's called but you spray it onfurniture and it tastes bad to rabbits. It supposed to stopthem from chewing. Otherwise, give your bunny analternative. Give him/her a newspaper or an old book to chewon. You gotta compromise with them.

 

[Delphinum]

Well I had a temper tantrum at Henry yesterdayand banged my head quite hard trying to stop him biting a bit of cablein the kitchen.

I think Max got quite a fright with me roaring in pain and Henry, knowing he'd done wrong, ran back into his hutch.

Needless to say, I wouldn't speak to him for the afternoon and he'sbeen quite sheepish. I hope he grows out of it soon!

 

[BunnyMommy]

Rowan, to answeryour question, no,they never stop chewing. It'sinstinctual. When you know that in advance it's help to keepyour attitude centered.

There are only two things that you can doto protect your own possessions (as well as protect the bun fromdangers inherent in chewing things that they ought not):

1) Thoroughly bunnyproof your home.

2) Give them alternative itemsto chew, i.e. apple sticks, wood blocks, grass mats, etc.

Some rabbits don't have as high a chewinginstict as others, but they all need to be supervised carefully as thisis just an innate part of their make-up.

Hope this helps!

 

[Rowan]

Thanks

I wasn't expecting them to stop chewing, just hoped they might eventually decide not to chew the furniture etc

They've got lots of alternatives, I get them apple branches which theylove, and a telephone book, wicker basket, cardboard boxes with holesin and so on which they seem pretty fond of too. I was only curious ina hopeful sort of way after a particularly hectic morning with themwhether they might eventually - say when they were six or so - learnnot to chew things that I'd really rather they didn't.

I've rabbit proofed all the wires, mainly for my benefit as they can'tactually electrocute themselves in this house (this was proved bysomeone who did drill straight through a live wire earlier this yearwhen putting something up) and there's nothing that can actually harmthem around

Guess I asked for it really taking on four babies at once

 

[BunnyMommy]

I wasn't expecting them to stop chewing, just hoped they might eventually decide not to chew the furniture etc

I was only curious in a hopeful sort of way after aparticularly hectic morning with them whether they might eventually -say when they were six or so - learn not to chew things that I'd reallyrather they didn't.

Nope and nope. Sorry. :? Even the best bun who doesn't chewwhere he ought notloses his good habits every now andthen.

As bunny parents, it's our job to makesure that everything is bunnyproofed and that they are carefullysupervised. They're not like dogs and cats in that you canpretty much let them roam without keeping an eye on themsomewhat. Think of them as toddlers. Would you leta toddler get out of your sight for more than two seconds?It's the same principle.

My Sherman has free run of the wholehouse, but I still try to be aware of where he is at any given time andwhat he's doing. Even with that ... and coupled with the factthat he generally has good habits and doesn't get into chewing thingsthat he ought not ... he STILL breaks his habits every now andthen(see my "Bad, Bad, BAD bunny" thread) and sometimesoutsmarts me.

Good luck! Bunnies are a wholelot of fun, but they can be a whole lot of worktoo.

Four babies at once? You're in for the ride of your life!

 

[BunnyMommy]

P.S.Rowan, just a word of encouragement. Baby bunnies arenotorious chewers and diggers. As they age, though, that willstart to settle down. Around age two or three you won't haveto be as stringent about supervising them. Until then,though, I'd watch almost every move that they make.:?

 

[Rowan]

Thanks BunnyMommy

Yes I read the Bad Bad BAD Bunny thread and it made me laugh becauseyou wrote it so well Sherman does sound like one amazingrabbit, I hope he's been forgiven for his 'lapse.'

I know what you mean about toddlers, that's exactly how Ithink of my little bunnies, it reminds me of when my daughter was muchyounger and had her little friends round, I couldn't take my eyes offthem for a minute. They get naughtier but tamer every day, I just lovetheir ways of trying to outwit me, the loveable rogues, their teamworkis really coming on. I'll be sad to have to split them upsoon,though I know I have toat least until afterthey're neutered. But they will be easier to watch

 

[bluebird]

My experience has been some bunnies like to chewmore than others.I have one whole litter that is chewing the fur offeach other.bluebird

 

[Carolyn]

Hi Rowan,

You can also try putting some hot sauce, such as Tabasco, onto a rag,spraying your furniture polish on it, and wiping the wooden furnituredown. The Tabasco won't hurt the wood, but some bunnies willtake a lick and then promptly run away.

The product that was recommended to me by a wildlife biologist wascalled Dave's Insanity. I had to purchase it off ofthe internet. Unfortunately, my Polish rabbit loves Mexicanspices, so it didn't have the success that I had wished for.Tucker would lick it off and then start chewing. It at leastgave me a head's-up though and when I saw him licking, I'd correcthim. I had a little bit of a lead-time before he'dnibble. As BunnyMommy said, with age he has mellowed with hischewing everything in sight. Now I can leave him in theliving room while I sit outside on my padio and he's fine.

I love wood and hence, just about every piece of furniture in my houseis wooden. I know what you're going through, but with awatergun, close supervision, and hopefully a good hot sauce, you cancurtail the damage or even stop it.

-Carolyn

 

[Rowan]

Carolyn

I'll be trying the hot sauce on them thanks for the tip.Like you I love wood and most of the furniture in my house is reallyold stuff I've collected over the years. I'd really like to save it ifI can so anything that might help stop them eating it is worth a try.It made me laugh though to think of your rabbit going for the spices onpurpose.

 

[Rowan]

bluebird

At least my rabbits aren't doing that! How many have you got in that litter? How much fur do they eat off? :shock:

 

[darlenenicole]

The stuff that Lissa was talking about is bitterapple, i have to spray it on the walls at my house they love to munchon the drywall. It works pretty good, i havent seen them chew on thewalls lately. Just give it a try and see how it works.