Disobedient Bunnies

[Katrina]

I already posted about Katrina's sudden refusalto use her litter box but now she is going even farther with herdisobedient behaviour. I know that she is young and this may be the"teenage" years for her but I also refuse to be ruled by a bunny. I dolove her very much and would do anything for her but I also am the onein charge, not her. Lately she has taken to jumping on the bed (whichis is not allowed to do because she always likes to leave presents onit). I will take her off and scold her, put her back on the ground andlet it be. However, if she keepsjumping on the bed than Iwillscold her and put her back in her cage. Whiletonightshe only got 10 minutesout of her cagebecause she kept jumping on thebed (note: Inow siton the floor because I know she wants to see me so I make sure she hasnoreason to go on the bed). I will let her out tomorrowmorning because I feel terrible that she had no time out tonight but Iwant her know that she's not in charge here.

Are there any other ways I can get it across to her thatsheis not to do these things? I have only really traineddogsbefore (had many otherrodents but theywerenever "trained" really) and so I only really know how todeal with it in the way you would dogs.

Also, if you are going to say spay her she is going togetspayed but I do not think spaying in itself will stop this. I thinkthere's more to it than that. And she is now about 5 months old.

Please help! I hateseeing her in the cage but I just don'tknow how else to get her to stop. Thank you everyone AGAIN for all yourhelp.

 

[Katrina]

Someone please delete one of these. I am sorry.I got an error message the first time I tried to post it saying Icouldn't post it so I did it again... sorry!

 

[aurora369]

I'll delete your other one for you!

I would just block the bed off. Prevent her from gettingclose enough to jump onto it. That's just about all you cando. Or just keep removing her.

--Dawn

 

[ec]

I'd set things up so that she can't jump onto the bed - using an NIC grid fence, or else a puppy ex-pen.

Edit: aurora, I guess great minds think alike!

 

[hunnybunny63]

this is probaley going to be out of the questionas its your bed but could you spray her with some water like a cat dontuse a hard squrt more like a light spray and dont get any in her eye ordown her ears!

 

[Offspring2099]

I agree with above. You have to make preventivemeasures so that she can't jump up. Change the room,geta higher bed, bunny proof it and ect. I honestlydon't think that buns are that smart to understand punishment likedogs. I'm not calling everyone's rabbit a dummy, but they arenot the smartest.

 

[Katrina]

hunnybunny63 wrote:

this is probaley going to be out of the question as its yourbed but could you spray her with some water like a cat dont use a hardsqurt more like a light spray and dont get any in her eye or down herears!

Thank you. I will try that. I understand that everyone is trying tohelp but to bored off my bed is out of the question. That is a lot ofmoney, and would have to be a high fence which makes getting in and outof my bed quite difficult for myself and I can promise I will fall overit in the middle of the night too often. I don't think I need to put afence around my bed because of my bunny.I understand that'san option but I don't really think that is the best answer for thissort of situation (seeing as we are talking about a bed). But thank youall for offering advice.

 

[aurora369]

I was more thinking of something that can be putup and taken down easily. Like a pen that would block herfrom getting close to the bed, but that can be folded up and put awaywhen she's done her play time.

I use a puppy pen when I let my buns out, then fold it up and tuck itbeside the cage when they go in for the night. It's the onlyway I can let them out for the length of time I do as they would be allover the entire house with out it.

Blocking off the bed permanently would definilty be unreasonable, butthat doesn't mean there aren't ways of blocking access to the bed thatcan be easily moved.

--Dawn

 

[seniorcats]

If you have worked with dogs, you may befamiliar with clicker training. It also works forrabbits. Here is an excellent article that explains thetraining for rabbits and why certain disciplines don't work.

http://www.wikihow.com/Train-a-Rabbit

You may want to work on the clicker training

 

[dootsmom]

Try putting a cheap, plastic, painters tarp on/over the bed.
This stopped Oreo from jumping on the couch. If she's jumping
up there because you are on the bed....that's another story as
all she wants, is to be with you. The tarp should work in this case,
too.

 

[Katrina]

seniorcats wrote:

If you have worked with dogs, you may be familiar withclicker training. It also works for rabbits. Hereis an excellent article that explains the training for rabbits and whycertain disciplines don't work.

http://www.wikihow.com/Train-a-Rabbit

You may want to work on the clicker training

Thank you so much for that site. That will help me so much.

 

[Kawaii608]

you don't really have to put it in ur cage, ucan make a play pen and keep your rabbit in it. My rabbit's pen iskinda big (like 15 times bigger than my rabbit)so i usuallyjust leave her in there.

 

[Katrina]

My rabbit lives in a play pen at the moment so I don't think that will work but thanks.

 

[seniorcats]

dootsmom wrote:

Try putting a cheap, plastic, painters tarp on/over the bed.
This stopped Oreo from jumping on the couch. If she's jumping
up there because you are on the bed....that's another story as
all she wants, is to be with you. The tarp should work in this case,
too.

This is a good idea too. If you bunny just wants tovisit you, she is probably leaving little presents to mark herterritory. Spaying helps tremendously. Also, themarking behavior may decrease if she becomes with the bed and considersher area.