How to stop chewing (and licking)?

[iacah]

Hi everyone, this is my first posthere... I have a 3.5yo spayed female Angora,Joelle. I adopted her from the Humane Society in August andhave been very happy that she never seems interested in any of the fewcords I have laying around the living room. ...And then...

A couple weeks ago I found my cell phone charger chewedthrough. And then my laptop power cord. And then Ifound Joelle had been chewing on a lamp cord. And then a pairof jeans. And this morning she chewed a hole in my bestpants! Aak!

Any suggestions for stopping rabbit chewing. I'll go aheadand bun-proof the cords now, but stuff like clothing - I can't putplastic wrap around that! She's also tried to chew thecouch. I've bought wood blocks and cardboard things thatshe's "supposed" to love chewing, but she just looks at me like I'mcrazy when I give them to her. What am I supposed to do -offer her scraps of fabric??

Also, she's recently started licking things a lot. Like...myfabric purse...and a particular pillow. Never chews, justlicks. She's also licked my and a friend's jeans (not theones she chewed a hole in, fortunately).

I'd love to hear your experiences! Thanks in advance.

 

[JimD]

Welcome to the forum iacah!

It's not an easy thing to stop a bunnie from chewing on things. A lot of buns will "test" things with their mouths.

Bitter Apple spray works for some...you could try that on the couch. However, some buns actually like the taste.

I think most people that have held a bun have at least one shirt withholes in it. I have several. If I plan on handling any of my buns. Iwear the clothes with the holes in them. Or I use a towel as a"barrier" to keep the bun from biting me or my clothes.

 

[naturestee]

Welcome to the forum!

First, you'll need to protect your cords. I use spiral wrapand it's great! It looks a bit like a curly telephone cordand you wrap it around wires to protect them. I found mine inthe electronic department of Home Depot.

As for clothing... I've learned to either pick my clothing up or keepthe buns away from them. We moved and our bedroom is nearlyimpossible to bunny proof so we're not going to try. Theyjust aren't allowed in, which also means that my clothing isprotected.

You can also teach her not to chew certain things, although you'llstill have to watch her. I tell my buns no if they're doingsomething wrong, and if they keep ignoring me I say no while squirtingthem with water. They still test me just to see if I'm stillenforcing the rule, but it does help.

The licking is most likely a sign of affection. Sometimes ifthe bun thinks she ranks higher than you (and don't they all?), she'llgroom something near you or something that smells like you instead ofgrooming you. That way she doesn't have to "lower herself" togrooming you directly, LOL! My stuck-up princess bun Mochadoes that.

Many buns are picky about what they want to chew, so you may need totry some different things. My buns love untreated wicker andwillow things- baskets, balls, etc, grapevine wreaths, grassmats, and apple and willow twigs. They also sometimes likescented chew toys like the veggie scented rabbit toys or fruit scentedparrot chew toys. Putting hay in toys, such as in toiletpaper tubes, baskets, and wicker balls, can help too.