my rabbits are extremely frustrating

[inshari]

I really don’t know what i’m doing wrong with them. everything I attempt to do to stop bad behaviour they find a way around. i haven’t had a full night of sleep in so long because they are either biting bars of the x pen, somehow getting out of the pen and chewing any wires they can find, constantly digging up the blanket i put on the x pen floor etc. it seems like they try their absolute hardest to keep me up all night. I tried putting them in a smaller space where they won’t be able to escape, but my one rabbit will not stop thumping and my other won’t stop chewing the bars. i feel really bad because i wish i could just leave them out but i’m really getting frustrated with them. they chew anything and everything they get ahold of that isn’t their toys. i’ve bought so many toys and enrichment but nothing has helped, i take them for walks during the day so they can run around and hopefully tire them out but that hasn’t worked. please help, i’m so frustrated

 

[Preitler]

Hm, it seems you started off with some misconceptions. What your rabbits do sounds completly normal.

Putting them in a smaller space when they got the urge to be active might be counterproductive, you could mount a wooden board at face-height so that they would chew that instead of the bars, or block the wire with something transparent, but that isn't what I would do.

That they chew wires, and some even furniture - well, that's rabbits. Most will need to bunny proof everything to let them roam free. Protecting wires and putting wooden boards over baseboards and stuff.

Rabbits rarely play with toys, that stuff is being sold doesn't mean rabbits use it, it wouldn't cross the mind of any of mine. Some like chew toys though. They don't play like cats and dogs, no need to train catching food, grass doesn't stand much of a chance anyway. Digging or throwing stuff around is the closest they come to playing. What I give mine are tree branches to keep them occupied, willow, ash, forsithia, and so on, gnawing the bark of is their favorite pastime during the night.
A digging box might be an option too for yours.

I don't think walks can help much, they don't have the endurance to tire them out. They have their own schedule and are most active in the morning and evening, and sometimes in the night.

Mine are free roam, have their base in the vestibule, tree branches under the kitchen table, and often sleep in my room. There is an accident to wipe up now and then, but for me easier than trying to confine them.

 

[ArtistChibi]

Mine are free roam, have their base in the vestibule, tree branches under the kitchen table, and often sleep in my room. There is an accident to wipe up now and then, but for me easier than trying to confine them.

For me, it's their poop after they're done using the litterbox. With Xiao Wu peeing on me at least once a month to remind me that I am hers.

But I agree with @Preitler on this. That's normal rabbit behavior. It's not that they are trying to be bad bunnies. They're just being bunnies.

 

[Sissel]

But I agree with @Preitler on this. That's normal rabbit behavior. It's not that they are trying to be bad bunnies. They're just being bunnies.

Thank you Preitler and ArtistChibi - I couldn´t have said it any better!

I could, however, add that that the book Behavioural problems in Rabbits by Guen Bradbury has given me a lot of insight about the behaviour of our Dearest Bonnie Friends❤❤❤❤

 

[sabrina92]

I really don’t know what i’m doing wrong with them. everything I attempt to do to stop bad behaviour they find a way around. i haven’t had a full night of sleep in so long because they are either biting bars of the x pen, somehow getting out of the pen and chewing any wires they can find, constantly digging up the blanket i put on the x pen floor etc. it seems like they try their absolute hardest to keep me up all night. I tried putting them in a smaller space where they won’t be able to escape, but my one rabbit will not stop thumping and my other won’t stop chewing the bars. i feel really bad because i wish i could just leave them out but i’m really getting frustrated with them. they chew anything and everything they get ahold of that isn’t their toys. i’ve bought so many toys and enrichment but nothing has helped, i take them for walks during the day so they can run around and hopefully tire them out but that hasn’t worked. please help, i’m so frustrated

Hi! It seems like your bunnies just want to chew and dig something so I’d find more healthy things for them to chew and as for the digging box a lot of YouTube videos show what you can do to put something together. this website Home | The Bunny Lady helps explain a lot and what you can give or make for your bunnies! Mine used to chew and rattle the xpen bars until I put blankets up. It’s because they see a place they’re not allowed and want to go explore so the more you block of their vision the less need to rattle. The second I put the blanket up my Cleo stopped trying to rattle and wake me up!

 

[JBun]

You can also zip tie cardboard to the xpen. it will prevent bar biting and if they are managing to not jump but climb out of the pen, the cardboard will prevent climbing. Then bunny proof, bunny proof, bunny proof.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bunny-proofing.html
https://bunnyproof.com/
https://myhouserabbit.com/rabbit-care/bunny-proofing-your-house/
Like said, your rabbits are just exhibiting natural behaviors for rabbits. Rabbits chew and dig, and there's really no way to get around it except blocking what you don't want them to chew and providing other alternatives for them to use those natural behaviors. There are some things you can do to help redirect that energy. Like providing dig boxes filled with crumpled paper or other rabbit safe digging material, and chew branches, tunnels, etc.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/Branch/Branch_en.htm
https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/bunny-playtime
Rabbits should be spending most of their time 'foraging'. So basically eating hay. If your rabbits aren't, then it could be because they're being fed too many pellets or other high calorie foods like fruit, grains, etc. So reducing those and feeding mostly hay, leafy greens, forage, can help keep them busier eating instead of turning their energy to destruction.

 

[2Bunns]

You have frustrated bunnys. They are dawn and dusk animals that need to bounce and move and explore. The more space the better for them. It can be very frustrating as u can not punish them like other animals. Id say to try lots of free roam evening playtime and interaction with yourself. Lots of hay to play in and chew on at night