We built Jellybean a new 3-story NIC cage about two weeks ago. It took her a while, but she's gotten used to it and now hops from level to level (although she still doesn't play with the toys). However, recently, I've noticed a few new-and quite unwanted-behaviors:
*She's pooping all over the place instead of in her litter box-like she doesn't even recognize it anymore! Does she need to be re-litterbox trained? Because her cage is bigger now, water and pellets/hay are at one end and box is at the other. There's not really room to make them next to each other any more. Suggestions?
*We gave her a baby blanket so she could "burrow" but she prefers scratching and chewing on our couch. I know this is somewhat normal behavior. She doesn't really burrow with the blanket-maybe it's too small? Is there something I could give her to let her really have at it while she's in her cage, like a deep tray with newspaper or something?
*She has a pet carrier in one corner of the living room, that she hangs out in, but now she poops AROUND it instead of IN it. Does this area need to have her retrained as well?
*She was always pretty good about leaving the carpet alone, but now she has made destroying it-both in corners and right in the middle-her new favorite pastime. I've gone to spraying the corners (and cords-something that was never THIS big of a problem) with vinegar when she's out so she'll leave them alone. She has a "pumice stone" in her cage for her teeth and a willow barbell to chew on, which she uses.
Is all of this craziness because of her new cage? She's an 8 month old mini-lop and something else (the owner wasn't sure). I read a few books about rabbits before we got her so I *thought* I knew what I was getting myself into, but I don't remember any of them mentioning this kind of behavior! :foreheadsmack:Help?
*She's pooping all over the place instead of in her litter box-like she doesn't even recognize it anymore! Does she need to be re-litterbox trained? Because her cage is bigger now, water and pellets/hay are at one end and box is at the other. There's not really room to make them next to each other any more. Suggestions?
*We gave her a baby blanket so she could "burrow" but she prefers scratching and chewing on our couch. I know this is somewhat normal behavior. She doesn't really burrow with the blanket-maybe it's too small? Is there something I could give her to let her really have at it while she's in her cage, like a deep tray with newspaper or something?
*She has a pet carrier in one corner of the living room, that she hangs out in, but now she poops AROUND it instead of IN it. Does this area need to have her retrained as well?
*She was always pretty good about leaving the carpet alone, but now she has made destroying it-both in corners and right in the middle-her new favorite pastime. I've gone to spraying the corners (and cords-something that was never THIS big of a problem) with vinegar when she's out so she'll leave them alone. She has a "pumice stone" in her cage for her teeth and a willow barbell to chew on, which she uses.
Is all of this craziness because of her new cage? She's an 8 month old mini-lop and something else (the owner wasn't sure). I read a few books about rabbits before we got her so I *thought* I knew what I was getting myself into, but I don't remember any of them mentioning this kind of behavior! :foreheadsmack:Help?
