• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Hutch nibbling.. any ideas?

Morrigan1981

Mama Doe
Having read a few comments on another thread I'm now really nervous about posting this, so please be nice! :oops:

My demon nibbler, Frankie, has managed to chew a little hole in the side of the hutch he shares with Jen. The sides are made of tongue and groove so he's obviously managed to get a grip on the wood and start nibbling. The hole was tiny (about 4 mm x 2 mm) but you could see the hutch hugger through it! My OH and I have responded by cladding both sides of the hutch with 2 x 4in pieces of wood, so even if the hole does get a little bigger there's still at least 2 in of wood between the rabs and the outside world, so no chance of any escapees!

Of course I'd rather Frankie didn't feel the need to chew his hutch at all though... I just can't think what else to try to encourage him to leave the walls alone.. I've put a dangle wooden toy on the front of the hutch near the nibbled corner which gets a good chewing too, plus a variety of apple branches, willow balls, a chube, cardboard boxes... he eats everything :shock: A willow ball lasts (literally) minutes. They always have plenty of nice hay (although that doesn't last long either: I have to refill their litter tray at least three times a day). They have a big run that they spend at least 3 hrs a day in and more if the weather is good.

I don't like the idea of Frankie being bored but I'm not sure how else to keep him occupied. Does anyone else have a bun with a real talent for chewing?! How do you feed their habit?? My only consolation at the moment is that his teeth are perfect :rolleyes: (which does sort of make all the nibbled things worth while :)).
 
My rabbits love willow balls, i also get them straw mats that they can bite and scratch, you can get hay tunnels, ediable houses/tunnels from pet shops, i have loads of things they can nibble as they are houserabbits, ive never had a problem with them nibbling anything else. They also love card board, joey is obessed with ripping boxes up!! You can also buy chew stop to discourage him nibbling the wrong things, it just tastes bitter. Hope that helps :)
 
i dont think its always a boredom thing ...some buns ...just chew cos they like it i suspect .

Hope and Blue run around the garden so cant be bored when out ...but Blue chews the outside of hutches ...my fence :shock:...the outside of the run :?:?:? you name it he ll chew it if its wood :roll::roll::roll::roll:
 
Thanks for the suggestions :D

Angie, I think Frankie just likes chewing too :oops: He's had a go at the edges of the run as well. I've even tried putting a 'sacrificial' piece of wood at the front of their hutch for him to chew on, but he'll just have a go at that and then move back to the hutch walls, finish off a willow ball, tear up a cardboard box.. you name it, he'll destroy it! :roll:
 
could you try putting wire on the inside wood of the hutch? the wire for our run is on the inside and not one nibble, the inside of the hutch however has been chewed plenty :roll:
 
My two have loads of things to chew, willow balls, sticks, toilet tube insides, Chube tunnels etc etc........... Their fav things though are the Playhouse walls and the run's;) Looks like I am going to get handy with woodwork as lots of practice mending what the little cherbs have willfuly destroyed!
 
Sounds familiar - our two are a pair of little munchers too. They've not caused complete hutch destruction yet but they seem to like munching my o/h's clothes, which he is not very impressed with, and just munching me!

Any handy hints would be much appreciated here too
 
I too am watching this thread with interest. Millie never chewed when she lived on her own, but now she has another partner (and you'd have thought she'd be more content!) she has become a compulsive chewer. She is currently working her way through the main supports of a 6 x 4 shed. I have just bought some wire mesh to fasten to the inside as daylight is beginning to show through.
Jane
 
Gosh he is a busy boy. Everything I would have suggested, you have already done I'm afraid...atleast he's having fun ;)
 
Thanks for all of your replies and comments... I'm soooo glad I'm not the only one with a compulsive chewer :lol: I took home a couple of cardboard boxes from work last night and this morning opened the hutch to find two hunking great rabbits squashed into the tiny bit of box that remained :roll: Thankfully the hutch was untouched!

The wire mesh is a good idea, I'll try that this weekend :thumb:
 
Aaaaaw Frankie you mischievous boy, why are you chewing so much when you have a gorgeous hutch and an even more gorgeous lady friend:roll:

Not sure what to suggest Tracey other than what has already been said, but good luck.

*Off to Frankieproof the hutch now for when they come to stay;) - no seriously I'll get an extra supply of cardboard boxes for them to chomp on and I bought a brilliant shape sorter type toy for Muffin and Molly the other day that I stuff with hay and treats etc, keeps them occupied for ages
 
Back
Top