Room to Roam? HELP PLEASE!

[bunnymommyof2]

Ok so I am new to being a bun mommy but I already feel like I am terrible at it.

I want nothing more than to give my mini-lop Romeo run of the house, under supervision of course, but I cannot seem to get him to stop digging at my carpet ! I know that this is a normal behavior to a certain point, but that's all he does if I let him outside of his playpen. I live in an apartment complex so if I let it go and he ruins the carpet then I am stuck paying to re-carpet the place at move-out. :( I love my bunny dearly and I hate leaving him in the playpen but I don't know what else to do. I tried carrying a squirt bottle and spraying him when he does it so that he realizes it is bad but no matter what I do he looks at me with those adorable little eyes and starts to dig again. WHAT DO I DO? He has plenty of boxes and blankets and things of the sort that he CAN dig on but my carpet holds a better appeal. He's a gotten to a point recently where now he wants so badly to get to my carpet that he's learned how to escape from the playpen several different ways. I'm lost and feeling like a horrible mommy. HELP!!

[donnamt]

Alvin is a wallpaper chewer, i found the more i chased him the more he did it!!! his teen stage seems to have gone now so he does it a lot less, plus now i have pearl to keep him occupied.... he still goes for the wallpaper but its a lot less now... maybe your bunny just wants your attention...

pearl is a digger of litter trays so i now have a huge cardboard box half full with shredded paper for her to dig into... might be worth a try for your little un :)

[buda]

Is it worth picking up some second hand rugs that can be his alone?

[Tamsin]

Is it a particular place he digs? Redirection tends to work best so something heavy or chewable in his favourite places. I've heard the phone book recommended :)

Things dangling over it work do, it tickles them when they are digging and they have to take it out on that.

Something he can dig in to, a deep box with hay/soil, shredded paper or similar.

Also tunnels :)

[bunnymommyof2]

Thank you for the suggestions, right now I am willing to try anything!

[donnamt]

you could try putting cheap carpet over the areas he digs.... we have towels and cardboard boxes all over out house in Alvins favourite wallpaper spots..... not a place for visitors anymore :lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Tamsin]

You can sometimes get the square carpet samples if you ask in carpet shops when they are stopping doing a colour/brand and don't need the sample any more.

Tam

[buda]

We have $2 shops here that sell little carpets that are intended for use in cars. A couple of those in the right spots will only cost you pocket money.