My destructive bunny...any ideas welcome!

[frankie08]

Hi, I need some suggestions on how to deal with my bunny mylo. He is about 10 months old, has been nuetered, but is really destructive. Its becoming such a problem that my partner is threatning to move out. I have read lots on creating toys for them but he isnt interested in wood. He loves cardboard and paper, but rather than playing and digging in it he eats it! He would eat an entire box if I left it and he then gets a sore stomach. He also chews his way through cable tidies hehe.... What other sort of toys could I make??

Thanks! :)

Frankie

[norrielian]

Have you considered getting him a partner for company - perhaps he is just bored and/or making him an outdoor bunny. He could then have access to a large bunny proof run rather than destroying your home! :D

[shel20]

mine are a bit like that..i came home to see my fridge n freezer had defrosted and the kitchen was swimming in water and alfie had chewed through my fridge cable..how he wasnt electrocuted a dont kno!!!! i bought him a hay nesting ball from range, but p@home do the same about 8 pound. its sphere made of hay they can sit in with big holes in to get in and out.i push his pellets at teatime in it all over, on top on the sides so instead of standing at his bowl for 5 mins it takes him half an hour to forrage for his food..then he starts eating the hay nester but it will take him forever! maybe try that as an idea to give him somethin to do???

[frankie08]

norrielian - I live in a flat so unfortunately no garden! But if I move think that might be the best option. I thought another bunny would help but my boyfriend wont allow it hehe! :)

shel20 - I think I have seen them at pets at home actually, will try that! Hehe will tell that story about the freezer to boyfriend hehe yikes! :)

[shel20]

frankie i live in a flat too, hes an indoor bun and the hay ball suprisingly doesnt malt everwhere so i put it on the kitchen floor during the day and the stuff it with hay as a place to sleep...trust me hes never out of it! my new addition bobby doesnt have one yet but when i let them out and bobby goes in alfies cage its the first thing he goes too! get the big one though!

[shel20]

yeah my boyfriend wasnt too happy bout the fridge and 150 food shop that all went to waste!....then i said it was a one off...until he chewed though my rollar blind pullies, u know when u pull to pull the blinds up......so now they wont go up and we need new ones...whoops!

[CrazyBun]

I am surprised when you say that your bun isn't interested in wood - have you tried different sorts of wood? Mine LOVE apple branches and willow branches, and for them this is the best way to keep them un-destructive. Also mine prefer twigs of a certainn size - too thick and they can't get their teeth round it properly, and too thin is not enough of a challenge. An ideal width for mine seems to be about finger width.

[shel20]

the wiollow apcks from pets at home are good yeah mine live them, u get a bundle of twigs n a ball, keep the twigs in a bundle but loosen, them mine spend ages trying to pull them out!

[frankie08]

Thanks they are really great ideas. I will try them out and report back with progress soon hehe. Thanks again! Talk soon, :D

[ecudc]

Mine also don' eat wood unless it is fresh off the tree apple. I do give mine a cardboard box which they like to chew but it doesn't seem to give them tummy problems. It's a huge one based on the design by the cardboard man. Other things they love are tunnels and mine did seem to chew the wooden throw toys and rattle from P@H they also like their treat ball and will go for a willow ball if I put some pellets in.

[Sarah86]

norrielian - I live in a flat so unfortunately no garden! But if I move think that might be the best option. I thought another bunny would help but my boyfriend wont allow it hehe! :)

shel20 - I think I have seen them at pets at home actually, will try that! Hehe will tell that story about the freezer to boyfriend hehe yikes! :)

Mine wouldn't allow it either, but I begged and pleaded and got my own way now Charlie behaves himself and my boyfriend wishes he'd have given in earlier. He was an absolute terror when it came to destroying things, even after having him neutered he was naughty, we got Poppy in September of last year though and its calmed him down a lot.

Toilet roll tubes are good, I stuff them with grass then wrap them in brown paper like a christmas cracker, it takes them a while to empty them, mine don't like vine balls but they do like willow balls, they also like seagrass mats, carrot wood rolls from the naturals range, their treat balls and tunnels and boxes. If he likes paper try giving him an old yellow pages.

[cat_worth]

I would say that if you have house-bunnies and they are free range then you always have to be prepared for some destruction, even with a well enriched environment. However, you can reduce the amount of your furniture/belongings that are nibbled! I agree that apple branches are VERY popular. We trimmed an apple tree in our garden last weekend and the rabbits have gone crazy for them. Lots of exciting hay - you can get ones with herbs in now that go down a treat. Why don't you give him a cardboard box that he is allowed to play and destroy? Our rabbit emily takes great pleasure in pushing boxes around and ripping them to shreds.
I would also reconsider getting him a friend - he really will benefit from the bunny company.
best wishes,
Cat

[Phoebesmummy9]

Im inclined to agree with the above post - all bunnies will cause some kind of damage - the main task is finding something appropriate for them to damage! my neutered boy still digs and rips up wallpaper - so i give him a yellow pages to play with so he gets the double bonus of being able to rip and dig on the same thing he LOVES it! and certaintly stops him stripping the lounge wallpaper :lol:
Personally, my boy didnt calm down when we got him a wifey bun - i just had double the mischief :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[frankie08]

My wee mylo is sick. He wasnt eating anything yesterday at all so I kept him in my room to watch him yesterday and he didnt eat anything all night. I took him to the vets today and they have kept him in over night to give him injections and force feed him. They think its colic he has :( wee soul. I must be feeding him too much dried foods, he does get vegetables everyday but must not be enough, think I will try and phase out the nuggets.

Thanks, you have definitely given me some great ideas for toys, I have plenty toilet rolls lying around so wrapped them in tissue papaer and stuffed hay and treats inside, going to pets at home today to pick up some more stuff, so he will have lots of toys to come home too!

Frankie :)

[lisabunnie]

I'm sorry to hear mylo is ill, hope he feels better soon.

I too have an indoor bun, hes was a cruelty case and wasn't too well, now he is fine but its too cold out side. He is living in the spare bedroom, came home last night and he had trashed it big style. Used the litter trays and the threw them around, Poo everywhere even in the spare bed. He has been using his fluffy bed to wee in. Hay in places that you couldn't imagine. When my hubby came home he went to see if he was ok saw the mess and promptly told me the rabbit was mine!

I don't know what to suggest, more letting you know that you are not the only one with a bun suffering from norty rabbit syndrome!

[Isabel]

My o/h wasn't happy with getting another...now I have three :D
He doesn't want me to get a fourth...I wonder what will happen :rolleyes:


It can be quite stressful on a relationship though I know what you mean. I'm sure I read that when buns are around one they are at their most destructive then they calm down. Still waiting for that one :lol:

[nursecroft]

I had to whinge at my boyfriend for ages to get another bunny lol i said it wouldnt make any difference as i had one anyway and there was plenty of room :D they adore eachother but shes younger and can be abit destructive!! I give them loads of toys which helps and corner off anywhere you cant see them or want destroying. I taught my bunnies 'no' which comes in very handy!!

[frankie08]

Hi! Just thought I would let you know that mylo is feeling better! Brought him home from vets and he has been eating cucumber and broccoli and taking his medicine fine. He isnt drinking any water but cucumber has high water content so not too worried.

He loves his new willow ball! :D

[chloaster]

Glad he is feeling better! :D

I too can testify to the benefits of having a friend for your house bunny. Max used to spend hours under the bed destroying my suitcase, he would eat any zip that passed his way, can't remember how many chargers I had to replace!, and although he is not perfect now he is so much better since Shayla came to live with us. He is definately not so bored and destructive. I can appreciate what your boyfriend is saying but I can honestly tell you that having another bunny in the house hasn't doubled the trouble it's halved it! :D

[MarilynM]

One of my rabbits seems to go through 'phases' of destruction. Not sure if it's to do with her seasons or something. Last night she managed to get hold of a sponge scourer and was trying to eat it, when I took it away she started trying to remove the upholstery from the sofa, after whcih she started chewing the skirting board. We don't have so much of a problem with the other one, which is a buck.

Roll on the summer, when they can go out for a run in the garden instead of the house :)

[Siona]

I found that Nigel (giant house bun) was very destructive when he was younger, but now he's over a year old he's much calmer.
I gave him cardboard boxes, toilet roll tubes stuffed with hay, those play veg made of straw, and a large willow ball stuffed with rafia and little wooden toys.

He didn't take to any of the wooden toys I got him, but loved things small enough for him to throw around.
I kept wires and shoes away, and shut him out of the front room when I'm not around, as that is the room with the most stuff to destroy.

He also loves carrier bags, I think its the noise they make. He doesn't eat them, just pushes them around and jumps up and down on them. Keep them supervised with them though, just incase!

[frankie08]

Hehe its really refreshing to hear other people have the same problems with their wee bunnies! Some funny stories! :) I will try the plastic bags think he would like that actually. Might even show boyfriend the posts about getting another rabbit see what he says hehe, worth a try!

What a difference in mylo today, he is lying stretched out on the rug sunbathing, its a really nice day today. I think if we were to move to spain he would be quite a different rabbit, just sleep all day! Thats Plan B hehe.