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Training - Water Skoosher

SuzieBlue

Young Bun
I've been trying to train Phoebe, who's just 5 months old and pretty feisty. When I put her and Nermal (my 1 yr old buck) in their cage while the chinchilla is out, bearing in mind this is half an hour a day, Phoebe spends most of the time chewing the bars and getting grumpy. I can distract her with hay/treats but this only works for so long, then she's back to chewing. The noise is a bit much for the chin, so recently I skooshed her with the water spray I use to mist my houseplants - and it worked! I used to have to use it on Nermal when he tried to eat the plants, and it was great for him as he's so obedient. Phoebe hates the water, and stops chewing and spends ages washing herself..
Last night my ex had to skoosh her (he comes round to see the rabbits, not me! :roll:) as she was trying to chew a book in the bookcase, but he got a bit trigger happy and soaked the poor wee blighter! I went to pick her up to dry her off, but she hopped away and wouldn't be comforted, and sat flicking her paws in the corner!
I'm a bit worried that it's just making her grumpy, rather than having the desired effect of teaching her not to do certain things. She's quite defiant... Does anyone else use this method of discipline or is there something I can do that will make me feel less evil??!!
 
Personally its not a method I'd use. TBH I think its awful.

By giving her treats to 'distract her' from bar chewing you were actually rewarding her for bar chewing. Then you spray her with water, no wonder the poor girl is grumpy !!

When in her cage does she have lots of toys etc ?

How long does she actually spend in the cage ?

How big is the cage ?
 
I think the best thing you could do is bunny proof your house.
I have heard a lot of people say they squirt water on their buns but I know mine hates water and I personally think its too cruel.
Is there no where else you could put her while the other pet is out so she isnt left chewing the bars? I think pretty much all rabbits are "defiant" and it would be better to try to remove whatever it is you dont want them on rather than try to teach them.
 
the only time i have ever used a water spray was to break up a fight (hadn't got a towel or broom to hand). it separated my 2 as they obviously hate it. not sure i would use that as a teaching method tho:?

i found the best thing to do was to bunny proof my house as buns will be buns and they will chew. if i don't want something chewed, i remove it from where they can get to. i want them to share my living space so i have adapted it accordingly:)
 
Thanks guys - the water skoosher is going. The house is pretty well proofed to be honest, there are no cables on the floor, no plants at ground level now - it was trial and error at first, but there are hardly any times now when they get to something they shouldn't. The bookcase will need some more work though. They don't get into certain rooms (kitchen and bathroom), but have the run of the rest of the house when I'm there.
When I'm at work or in bed, they are in my totally bunny-proofed room, which is a double bedroom (spare - no flatmates now). Their cage, which is the largest zoozone cage (not sure of exact measurements off the top of my head), is open all the time and just used as a base, and they have a smaller zoozone cage (it was on sale - thought it might be useful!) filled with hay to rummage in, as well as two litter trays out on the floor. The room is big enough for them to have a good run around when they're confined, and as I mentioned they only get shut in the larger cage for approx half an hour per day. When in the cage, they have chew toys and hay. My chin is about 8 now, and not so energetic, so it's not often the buns are actually in the cage for half an hour, sometimes it's as little as ten minutes, it just depends how the chin is feeling.
I realise now about rewarding Phoebe with treats etc when chewing, then spraying her - feel so stupid about not picking up on that! They both love dried herbs and willow sticks, so I think I'll put loads of sticks and some herbs, and maybe some carrot pieces and extra hay, in the cage before I put them in, then it should keep them busy. I wouldn't really want to leave them alone outside of the room while my chin is out, as I prefer to supervise.
They're such great pets, I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing for them all the time. Phoebe is becoming so much more affectionate these days as she's growing up, and will happily sit on my knee for a head-rub.
Sorry for huge post! :D
 
hey both love dried herbs and willow sticks, so I think I'll put loads of sticks and some herbs, and maybe some carrot pieces and extra hay, in the cage before I put them in, then it should keep them busy.

That sounds like a good plan, it makes going into the cage a fun thing to do rather than imprisonment. You'd think 30 mins wouldnt be an issue wouldnt you!
 
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