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chewing help please

C

chunky chick

Young Bun
Hi
I need advise again please :)

When we first recovered lucky from the car engine we went and got him a two storey hutch, but he was out of the house all day and every day and had the run of our spare room. We bought him toys played with him and spent time playing and talking to him. Please note we have two westies so the bunny can't have the run of the house. So it was all going smoothly till he started to eat the sofa now my hubby doesn't want him out of his hutch unless we are in the room with him. But the dogs want to be in the room with us as well. Dont know what to do!
 
Bunnies can get very frustrated if kept in a small space all day, and this can cause destructive behaviour. The Rabbit Welfare Association reccommmends a minimum of a 6x2 hutch attached to an 8x4 run = 44sqft.

Could you have the bunny free-range in a bedroom?
 
Hi we have two living rooms and the bunny was free range in one of those. Until he started to eat the sofa yesterday. I have read the recommendation but we dont have the room for something that size. As well as two dogs we have two sons with severe disabilities.
 
You dont need something that size really, as the room can act as the 'run' - if that makes sense?

But you do need a decent size permenant enclosure and for him to have access to the room (his run) for about 8 hours a day minimum. The problem with confining him, is that it usually makes bunnies more destructive! When they finally get out they want to cause all sorts of mischief :lol:

As you have 2 living rooms, I'd suggest having one that is out of bounds to the dogs, and having the rabbit in this one. You may want to get a baby gate so you can still have the door open.

What exactly do you mean by he started to eat the sofa? A small nibble /scratching/digging /massive hole in it? And where on the sofa?

You're not being cruel, as you are trying to sort the situation out for the bunny and make his life better :) Willing to change things for his best interests is the mark of a good owner.
 
Hi yes that's what he had with the room to himself all day. He has ripped the material from the side and pulled some of. The size of about a square foot.
 
chunky chick said:
Hi yes that's what he had with the room to himself all day. He has ripped the material from the side and pulled some of. The size of about a square foot.
Click to expand...

Right okay, thats fine, much better than if he was attacking the seats :) What you need to do is stick any hanging/loose material back on so it is no longer a temptation. Then you need to block access to it. If I were you I'd get some puppy pen panels or NIC panels or similar, and create a barrier all the way around the sofa. The smaller the mesh the better, to prevent him getting his nose through, or you could always cover them in something if you go for the ones with bars. I'd invest in some NIC panels personally, I have found them invaluable in bunny-proofing.

I'd also put a throw over the seats of the sofa, in case he decides to turn on that too.

Does he have a friend? Lonliness can often cause destructive behaviour. As can hormones and sexual frustration - is he neutered?

Do you have other safe things that he likes to chew? Like apple sticks or willow sticks for instance?
 
Ok. I will get some of that. He doesn't have a friend and i dont know if he has been done. We have got him by accident really my hubby found him in the engine of a car. Thats why i am asking so many questions i dont have a clue what i am doing!
 
chunky chick said:
Ok. I will get some of that. He doesn't have a friend and i dont know if he has been done. We have got him by accident really
my hubby found him in the engine of a car. Thats why i am asking so many questions i dont have a clue what i am doing!
Click to expand...

What an odd way to find a new pet :lol:

Have you had him checked over by a vet, he could be a she :lol: If he is an unneutered mature male though you should be able to see his balls. You could always ask the vet to check him over when you take him for his vaccination (I'd go for the new combined vhd and myxo vaccine, rather than the single ones).

If he is not neutered, I'd get him done, as this can really help with destructive behaviours and litter training, and of course it also gives you an option for getting him a neutered friend.

By the way, this is what I mean by using the panels to block things off, making a barrier like this, around your sofa:
SAM_0749.jpg
 
Hi again we have decided we are going to make him an l shaped run that will go around the sofa that will hopefully give him space to have fun when we are out and move it when we are home so he can be petted etc. This will hopefully be useful in the garden as well. Hope it works.
 
chunky chick said:
Hi again we have decided we are going to make him an l shaped run that will go around the sofa that will hopefully give him space to have fun when we are out and move it when we are home so he can be petted etc. This will hopefully be useful in the garden as well. Hope it works.
Click to expand...

Good idea, I'd reccommend getting a dog pen that you can fold away when not in use. I did a similar thing with this pen made of NIC panels: http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j344/Nessa_Roche/SAM_2221.jpg where I would have it out (its bigger than it looks in the photo) and it took over most of the room, but then when I was awake I'd fold it back so they could have access to the whole room. Worked really well, as obviously I didnt need the space when I was asleep, but they did.
 
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