Help!!! At the end of my tether:(

[luna]

Hi guys,

Its been a while since I'v been on. I have been super stressed this last few weeks with Percy, he has turned into psychobun since his neuter which was 3 weeks ago At the moment I am trying to potty train my son which is proving to be quite a challenge ( it is our 3rd attempt and he is refusing point blank) Also I am having a flare up of a condition I have called sjogren syndrome which has left me fatigued and slow to get around due to pain and now Percy has really kicked off with destroying our home, being really noisy and constantly seeking my attention with biting on his bars when I have to put him back in his cage and I just dont know what to do about it anymore. I have tried everything, clapping my hands, putting him back in his cage, turning my back on him and taking away my attention, ignoring his bad behaviour but he keeps biting and destroying things.

I will try and explain our set up and the care he currently has so I can give a better picture of whats going on as I'm aware the first bit is a little rambly. Percy is currently living upstairs in our landing. He initially had the run of the whole of the upstairs but he destroyed my bedroom by biting on wall corners. I had them bunny proofed but he managed to jump up on the wooden logs and bite the higher bit of the wall. He also climbed up on a shelf of a unit i have in my room where i had put things out of reach and managed to eat my ecco shoes and orthotics which cost me a fortune and those shoes were my saviour as i have heel spurs and couldnt walk on anything else until I got them. So at this point i closed off the bedroom to him and he had the hall and bathroom. In the bathroom he decided to rip up the mat i had on the floor and tore it to pieces and then I found him in the bath where he had chewed away at the rubber bath mat.

At this point he has the hall and the stairs, and he decides he is going to chew the skirting going down the stairs. he has eaten five holes in the wood and i cant stop him going down the stairs unfortunately, its too difficult to bunny proof and he is able to get through the stair gate. I have given him willow tunnels, rabbit fun tree's, cardboard boxes and i have put lots of old books at the bottom level of the book case which he likes to chew on but it seems to me like he does all this stuff to get my attention and gets some kind of thrill from being scolded. He is out form 10am to 7pm upstairs and then he comes down here in the evenings for an hour when i put Bobby back in his area. I cannot attach a pen to his cage because of the location he is in and i have no other options in terms of moving his cage because Bobby and Percy had a fall out so i cant let them see each other until i can start bonding. What gets to me most is the bar chewing, it drives me mad. it is just one of those noises that goes through my head and the ironic thing is that percy has more freedom than any of my other bunnies have ever had. he can pretty much do as he pleases and has so much space when he is out. If it was warmer I would be able to put him outside until its time for introductions but i cant do that right now as its too cold.

does anyone have any advice ? I feel i am doing everything wrong and feel so guilty for how i am feeling because right now Im not getting on very well with percy and I feel so guilty for feeling this way. I just have a lot on my plate and feel like I am spread too thin and it feels like he is trying his best to drive me round the twist

 

[mushlett]

Sorry I don't have any advice I just hope things improve for you xx

 

[Neleh]

Can you scatter feed him periodically? If you can it may keep him entertained and busy. Also pop in somd toys and some apple or pear stickes, mine go crazy for these but don't bothervwith willow. Another thing is stuffing tissue boxes with hay or old cardboard tubes.

 

[jwr]

yes i think the bar chewing would be the one thing that would drive me crazy too, could he go and live in the garden? some buns are just better outside nice large hutch and enclosure ...he would probably love it .... i do think rabbits are outdoor animals ..sorry guys

 

[Neleh]

yes i think the bar chewing would be the one thing that would drive me crazy too, could he go and live in the garden? some buns are just better outside nice large hutch and enclosure ...he would probably love it .... i do think rabbits are outdoor animals ..sorry guys

One of my pairs are only indoor bunnies as one got sick and struggles to keep warm unless itbis sunny.

 

[luna]

Thanks guys, I would definitely move Percy outside but he doesnt have a winter coat and it ultimately:? doesnt solve my problem because he is being bonded with Bobby who is very much a house bunny and my little companion. I am fairly tolerant of most things but bar chewing is one of those things that just seems to make me see red and when i am hearing it last thing at night and first thing every morning for the last two weeks it has just put me in terrible form. I would have him out of his cage 24/7 if he didnt destroy things. He also digs at our doors at night so its just not an option.

 

[weedug]

Could he be being naughty to get your attention? My Mr Bubble does that. If he feels he hasn't had any attention for to long, he starts "being naughty", because that gets my attention :lol:.

Do you spend time clapping him and talking to him? The bar chewing is often frustration and boredom. Does he have enough space and things to do in his cage?

All I can suggest is that you have time each day that you spend so long with him (not when he is up to mischief :lol, making a fuss of him and playing with him, and see if that helps.

 

[Amy104]

Would swaping the buns round be an option? I'm presuming Bobby isn't destructive? That was Percy would possibly see more of you so attention seek less, or does it give you a greater area downstairs so he could have a pen attached and not be shut in the cage? hopefully he'd then be less inclined to bar chew plus if its downstairs less noisy when you are trying to sleep.