Naughty Nethie

[AmberNikSee]

Hi there!
I'm new to this forum and am quickly realizing how helpful and friendly everyone is! I'm hoping to pick your collective brains and get some advice on my Nethie's naughty and odd(?) behavior.
I should start by saying I'm a first time bunny owner and it wasn't in my original plan to become one tho I'm very happy now that I am.
I "rescued" my nethie, Bofur, last February and have been bonding with him ever since. He's approximately 2 years old and neutered and has an attitude the size of Texas.
He is very particular about what he eats- hay(but only if I out it in certain places in his room) parsley(after its sat out for a day) pea pods, yogurt bites, ricepuff baby treats, saltine crackers and the colored bits in his pellet mix bag(but not the pellets themselves unless he's desperate) however lately he has also taken to eating my wall and now there is a silver dollar sized divot in it.
He has balls and chew blocks and paperballs and TP rolls and a chew log as well as cardboard boxes and one of those stick huts in hopes to keep him entertained.
This is issue one of many so any and all advice would be very greatly appreciated!

 

[Mrsmcarey]

Oh the joys of Nethie ownership :thumb: or rather slaveship :lol:

I have 3 regular bunnies who are sweet and easy going :thumb: and one Nethie who is a beast :lol:

She is feisty, head strong and very bossy, very sweet natured when she wants fusses and a devil when she wants her own ways :lol:

Bofur sounds like the perfect Nethie to me :lol:

I stopped my Pie chewing the carpet with a short squirt from a small water pistol and a firm NO took a few days but now I only need to No to stop her, and yes she has a thing for the ceiling under the stairs too :roll:

 

[AmberNikSee]

Well I'm glad he sounds like a Nethie! He drives me bananas sometimes and won't let me pick him up and runs and seems generally mad at the world but then he has his moments (few and far between) where he's sweet and playful.

 

[Lynn's Bunny]

My little Nethie is also a brat! But she is so darn cute, she gets away with it!!!

 

[tonibun]

Maybe a companion would help- rabbits do have emotional needs which, if not met, can result in destructive behaviour. My rabbit, Blue, gnawed her way out of 2 hutches in her previous home. Now she has a friend and more space she never gnaws and is very happy. So it could be something of this nature.

 

[AmberNikSee]

Tonibun, I've thought the same thing but a lot of the searching I've done says that Nethie's are better alone because they're territorial. But the amount of information I've found out there about Nethie's is spotty at best. I'm really outta my depth with this!

 

[Babybella]

Maybe this is why my mini lop Bella has taken to chewing her hutch, the one door is looking really bad. She never used to chew it. We have some wooden chew daisies across the door now in the hope she chews those instead. She is being spayed next week so once she has recovered we can try bonding her with Alfie.

 

[Mrsmcarey]

Tonibun, I've thought the same thing but a lot of the searching I've done says that Nethie's are better alone because they're territorial. But the amount of information I've found out there about Nethie's is spotty at best. I'm really outta my depth with this!

Yes nethie's are very territorial and even after 4 weeks together she still has moments and chases poor Rosie :roll: then will turn round and groom her :roll:

To,cut down on this I try to keep the litter tray clean as if Pie has peed in it too much it's hers and that's when the trouble starts :?

As for destruction, she is still trying to eat the stairs :shock: plenty of toys they have babies keys on a ring or plastic measuring spoons on a ring for throwing about are good :thumb: and wooden she's toys they have an easter egg box which I put treats in that gets thrown about and chewed:lol:

Does he have a toy to cuddle I gave mine a soft toy (make sure the fluff doesn't come out) they will lie by them and groom the toys it's very sweet but they both groom the toys and not each other sometimes :roll:

 

[tonibun]

Tonibun, I've thought the same thing but a lot of the searching I've done says that Nethie's are better alone because they're territorial. But the amount of information I've found out there about Nethie's is spotty at best. I'm really outta my depth with this!

I think most rabbits are territorial but most like a friend also, even Nethies.

 

[AmberNikSee]

Does he have a toy to cuddle I gave mine a soft toy (make sure the fluff doesn't come out) they will lie by them and groom the toys it's very sweet but they both groom the toys and not each other sometimes :roll:

does the toy need to be the same size as them or does that not seem to matter????

 

[Mrsmcarey]

does the toy need to be the same size as them or does that not seem to matter????

Toy any size Rosie had a bear factory cat which she loves so does Pie the Nethie I have her the smallest toy I had which is a duck still as big as her [emoji38]

Here they are in bed with the toys :lol:

 

[AmberNikSee]

Oh my they are adorable! I will have to look into a stuffy for Bofur! I've been looking into getting him a friend but the options around here are slim at best.

 

[Babybella]

I bought my two a stuffed toy each but I don't think they cuddle them like yours do. Bella tried chewing its leg and dragged it round her bedroom for a bit and I don't think Alfie has really been near his.

 

[esupi]

Not a great photo, but here's my nethie pair snuggled up. They aren't pure nethies, but they certainly act like it.
Mine are sisters, and I would say they don't have as close a bond as my other pair - sometimes they like to hump/chase. But they do spend most of their time snuggling, and a LOT of time grooming each other - I imagine that's what replaces chewing 'stuff'.

 

[Mrsmcarey]

Yes Esupi if they aren't cuddled up like this Pie is usually up to no good either annoying poor Rosie or trying to escape or just running amuck :lol:

 

[AmberNikSee]

Well Bofur has been set up with a little cow pillow pet and a mirror so he can see himself, and he seems to like the mirror- not the stuffed cow so much. Also looking into adopting a second bunny in hopes to raise his spirits and detour his destruction.