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Some practical advice please? I'm terrible at being a bunny mum :(

A

Anna&Buster

New Kit
Hi everyone,

I really love my house rabbit buster but he is driving me mad at the moment! My sofas have become giant litter trays (if they were my own it wouldn't be so bad, but they belong to my landlord:shock:), my cables are chew toys and he poos all over the floor.

He is currently confined only to the open plan living room/kitchen and his dog crate cage when we're out. However, if i leave him even to go to the toilet i come back to carnage!

Most of my cables are covered with copper pipe insulation as its really thick and i don't need those cables to be flexible. My laptop cable, however, is slowly getting stripped...can someone post a link to buying the flexible PVC tubing online in the UK please?

Another question is how can i block access to behind/the side of the sofa? I have tried hiding cables with furniture but there is a gap he can get through because of the angle of the arms. I'm not very DIY savvy at all!!!:oops:

I know none of this is his fault, its mine for underestimating the abilities of a bun before i got him, but i hate to admit it but i've been having a couple of RSPCA moments lately!!:shock::oops: I'd never be so irresponsible in reality but the thought has crossed my mind.

I do still love him, and even his naughtiness can be cute (all my 21st birthday cards have one chew mark in them in the same corner...he'd hopped up to the mantle piece and obviously sampled each card for taste in turn before knocking it off and moving onto the next!:lol:), and i know this is just his natural behaviour...Just please help me learn to manage it better!!!

Sorry for the whinge guys...

Anna&Buster

PS Buster is booked in to be neutered on the 29th May, that was the earliest date they could give me
 
Angie65 said:
Well - 6 weeks after that, his hormones will be settled & he'll be better unless any of his habits are seriously habit-formed:lol:
Click to expand...
:wave:

Yeah, i can't wait until then...but what can i do in the mean time? Its not fair on Buster or of course my landlords furniture! I'm cleaning the furniture daily the best i can, before we move i will pay to have it professionally cleaned: do you think this is acceptable or should i own up and buy new sofas? (which i really cant afford)
 
There's cage run side things you could buy. Block off all the important stuff ( like a fire guard). And plastic sheeting for your sofa? He's just been a bunny really. Neutering really will help with the weeing & chewing.
 
As for litter training, keep him in a confined space, cage or dog crate, for a while (day or two), he should start to use one corner, then give him a bit more space, then a bit more. If he slips up reduce the space again. This will work better once he's neutered :D
 
For the cables have you considered using water hosepipe? You can buy it cheap from places like wilkinsons and then cut up the amount required and feed your cables through it.

He might bite through the hosepipe but hopefully you will stop him before he gets to the wire :)
 
In terms of litter tray is the one you have quite big? I first got a corner tray that has a top on it which wasn't very big- Neo never used it and would always go somewhere else. He started using it to sleep in! Then got a much bigger square one and he started using it immediately. It's big enough for him to sit in the corner and can also put a little hay in one side so he can nibble at the same time- might help.:)
 
The hose thing is a good idea, do you mean just the standard (usually green) hose stuff? I think that could work pretty well!
http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0056969 - is this the right sort of thing?

She-Ra (cool name!), Buster does have a corner litter tray....he can fit in it fine but perhaps i should try getting a bigger one for him! I put a handful of hay in his litter tray on top of the paper-based litter, and then hang his hay-ball so he can nibble on it from his litter tray too. I also only feed his pellets when he is in the litter tray so i was hoping he'd be associating it with food, hay, potty and all things good by now!:roll:
 
Barley is just like that.Shes almost 2 and spayed.She seems worse this time of year.Shes starting to calm down again now but the weeing on th sofa has been a problem always.Ive just got used to cleaning the sofa regularly.I know this is not ideal but the sofa is leather and its in our''scruffy lounge'',our proper lounge is upstairs.The only option is to cage her almost permanantly but what life is that for her?Have you got a room where it doesn't matter quite as bad what they do?How about the kitchen as theres not much to destroy in there?im afraid i do cage B at night as coming down to a sofa covered in wee would be a bad start to most mornings!!our kitchen is upstairs and open plan so not practical-she'd be falling down the stairs and they are wooden so not good for bouncing buns.but she is free range 17hours a day.
 
my little monster was the same with the sofa before he was neutered and i literally had to ban him from the sofas. if he jumped up, i'd stamp my feet and shout "NO!" and he would get down. he would have to go back in his crate if i even went for a wee or to grab something from another room, i just couldn't trust him.

you'll feel bad for doing it but it saves your sofas and that horrible feeling (i know what you mean, i was crying several times saying i couldn't cope anymore). once he's been neutered he'll calm down and you'll be able to trust him more.

make sure you use white vinegar when cleaning the sofa - it eradicates thhe smell for those sensitive bunny noses!
 
timb0h said:
For the cables have you considered using water hosepipe? You can buy it cheap from places like wilkinsons and then cut up the amount required and feed your cables through it.

He might bite through the hosepipe but hopefully you will stop him before he gets to the wire :)
Click to expand...

That's what I use - got it from an aquatic shop for about £2! :)
 
I wouldn't worry too much hon, my Cookie wasn't particularly destructive before I had him done but he did wee and poo on my carpets the little monkey.

After I had him done and got him home, he never did it again. Pretty instant for him although it can take a bit longer for other rabbits I am told.

Being done should settle him down
 
I've got four rabbits in two bonded pairs. I bought two pens that I attached to their cages so they have room that's there own and that they can play in during the day. Also, i then control where they 'play'!!! Then they have a couple of hours down in the front room with me, and they know, through practice and constant reinforcement, where they do their stuff! Maybe try treats when he does it in the right place?

Also, he'll get much more 'accurate' and potty polite after he has been neutered. My lop was really bad with his territorial weeing and pooing before he was done. I think I got the pens from the website below. It's in the 'indoor cages' section, and click the link to 'playpen'. A bit pricey if your buying two but one is ok. And it's easily transportable. I just put their corner litter tray in the corner of the pen.

Youre not a bad bunny mummy!!:p It just takes time, patience and practice. Promise!!! :D

www.vagavalley.co.uk/bunnysupplies
Hope this is useful!

Lisa
 
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