Indoor destruction bunnies

I've posted once before about my bunnies Chloe and Dodo (adopted about 3 months ago - they're pretty timid, very curious, don't tolerate touch, and are driven by chewing - they love it, live it and breathe it). I've been having some issues with managing the chewing so am working hard to offer lots of toys and chewing opportunities. They do live entirely indoors. Now last night was epic. Dodo got the bug to dig in the bunny room (a corner) and she was relentless. I was up and down from midnight and they didn't really settle until about 3 this afternoon. I put a heavy box down to cover the spot but she dug at the edges, so I put another box down and she chewed and dug at those edges. It's like they got the 'dig for your life' memo. I moved them downstairs with me today (which is tough enough as they hate being touched) but they were looking for corners and digging and chewing. I struggled to reliably distract them or meet their need. I have to say, it was mega stressful and I don't really know what to do. Is it that they needed more exercise, need to feel safer, need me to give them outdoor time, give them a digging box (I've tried and theyre not interest and they get so fixated on particular spots that I'm not sure an alternative would help)??? I was and am lost and left feeling like I'm not sure I can cope or understand them or that they're suited to indoor living. I'm really unhappy at the idea of restricting their freedom. Help? Has anyone else experienced this kind of relentless awakeness / fixatedness?

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Are they munchers? If you put cardboard over a area would they eat it or just dig it?

Before we had Rodney we used to just cover areas Primrose dug at with cardboard til she lost interest and she didnt eat it just shred it like a maniac.

Rodney eats the stuff like hay so we had to switch to buying grass mats to do the job and would just keep putting them down until she lost interest in that spot.

Also a massive pile of straw would entertain her for hours. We'd fluff it up a bit and she would spend ages digging and making tunnels in it.

She would ignore digging boxes unless they had soil in then she quite enjoyed those.

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I take it they are on carpet? You could try putting non slip vinyl flooring over it, or part of it. You would have to restrict access to the edges, as they'll probably chew that too, so making an area using puppy panels that is slightly smaller than the floor area should work. I've had to do this with my bun, or she will just chew round the edges. It would hopefully give you a more peaceful night too. Have you tried them with chew sticks, lots of bunnies enjoy apple sticks.

I've put tiles down on the corners that mine dig, and also use citronella spray to stop any chewing. Yours sound a bit more determined! I also have some straw beach mats (cost a fiver off ebay) which put down so that if they do chew anything it's the mat rather than the carpet.

Pets mum said:

I take it they are on carpet? You could try putting non slip vinyl flooring over it, or part of it. You would have to restrict access to the edges, as they'll probably chew that too, so making an area using puppy panels that is slightly smaller than the floor area should work. I've had to do this with my bun, or she will just chew round the edges. It would hopefully give you a more peaceful night too. Have you tried them with chew sticks, lots of bunnies enjoy apple sticks.

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Effectively this is what we had to do, vinyl flooring and puppy panels. I still need to monitor them when they free range

CarelessSquid07 said:

Are they munchers? If you put cardboard over a area would they eat it or just dig it?

Before we had Rodney we used to just cover areas Primrose dug at with cardboard til she lost interest and she didnt eat it just shred it like a maniac.

Rodney eats the stuff like hay so we had to switch to buying grass mats to do the job and would just keep putting them down until she lost interest in that spot.

Also a massive pile of straw would entertain her for hours. We'd fluff it up a bit and she would spend ages digging and making tunnels in it.

She would ignore digging boxes unless they had soil in then she quite enjoyed those.

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Cardboard over a spot as long as it's wedged has been a fantastic help. They'll dig and shed the hell out of that quite happily but it only works if its wedged as they're strong buns. But you don't think they should be eating it? Mine do! And paper! Shred, shred, shred. What did you put your hay in and fluff up? A big box? I've just tonight made a digging box with the top covered so it's dark but so far I think they've worn themsleves out today. Thank you

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Pets mum said:

I take it they are on carpet? You could try putting non slip vinyl flooring over it, or part of it. You would have to restrict access to the edges, as they'll probably chew that too, so making an area using puppy panels that is slightly smaller than the floor area should work. I've had to do this with my bun, or she will just chew round the edges. It would hopefully give you a more peaceful night too. Have you tried them with chew sticks, lots of bunnies enjoy apple sticks.

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They are on carpet and I think the penny is dropping that I'm going to need to replace it with vinyl flooring. Do they attack edges of walls with vinyl flooring? That's my concern because even though vinyl is tough, a few hours intense attack would destroy it too. And yes, the hanging edge of anything tempts them to chew. Thank u

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Motty said:

Effectively this is what we had to do, vinyl flooring and puppy panels. I still need to monitor them when they free range

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How big a space do you have puppy panelled and how much free range time? It's such a shame!

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Orenoko said:

I've put tiles down on the corners that mine dig, and also use citronella spray to stop any chewing. Yours sound a bit more determined! I also have some straw beach mats (cost a fiver off ebay) which put down so that if they do chew anything it's the mat rather than the carpet.

Click to expand...

I'll have a scout for straw mats. Thank u

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Pets mum said:

I take it they are on carpet? You could try putting non slip vinyl flooring over it, or part of it. You would have to restrict access to the edges, as they'll probably chew that too, so making an area using puppy panels that is slightly smaller than the floor area should work. I've had to do this with my bun, or she will just chew round the edges. It would hopefully give you a more peaceful night too. Have you tried them with chew sticks, lots of bunnies enjoy apple sticks.

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Yes chew sticks are amazing for Chloe. And the pruning from my apple tree a month ish ago were gobbled up in about 15 minutes Chloe goes glassy eyed if I bring her sticks home. But they like them best when I'm offering them, they won't really do much with them if i just offer them. And Dodo isn't terribly interested. She's not really motivated by much I do though she's the most curious and bravest of the two. But what one does, the other follows

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DodoAndChloeBuns said:

How big a space do you have puppy panelled and how much free range time? It's such a shame!

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The puppy panels area is 8'x8' (the RWAF recommended minimum area)
Monitored free range time is usually 2~3 hours in the evening, whilst I have tea and relax with a paper/book/computer in the evening.
The photo was taken just now, note the curtains lifted out of chewing reach and gas fire fenced off

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this thread is making me feel very fortunate having 2 bunnies free roaming on new (well 6 months ol) carpet

DodoAndChloeBuns said:

Cardboard over a spot as long as it's wedged has been a fantastic help. They'll dig and shed the hell out of that quite happily but it only works if its wedged as they're strong buns. But you don't think they should be eating it? Mine do! And paper! Shred, shred, shred. What did you put your hay in and fluff up? A big box? I've just tonight made a digging box with the top covered so it's dark but so far I think they've worn themsleves out today. Thank you

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It varies by bun. If Rodney eats too much his poo shrinks and we start heading into stasis territory however it's not the case for all buns.

He also very much enjoys a nibble of vinyl flooring if he has access. We either batton it down or make sure the puppy panels don't allow him to get to the edge.

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CarelessSquid07 said:

It varies by bun. If Rodney eats too much his poo shrinks and we start heading into stasis territory however it's not the case for all buns.

He also very much enjoys a nibble of vinyl flooring if he has access. We either batton it down or make sure the puppy panels don't allow him to get to the edge.

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Oh God, I didn't know I'd need to worry about this as well! But I'm glad you mentioned it.

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joey&boo said:

this thread is making me feel very fortunate having 2 bunnies free roaming on new (well 6 months ol) carpet

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Haha! You really are thankfully

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the time of year may not be helping. might be a little bit of nest building instincts going on.