Please help! My buns keep eating brand new cabinet

[NewBunnyOwner123]

 I need a chew detterent an quick because the buns are not allowed outside the pen until the cabinet gets protected from chewing. 

We got a new storage cabinet yesterday and it is in the kitchen and then rabbit’s keep chewing on the edges of this cabinet i have only had for an hour! The husband got SO MAD! We have the corner guards on the two back corners but they can’t go on the front where the door opens up because it affects the door. I have tried bitter yuck, 50/50 water and vinegar, and then just strait up vinegar. I need some REALLY GOOD chew deterrent very quickly. It’s a white cabinet so it can’t be anything that will dye the cabinet a different color. So I can’t use the tabasco sauce on it that usually worked to deter the chewing.

Do you think they were chewing on it because it was so new and they were curious? Do you think they will stop chewing on it if I leave them for a few days and the cabinet’s newness kind of goes away because they will be used to seeing it? Please, my husband says those rabbits are not allowed out until I can find a way to keep them from chewing on the new cabinet. 

I don’t know why they are chewing on this cabinet because they don’t chew on any other furniture or any other cabinets! I am highly frustrated that nothing is working! And the buns are feelng really cooped up. And it is in a place where I can’t just block the cabinet off.

[Roberta]

Oh Dear, Mine like melamine coatings too. Bitter is out as they like that sort of thing. I think possibly something with a scent…….. I will have to check some forums.

[Emmie]

I know how that feels!! They pick on one thing and they do not let it go!! Hoping someone has a good idea for you!

[Monkeybun]

cheap perfume! make sure it doesn’t smell appetizing

[Stickerbunny]

I attach something noisy to an item if mine get interested in chewing it, after a week or so of it scaring them every time they chew, they avoid it. The plain brown paper like they use for shipping works great, so when they touch it, it rattles and freaks em out.

[Emmie]

The perfume idea is great! That works wonders for me!

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Will body spray suffice? I don’t have perfume.

[Stickerbunny]

I’m curious about the perfume thing. Have any of you had it not work and your bun still chew while perfume was on it? If so, didn’t your bun get sick? Some of the ingredients of perfumes are really harsh, many popular brands even put antifreeze as one of many things. It isn’t regulated what they can put in fragrances, since they aren’t edible. I’ve always been scared since my buns are pretty stubborn and common things in perfume are ethanol, acetone, alcohol, camphor and other nasty chemicals. :s

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

@stickerbunny-I’ve never tried perfume as I’m allergic, however the amount of perfume you’d use would really mean there are very small amounts of anything dangerous; if you put a few sprays it might not even be wet. I think the fragrance would be a deterrant more so than the taste.

@newbunnyowner-I think body spray would work fine! Otherwise I’d use NIC cubes as a temporary barrier until they get bored and find something else to do

[Monkeybun]

If its a strong smelling body spray it should work. Thats why I suggested a cheap perfume, they tend to smell a lot stronger, and more unpleasant

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Ugh time for an update. How often are you having to respray with the body spray. It seems to only work temporarily. As in, a day. I can’t use the NIC grids to block it off because it will affect the opening of my door. Do you think the cheap perfume idea will last longer than the body spray?

I went ahead and sprayed it again for today because Harley is feeling REALLY cooped up. You should see him right now he is running as fast as he possibly can back and forth from the front of the house to the back of the house and ect.

Do you think the cheap perfume will last longer? And will the smell go away and still be effective? Because my husband has a sensitive nose to this kind of stuff and will probably sneeze if it’s lingering around by the time he gets home.

[Monkeybun]

I do think it is worth it. Your husband can deal with a sneeze if it means the cabinet won’t get ruined

The cheap perfume would be better, I think, just due to the fact most body sprays are a lighter scent, so it does disipate faster.

[NewBunnyOwner123]

Well I guess I will be going to get some perfume then! And I don’t mean just one sneeze… I mean one after the other…after the other… after the other lol but I can at least test the waters and see how he reacts to the perfume. And if it’s bad then I will be making another plan

I’ll update if I need a new idea!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

They make this tape you can put on things so that cats won’t scratch it, it’s like a two sided tape (I guess cats don’t like sticky stuff) -and it’s meant to protect nice furniture…I’m not sure how sticky it is, but it’s also meant not to hurt cats, so it might just be unpleasant enough that they stay away from that. I’ve seen it in pet stores and might be worth a try

[buttercup86]

I know this feeling! Honestly my bunny destroyed my TV stand in a matter of one minute I was out of the room. He has also destroyed some baseboards. What is hilarious is I bought stuff to fill in his chew marks…and ever since he has absolutely no interest. I fixed the TV stand about two months ago and he hasn’t went for it…I fixed the baseboards about a week ago and he has no interest. So maybe fixing the damage they already did might stop them lol. When they don’t see their teeth marks there anymore maybe they forget they ever enjoyed it. Maybe you have already fixed their chew marks but if not its worth a try!

[BinkyBunny]

Try rubbing ivory soap on it. Both the perfume and the soap trick are what my rabbit-savvy vet had recommended. It seems that the soap would last longer. For whatever reason, my vet did recommend IVORY soap, and it might be because it may have not as much perfumey, dyes etc, but the soapy taste can’t be yummy!

keep us updated. 

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