Battle of the couch

[borya91]

I’ve got a rabbit that lives in my small home.  He’s got half the home to himself but he is lonely.  I’d let him , and would like to let him, have full roam of the house.  Wouldn’t mind it a bit.  Problem is, when he’s out, he insists 100% of getting on the couch.  It seems like this is literally the only thing he is interested in and wants to do.  I live in a tiny home and I sleep on my couch as my bed.  It’s the only one place in the entire house I don’t want him to be because of cleanliness issues for the most part.  And the fact that he eats the blanket, etc.  But it’s literally all he wants to do.  If I let him out, he goes around for a bit then sits at the couch and keeps jumping up on it.  I put him down, but we’ll go through this 50 times in a row.  So I have to take him out the main part of the house and put him back in his half and shut the gate.  And then he loses it because he wants out so bad.  I get it that he is lonely and wants to be with me.  Which is why I’d love to let him out and have free roam so he can be near to me.  (I spend my time in the other half.)  but i don’t know what to do about this couch situation   Has been like this since i took him in.    Makes me so sad to hear him trying to get out his half the house.

[sarahthegemini]

Can you not put a fleece blanket on the couch for him to lay on and then remove it when you go to sleep? That might help the cleanliness but then I suppose that won’t work if he eats it. Tbh though I don’t really get why cleanliness is an issue – is he wanting to pee on the couch?

If you are adamant that he can’t go on it, you could block it off with grids or something. That way he could come out of ‘his half’ w/o you worrying about him getting on the sofa.

I think it’s unfair that he is mostly kept in a different part of the house just because you don’t want him on the sofa. Rabbits are social creatures and if he’s on his own, he’s probably unhappy/lonely.

What about sitting on the floor with him? Maybe he wants to be on the couch so bad because you’re on it? Maybe if you’re on the floor woth him, he won’t feel the need to try and get onto the sofa.

[borya91]

These are all great points, and thank you for your ideas and advice to me about this. I agree it is unfair and that’s why I’m trying to find a solution because i want him to be happy. As for cleanliness. i’m just really sensitive about cleaning. He goes about his litter pan then will come on the couch, i just don’t want to sleep on that

the idea of a fleece blanket is good but yes he will definitely eat it. i don’t care about wasting a blanket ive just read it’s dangerous for the rabbit if he eats it. i thought about just letting him on one half of the couch, and trying another blanket is a really good idea i hadn’t thought of that,  but the reason I’d not is I got worried if I relent now and let him on the couch, it’s gonna be confusing to him, and undo everything since i’ve been so adamant he stay off. (he tries to get on there less than he used to.) What do you think?

I do try sitting with him but the problem is he’s upset if I do anything other than pet him. Read a book, write something down, get on the computer. He’ll start to rip the book or my paper. I’m happy to give him my full attention but I can’t give it all the time

In the times he isn’t trying to get on the couch he is really content sleeping/hanging out by the couch beside me, which is great.  we can be near and i can do something and he does his thing.  Which is why I thought to try and get to that point.  i’d like him to have full roam of my home.

[sarahthegemini]

Yeah you’re right, it would be dangerous if he ingested the blanket so best not to try that! Hmm, are there other materials that he won’t eat? Tarp for example? Again, it’s something you could put on the couch for him but then remove it when necessary. If he’ll eat anything, this would be tricky to overcome!

Does he try and eat the actual sofa cushions? Just wondering if having a separate set of sofa cushion covers for when he’s on there would work. It sounds a bit extreme but it might be an option?

I suppose it depends on what outcome you want. You mentioned that he tries to get on the couch less than he used to so maybe it’s a case of just continuing what you’re doing to see if his urge disipates completely?

[Bunny House]

You can also buy a dog pen or two and line the couch with it so he can’t get on it when you don’t want him to.

[borya91]

Tarp is a really interesting idea which I had not considered. He mostly likes to dig and if its a tarp, no big deal. I think he likes to bite in to the blanket when it is soft. The dog pens is cool too. The problem is that, this kind of occurs when I am trying to get some work done, or take a rest, or just be on the couch . And so if I put the dog pens up, it’s just so cumbersome even i can’t enjoy the couch. But it is a good idea for when I’m not using it.

And yeah – he completely tries to eat the sofa cushions and just about everything else if he doesn’t think i’m paying attention to him. He thumps his foot to get my attention and I must admit that makes me laugh when he does that And then I do relent and give him attention

[Q8bunny]

Try putting a crinkly plastic shower curtain on the couch. Buns usually don’t like jumping on that. After a few tries, he might decide the couch is not his favourite place after all and stop trying to steal it.

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