Best flooring choices for rooms with rabbits

[Sindri]

I have just finished vacuuming Usagi’s Bunny room/workout room and have noticed he has really dug up the carpet in places. I want to replace the carpet. We installed pergo xp laminate in our living room which we really like because its very durable and doesn’t scratch like hardwood but looks and feels just like it. Would this be an ok choice for the room and then laying down rugs for the bunnies to walk on or does anyone else have carpet that their rabbits don’t seem to destroy when digging at it? I know when the rabbits are in the living room I lay down lots of blankets for them to run around on because they don’t like walking on the laminate.  Its slippery too so I don’t want them to get hurt. Any flooring suggestions would be helpful.

[Roberta]

Two of mine are currently in the lounge room where I have a timber look vynil (living close to a lake and with our sandy environment it’s the only good option)… It’s quite heavily grained to resemble real timber so it is not slippery. I put rugs over it but my buns just pull it away and run round on the bare floor. I am putting tiles in the bunny room and I am going to get some childrens play mats that are a bit harder for them to roll up and drag around the floor.

[Stickerbunny]

My two dislike tile / wood / linoleum and will only walk on carpets, but they DESTROY carpets as well. So, for mine, the best compromise is a hard (easily cleaned) surface and a cheapy rug on top for traction.

[Sindri]

Our floors do have a wood texture as well but when our animals really get to running on it they sometimes slip. The rabbits aren’t comfortable walking on them. Our floor is hand sawn oak look. So I think I might go ahead and install that and get some rugs. I think someone mentioned some Mainstay rugs they got from Wal Mart that was pretty cheap. Thanks for the input. Now if only there was baseboard material that rabbits wouldn’t chew up.hehe The baseboards in that room are ruined.

[Roberta]

That’s why I am going for tiles… Mine have eaten the skirting boards and the window sill in the bunny room.. I’ll just replace the skirting with half tiles.

[BinkyBunny]

My vet once told me that rubbing ivory soap on the base boards may help deter chewing. Another member once rubbed lemon rind on hers and that seemed to do the trick.

[Elrohwen]

In a perfect bunny world, their rooms would have seagrass wall to wall. Haha. A hard floor like laminate or hardwood is fine if they have rugs for traction. Mine are in a hardwood room with two big cheap rugs (got them at Bed Bath and Beyond for about $40 each). They love the parts of the house that are fully carpeted wall to wall, but the hard floors plus cheap rugs are easier for the humans to take care of.

[Sindri]

I tried soap it wasn’t ivory though and it didn’t work. As a matter a fact my female rabbit Kilala loved the taste of it. I tried perfume vinegar and hot sauce worked for a bit. Usagi really didn’t like his room rearranged I posted about it a while back. He rearranges things all the time I think he digs around his cage to try and move it. That’s the main areas he has dug around. Its also a fairly new thing he does so I am kind of thinking he doesn’t like the new location of his cage.

[Deleted User]

My boy has free roam throughout our living area’s (except for the lounge and one bedroom) and our floors are vinyl with carpet in the bedrooms. He’s more than content with our vinyl flooring and for the few skiddies, he’s bounced back when he’s slid into the odd wall trying to take a left, lol! I can’t help but wonder if they just get used to whatever is in your home when they are first brought home? My dirty old bedroom carpet (that I was supposed to replace this year, but thanks to my oven blowing up – that’s not happening now (sad face)), he doesn’t dig at (go figure?) though I’m sure if it was my new carpet he’d probably shred it?!?! I don’t have rugs down (too lazy to vacuum, move it to mop, etc.), but my boy does lay on the doormats when it’s not hot (it’s summer here). I do find it funny how bun’s love different flooring – and still think it’s what they were introduced to when they were young? Good luck Sindriona! I understand that it’s a huge investment $$$$ and not affordable to change if doesn’t work out, so your trying to make the best decision.

[Stickerbunny]

Posted By AndHenry on 12/12/2013 07:22 PM

My boy has free roam throughout our living area’s (except for the lounge and one bedroom) and our floors are vinyl with carpet in the bedrooms. He’s more than content with our vinyl flooring and for the few skiddies, he’s bounced back when he’s slid into the odd wall trying to take a left, lol! I can’t help but wonder if they just get used to whatever is in your home when they are first brought home? My dirty old bedroom carpet (that I was supposed to replace this year, but thanks to my oven blowing up – that’s not happening now (sad face)), he doesn’t dig at (go figure?) though I’m sure if it was my new carpet he’d probably shred it?!?! I don’t have rugs down (too lazy to vacuum, move it to mop, etc.), but my boy does lay on the doormats when it’s not hot (it’s summer here). I do find it funny how bun’s love different flooring – and still think it’s what they were introduced to when they were young? Good luck Sindriona! I understand that it’s a huge investment $$$$ and not affordable to change if doesn’t work out, so your trying to make the best decision.

Nah, mine never got used to the parts of the house that aren’t carpet. Stickers treats it like lava and Powder cautiously tip toes on it. Even though it’s been here for the whole time.

[Sindri]

Yea who knows my younger rabbit seems to not mind the laminate floor she travels much better on it than Usagi does. He wont come out of his bedroom because of the flooring difference and when he is out in the living room after awhile he will hug the walls where there isn’t a blanket its kind of cute. After talking to my husband again he told me that we should leave the flooring and baseboards alone for now.He thought about and doesn’t want to put new stuff in there for him to tear up again. hehe If it gets really bad we will chage it out. So now he is free to do as he wishes. hehe Soon he and Kilala will be bonded and who knows what kind of trouble they will get into together. Thanks everyone for your advice and input. =)

[Deleted User]

Ha ha hah Stickerbunny – I’m imagining Powder ‘tip toeing’ across the floor and Stickers saying “hot hot hot”! Tooo funny!

Sounds like a good plan Sindriona (though I can feel your disappointment at not getting your new floors (super sad face))!!!

[Sindri]

AndHenry I am actually happy because now I don’t have to feel bad anymore about Usagi destroying stuff. My husband hasn’t been very happy with all that but now he is like” oh well its already messed up why replace it.” hehe I am happy I wont get griped at about it anymore. He said if it gets really bad or we move we will replace the stuff then. Watch now that its not getting replaced he will be nice and not tear anything up anymore. =)

[Deleted User]

I totally get that and agree…. (by the way, my hubby would be giving your hubby a hi five! Though in my hubby’s case it’s any excuse not to give me my new carpet – dam!). Did you notice that I said above Henry can’t go into the lounge room, cause I got new carpet in that room – ha ha ha hah!). Maybe next year (for me)???? Tell Usagi he’s a spoilt (naughty) boy, lol! Can you believe we are furnishing our homes around a bunny! Gotta laugh! (and I’m saying that as I wipe away a tear from my eye….). All the best Sindriona. Cheers.

[Sindri]

Hehe yea its crazy how much my life has changed since I got these 2 wonderful bunnies. I am a true bunny slave. I hope you get your new carpet next year! hehe Yea Usagi is very spoiled and naughty but I love him.

[Author]

Messages