Bunny Phases?

[buttercup86]

Hello!

I adopted my bunny about 6 months ago, and when I adopted him he was about 1 and a half. He did so well adjusting, he is amazing with his litter box, however as I have posted before he discovered my baseboards and attempted to chew on them any chance he got. After a few weeks of training and getting him new toys and tonnes of attention and hard work, I got him to stop chewing on the walls. He would occasionally try, but I could easily redirect him to something else. However, the past couple weeks, HE HAS BEEN INSANE WITH THE CHEWING!!! Nothing is good enough for him, he just wants my baseboards and furniture, even when I place something just as good to chew on in front of him (i.e. something big and hard and woody and amazing). He will actually turn his head and attempt at the walls again. It`s almost like all this pent up energy is coming out specifically on my walls. It has gotten to the point where I have to keep him in one area of my apartment where the baseboards are covered. I wouldn`t be posting about this if this was just normal, I am posting because I feel like he was doing so well and so good and BAM he is chewing like a bunny possessed. Has anyone ever experienced bunnies going through phases, maybe at certain ages bunnnies act in certain ways, or is this just the way my bunny is going to be forever. If anyone has any ideas for cool toys for him to chew on let me know! Or send pictures! or any way to cover my baseboards that is not completely ugly. I covered this one area of my apartment with cardboard and its just such an eye sore.

Thank you!

[LBJ10]

Mine go through phases it seems. They went 2 years without so much as looking at this particular table. Then one day it was the tastiest thing ever! We have also gone through drywall and carpet phases. Oddly enough, if I block things off so they can’t chew on it anymore, they eventually forget about it. Sure they throw temper tantrums when they realize I have spoiled their fun, but after awhile (few weeks?) they seem to forget about that spot and I can even take the barrier down. Sometimes that is all you can do is just remove the temptation all together until they move on to some other desire.

[RabbitPam]

Remind me, is he neutered? If not, it’s definitely time and will help.

If so, then he sounds like he has a project he likes. A bunny will go back to a project day after day. It mimics their work of making a burrow over time by working on it day by day. They are kind of wired for projects sometimes.

You might try keeping him out of his favorite room for baseboards and get him a Maze so he can explore and chew that.
Another thing to try is a spray of 50/50% vinegar and water spritzed on the baseboards. The smell should be offensive to him, but you won’t smell it at all. Then substitute a chew toy.
I’ve also taken seagrass mattes, the flat ones (in BB’s store) and cut them into long strips about 3-4″ wide and lay them on top of the carpet against the baseboards. You could try to velcro them to stand up to block the chewing area. They will cover the carpet/wood that’s tempting, but if chewed, are very safe. I’ve never used the velcro because my chewers were more into pulling carpet edges, but a few dots should help it stay in place. You want to make it unappealing so he gets interested in something else instead.

Just make sure he’s chewing and eating normally. It may be a tooth problem coming to light.

[buttercup86]

Thank you for the responses! RabbitPam I think your right about the project he always returns to the same area! I bought him a new toy today which he seems to enjoy..I sprayed the vinegar but he actually seems to like the vinegar. I’m going to look into covering the boards because when he is done playing I can just rip off the covers so they are not ugly. The Velcro is a great idea

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