Destructive to carpet and wallpaper!

[Slippers]

I’ve had Delilah for two years now. She’s a very timid and shy bunny. This is ok with me, her roommate Sammy is quite outgoing, and bold. They ignore me until it’s time for a banana!

They have many things to chew (apple branches, empty paper towel rolls, various cardboard boxes). She has recently taken a liking to the carpet. I have carpet laid out in their cage, and she likes to chew the strands and then dig them out. I usually cut the loose strands, then wipe the area with lemon oil as a deterrent.

Now she’s gone into my bathroom and started chewing the wallpaper away from the wall. Might be a subtle suggestion for me to redo the walls in the bathroom. Today, she’s ripped up a corner of the carpet in the bathroom (see below). If this continues, I’ll have holes in the carpet all over my house!

My house is bunny proofed. I’ve prevented access to areas that are likely to be problems for them. I’d hate to have to banish them to a life in the cage only. They are fine 95% of the time outside of the cage. I don’t know what to do.

Below are some pictures of what I’m talking about:

The Culprit!!

Destroyed Carpet

Wallpaper stripped!

Wallpaper peeled

[Deleted User]

Delilah (culprit), you naughty girl! ha hah…. Sorry I am still having a chuckle, cause she’s soooo cute! I am 7 months in with my (naughty) bunny and short of removing the problem (not Delilah – the carpet, lol) or stopping her from accessing it, sadly I have no solution. All’s I can say is that your not the only one. Idiot me, I have moved furniture (I never did that for my kids), put boards up (that “I” trip over) and have accepted that my beloved cane bed (which took me 15 years to buy) is going to end up squashing him when he finally finishes with it and it collapses! I know I wasn’t any help – sorry! Just to let you know it happens to us all…… Dam CUTE bunnies!

[mollys1]

I use a squirt bottle (like you would for a cat) and spray my bun when he chews on carpet, walls, etc. He hates it so he runs when I even threaten to spray him now. I’d say that works fairly well. I’ve also heard that some people use bitter apple spray that you can buy at pet stores to deter from chewing. Cheap perfume has worked for my bun on areas he really enjoys chewing or pulling at. Since the bathroom seems to be her problem area maybe just try closing the door or using a baby gate?

For the carpet chewing in the cage you could just remove the carpet. Is it a ‘low pile’ carpet? I know my bunny doesn’t chew on carpet or blankets that aren’t sticking up.

Hope this helps a bit!

[mollys1]

Also she’s a cutie but definitely looks like she has some attitude

[Slippers]

I think it must be sheer boredom. The bathroom is a quiet sanctuary for her. She’s just rearranging. The wastebasket is usually tipped over. I’ll just close the door from now on. I hope she doesn’t rip up any carpet in the living room. This seems to be a recent development.

[mollys1]

If she’s a rearranger you could try the little stacking cups for babies or just regular plastic cups (as long as she doesn’t eat them). Hopefully the living room carpet will be spared

[njbunny]

Is it only the carpet in corners? I would just lay a ceramic tile at every corner to prevent access. The things we do for our buns!

[Jessie1990]

Ashe is interested in the corner behind the door, so I set a huge storage tub in that corner while she plays.

[Deleted User]

Jessie1990 – I did that too! And Henry scratched and chewed at it for 2 days and even snubbed me to show his disgust! I took it he didn’t appreciate I took away his access to his favourite spot. Oh well….. (I won that one – shame I lost the other 20!). DOH!
Yes njbunny – things we do for our buns!

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