Female bunny problem… I don’t know what to do anymore

[Pernie's slave]

I apologize in advance for the length of this post but I’m in dire need of help with my bunny. I adopted her a few months ago after she had been abandoned in a park and was sent to the local shelter. She was spayed and they evaluated her as very sweet and not very destructive. In the beginning she was both of those things. She chewed a bit on my carpet so I covered the carpet and she stopped.

I was letting her out for a few hours at night and then putting her back in her pen. One night, she figured out how to escape the top offer pen and spent the night out. We cuddled and she seemed much happier. Seeing as she was so good, and I leave my home at 8 AM but come home at 10 PM most nights, I started allowing her to stay out all night while I slept. For over a month, the only one unhappy with this situation was my cat. he likes to sleep with me, but the bun trying desperately to be his friend scares him so he doesn’t like being in my room if she is out. He has even batted at her (he never claws) to try to get her to give him space but she is unphased and continues invading his space.

About 5 days ago, her behavior became overly destructive, uncovering my carpet and chewing literal holes down to the base. She started to mark my bed… on top of me… at 3am while I slept. I try to engage and sit with her to play and I get the “stupid human” look and she hops away to lay down. She chewed while I asleep or when I was awake. Even when I’m sitting in the friggin corner. As soon as she thinks I’m not looking, she quietly tries again. I have thumped, I have yelled, I even put tape down to dissuade her. She grabs the tape with her paws and flips it away (even duct tape!!) I no longer allow her out at night, much to the cats happiness, but I’m considering giving her back to the shelter if we can’t live in harmony.

I assume she wants more attention but I don’t have that time and I feel awful that the cat (who was a rescue as well) is no longer getting the attention he deserves. The cats name is mushy which indicates how passive and sweet he is. The bun grunts at me all the time, mainly when I take longer than 3 seconds to let her out of the pen or when I’m putting her back in, even when she had been out for 12 hours.

Please help, I’m at my wits end with her

[Luna]

Buns and cats are both territorial animals. When I brought Luna home, at first my cat Oreo was curious then scared. Luna didn’t respect Oreo’s “personal bubble.” She would hop straight towards her or get right in her face. Then Oreo would run away or give her a light paw slap on the head! Thankfully she is declawed. I had to teach Luna boundaries – this is your spot, that is Oreo’s spot, and over there is the common area/neutral territory. It took a LONG time, but eventually they worked things out. Now they both just treat each other with indifference.

I too feel like sometimes neither is getting enough attention (generally I work around 50 hrs/wk), and as a result I let Luna become free range in my bedroom at night. But they each do get some kind of love and attention everyday – it’s just not the spoiled-type of attention that I’m used to giving them. Plus now Oreo has a bun to “keep her company” while I’m at work (though I don’t think she cares because she just sleeps all day). By the way, Oreo used to sleep in bed with me but stopped when I got Luna – but after 7 long months Oreo sleeps in my bed again. Just give it time – I’m sure Mushy still loves you!

As for the carpet problem, have you tried making her a digging box? Or giving her a phone book?

[DorothyTheMiniSatinBun]

I was just going to suggest that she be given something to be destructive with like a cardboard box or something similar to the carpet that she is allowed to chew on. Maybe get some carpet squares or I know they make timothy mats for this purpose too. I’m sure she would be open to playing with you too, just try to watch and she what she enjoys the most or considers “playing”. It seems she likes to chew, so you can get her things to chew on Or does she enjoy long pets or massages? Or tunnels? I like to make tunnels for my bunny because this makes her happy, even when I’m not around. You don’t have to let her out as much as you do, she is kinda testing her limits it seems with the marking and all that. Best of luck!

[Vienna Blue in France]

Yup, sounds like boredom to me – even if she is free roam while you’re (trying to) sleep she wants a Buddy, to play, to explore, to be challenged.

Without this she has ‘unwanted’ behaviour. Just like cats and dogs (and humans ! ).

Try tunnels, cardboard boxes (with entry and exit holes) for her to hide in (I have a litter tray in one and she sits there for ages sometimes…lol)
Try (cat) treat balls which she will have to push to get treats out… mine LOVES that….
Phone book to chew, willow branches to chew on.

An exhausted mind = exhausted body.
Try these solutions and keep us updated.

[Sunil]

Nice discussions about Rabbit.

[Love4Bunny]

Yes, she sounds like she needs more mental stimulation. And she sounds like a little bossyboots! I can def. relate to the rabbit grunting. Sounds like she wants a friend, with the whole forcing-friendship-on-the-cat thing. Since grooming is something us humans have to do for bunnies anyways, I would suggest putting her on a table and grooming/ massaging her. She may well enjoy the attention. Keep treats nearby so she can enjoy the whole experience thoroughly. One of my rabbits lives for this. He knows whenever I approach, he will get food or face and body massages from me, and it calms him.

[Author]

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