Getting into food…

[Zombie]

I have been working with Delilah to be a free-roam bunny. She was doing amazing….. until….. she found out how to get onto the table. Now, I cant feed the kids at the table without her getting on the table and stealing their food…. she growled at my son the other day to get him to drop a bag of chips. I look over and all I see is bunny tail sticking out of the bag. Im not sure how to teach her how to stay off of the table. Nothing seems to be working, and the more I try, the more she keeps getting up there. How can I go about teaching her to stay down from there?

[Sarita]

Oh my – not sure how you can train her if she’s free roam – the only thing you can do is to restrict her from that area.

[Zombie]

I wish that was an option… when we got her, we set het cage up In the kitchen/dining room and she has kinda claimed that area as hers…. Im not sure at this point with her being free-roam if that would be an option or not. Ive been considering the possibility of getting a dog crate and setting it up and during meals making her go in there so she doesn’t have the option to get into food. however, Im hoping to somehow teach her to stay off the table all together. With her size, she can pretty much reach anything (she has even attempted to get on our kitchen counters at this point with just a simple hop lol).  

[Megabunny]

Wow! What the heck breed is this bunny? I’ve never heard of such a thing!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Ok so I’ve never dealt with this situation myself-because -I think you have one smart bunny!! ….but could you cover the entire table with tinfoil (temporarily) -I’m thinking either the slickness or the shine may keep her off the table-and once the habit is broken you can likely go back to your regular routine.

Also maybe you want to keep her out of the kitchen entirely-if you can’t block her off, maybe just clap at her every time she comes in and only put her stuff (toys, food, litter box) in a room where you’d like her to hang out.

[Zombie]

Delilah is a flemish giant.Shes a little over 3 months old and easily the size of a full grown cat 

Do you think moving her stuff would make her nervous at all? Shes pretty comfortable with everyone in the house, but I didnt know if moving her stuff would cause some anxiety. We can easily put a gate up into the kitchen/dining room to keep her out if we move her stuff out of there. Maybe slowly moving it to its new location may be an easier transition? Possibly moving it every day or two a short distance until we get to were we want it…

Also, Ive been trying to catch her in the act of getting on the table (she gets up on the chair and then on the table). If I catch her on the chair or the table (if im too late) I tell her no and gently pick her up and put her back on the floor. So far, she hasnt been getting on the table nearly as much, so it may be helping. Ive also been keeping the table 100% cleared off (not even a centerpiece any longer) in hopes if she did get up there throughout the day when no one is in there, the fact that nothing was up there would bore her, and she would lose interest in getting up there all together.

[Megabunny]

Somehow I figured it was a Flemmie. Hoo Boy. I guess if you’re thinking of moving the litter box, I might consider setting up a second litter box where you want her to ultimately be. Rabbits will often keep using the same spot to do their business, even if the box is gone. I once moved Gus’s litter box, like, a foot closer to the front of his enclosure and he didn’t like that! He’s a big boy too, and that makes a huge puddle!! Yours is so young, I would just hate to see her in a spot that isn’t working, but I suppose if you spay her, maybe you should move most of her stuff then? she might be a bit less inclined to break potty habits? I’m not sure

[Zombie]

Thats kinda what ive worried about (after reading how they may continue to keep going in the same spot despite the box being moved). So far, she stayed off the table today. Im trying to see how it goes. If I can continue to keep her off the table, then Id like to keep her stuff were it is since she likes it there so much. Shes so good about not messing anywhere in the house that Im afraid by moving it it will break that and she would be very upset going back in any sort of cage or enclosure (with her having free roam, I tried to cage her momentarily so I could mop the kitchen and keep her out, and she was very displeased!)

[Zombie]

This was her last night… shes pretty territorial of her spot in the house

[Megabunny]

Oh those flemmies! I’m so impressed she’s using a box I wouldn’t want to change things either. She’s just beautiful. I’m not sure we have many regular BBr’s with flemmies. Maybe they keep people extra busy! But hope you update pictures. They are such iincredible beasts! Enjoy!

[Zombie]

She definitely keeps me busy! I have three kids already (23 months, 6 y.o. and 10 y.o.) and shes like the fourth. I love her to pieces, but she definitely is not like any other bunny Ive had or been around ! But shes perfect! I remember when I first saw a picture of a flemmie and fell in love. My husband thought I was crazy for ever wanting a flemmie due to their size… but it must have grown on him because when i brought it up before we adopted her, he said “I really think we should!” I thought he was joking at first… but nope… he was dead serious!

I will definitely keeps pictures updated. Shes growing so fast, its fasciniating to see how big she is getting !

[Megabunny]

I will live vicariously through you. I used to think I’d get one, but my 12 pound (small) giant chinchilla has turned out to be all the rabbit I can handle.

[Author]

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