HopHop won’t leave the door/bed alone!

[Happii]

Hello! I’m new to this website and also a new bunny owner. HopHop is an adorable Dutch lop around 6 months old. I don’t know if it’s a he or a she yet but probably it’s a he cuz I think he fancies me Yes, we get along pretty well although he’s been living with me for 3 three weeks now. He has a cage but I let him out to roam free in my room. He has been out to the corridor too a couple of times. Once he was so in the mood for hide and seek that I couldn’t help but let him out to the corridor. 

Now onto the problem… HopHop always wants to get out of the room and won’t leave the door alone! I close my room’s door when I let him out in the room but the door wouldn’t close completely. I didn’t care much about that until HopHop managed to open it with him teeth and claws! I finally found a way to close the door shut but he keeps scratching it. Here’s what he has done to the door…

Another thing that he keeps doing is trying to get under the bed. When I first brought him in I didn’t have time to block his entrance under the bed. So he has gone under it a couple of times. Now that I’ve put folders there, he’s trying to chew them off to get in.

I’ve posted these pictures to better explain the situation. I’ve provided him with an empty cardboard folder, a pine cone and some hard plastic toys so that he could get over these destructive habits. Nothing worked. I guess this is a territorial thing.

Actually I don’t really care for the damage he does, it’s just I wish he would do something else, something more fun and less destructive. Can you suggest anything to distract HopHop?

[mocha200]

you could give him a cardboard box. my bunny’s LOVE them. you could cut like two holes out of the box and i bet he/she would love that. do you plan on taking your bunny to the vet to have a check up and to see what sex he was? have you herd of NIC cubes? they are a metal shelving thing that you can use to block off under your bed, you could also use them for making NIC condos. if you do not know what these are, typ in NIC rabbit cages on google and you will see what i mean.

[Monkeybun]

He might just not enjoy those toys. You may have to experiment to see what he likes My 2 LOVE willow balls and cubes.

Also, he is prime age to get neutered, often a bun’s destructiveness will go down after a neuter. Not always, but often.

[Balefulregards]

And, I’d like to add – it felt like it took me ages to learn my buns play styles. I’ve had Jackson for almost a year, and he and I are JUST on friendly terms now.

I just changed up the environment since Coco was getting out of hand naughty. New boxes, new Hay tunnels and a reconfiguration of the Maze will keep them both busy for a couple of weeks. I also gave up re: under the bed, so I bunny proofed the wires ( which I now check frequently) and set cheap carpets under the bed. Jackson in particular finds that to be his Safe spot. Rabbits don’t like to be super out in the open – Makes them feel like an easy dinner.

If you have a digger, then you are going to have to figure out what his/her “Thing” is, then provide a viable interesting alternative. Rabbits are INCREDIBLY persistent when they focus in on an object ( Which is why I check my rabbit proofing on the cord behind my bed – They have destroyed it over and over)

[RabbitPam]

I would put a mixture of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and spray it on the door and immediate area around the baseboards at the door frame. It’s a smell they don’t care for, but it will fade fast so you won’t smell it for long. It may stop the temptation to bite the door.

I also would urge you to make a little NIC cube fence around your bed. I have decorated my living room couch, chair, and computer desk in Cube Deco Moderne. OK, it’s just NIC cube fencing around those pieces, but it works well. They still sell the gray metal ones in boxes at Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond. But the Target ones became a new kind with 3″ openings, so don’t get those. Bad for bunnies. You need the smaller holes on all the pieces.

After that, the alternative playhouse like a cardboard box or an unpainted wicker basket (mine is upside down) will be fun for your bun.

[Beka27]

Welcome to Binkybunny! Your bun is so cute! Do you know approximately how old he/she is? I will refer to him as a male for brevity, but it’s important he have a vet exam to get a baseline for his health and to determine for sure the sex.

Like the others said, this behavior is a combination of hormone levels (present in both male and female unaltered rabbits), and him wanting to play.

I would also encourage you to block off the space under your bed. NIC grids are an option, or a wood, rectangle frame that fits snugly underneath is a more permanent and attractive option.

As far as the door, is there a way you can safely bun-proof the hallway, to allow him to play in your room and the hall? With buns, the more space the better, as long as his litter habits are under control… We have had similar issues with our bunnies. We don’t like them in our bedroom, so we try to keep the door shut… but they know it exists so they will sometimes dig at the door to try and get in. Or if your door opens OUT, you could maybe try a baby gate and have the door open when he is playing.

What else have you done to bunny-proof your room to make it safe for him? It’s important that all wires be covered or hidden out of sight. I have found that the easiest/cheapest way to bunny-proof is arrange existing furniture so all wires are tucked neatly behind. You’ll have to make sure that all tempting items are picked up and scatter some safe toys for him to play with. Plastic toys don’t usually go over well b/c it’s not something that can be destroyed. Phone books with the glossy covers ripped off are good, as are cardboard boxes and willow toys (available on this site, Binkybunny, or Busybunny.com).

 

 

EDITED TO ADD:  Do you HAVE TO use your metal bedframe?  If not, you can remove it and have the boxspring/mattress directly on the floor.  This is automatic bun-proofing with no added work for you.  When we moved some years back, our bedframe broke.  We never bothered replacing it b/c if we did… we’d end up having to bun-proof that space.

[Happii]

Thanks everyone for your help!

Luckily he doesn’t scratch the door so much now so I think he finally understood that he can’t open it. Though I might still try the white vinegar and water

I’m not living in the States so I don’t know where I can find NIC cubes yet. But today I bought a one square meter wired fence and I’ll staple it to the bedframe. I think that’ll do the job. For now I’m just sitting on the floor near the bed to block his entrance so he keeps trying to climb over me and I’m just loving it!

Also I’ll try to get inventive with toys. I gave him a toilet paper roll this morning. I think he liked it.

@Beka27
It seems that I can’t remove the metal bed frame. The wood is tied to it. And I don’t really want to cuz then my bed would have to be lower and HopHop has developed a new habit since yesterday: he can jump on to my bed! This is also worrying me because I have no idea how I can prevent him this time

[mocha200]

 

why don’t you want him on your bed? does he have bad litter habits? if you don’t want to have him on your bed then i would get a x-pen ( dog exercise pen) and put it around your bed so he can’t jump on it ( make sure it is three feet tall) then you can take it down at night.

[Sara Darlingg]

Rabbit Pam You’ve saved my home!
My bun gets really distructive when she’s bored and I’ve seen the NIC grids before but could not for the love of god figure out what it was called
other than just trying to explain “tiny fence” Haha!
I’m going to be the happiest shopper walmart’s ever seen!

[Lintini]

Welcome to BB!

I gave up with trying to keep my rabbits off my bed. They go under and on top. We’ve had our battles but they won. As long as they don’t poop and pee on my bed and dig more holes under it (Glares at Bee…) I let them do whatever. To keep them off you would have to completely gate off your bed or just keep them in a different room. MoonlightWolf has her room like this, we all giggled at her when she posted her photos. She’s caged in and the rabbits get the free roam

[Author]

Messages