Layla is driving me crazy! She’s destructo-bunny

[Cassi&Charlie]

Well it’s been about three weeks since we got Layla and about three weeks since she was spayed. She was a darling little bunny until a week ago, now she’s a demon!

Her first wonderful discovery was how to undo the latch on the pen door, and then the second latch we put on, and also how to dislodge the three pegs strategically positioned around the door – now it’s zip-tied shut.

Her second wonderful discovery is that is she takes off from her bunny bed, does a quick lap of the pen and then slams (oh and I mean slams) herself against her pen it moves an inch (basically picture a bunny sized dint in the wire of the cage) and she can actually move the pen around and off her floor and onto my carpet  – which is just soo tasty apparently.

We let her out of her pen for about two hours a night but nothing we do as bunny proofing is enough. The NIC cubes around the tv weren’t sturdy enough for her once she learnt to brace herself and pull back really hard, so now we have NIC cubes and also milkcrates for that extra strength but destructo-bunny has already figured out how to move them.

She chews on walls, carpet, doors, furniture and me and she has BOUNDLESS energy.

I love her still and she’s a womderful pet when she’s really really tired but mostly she’s just psychotic.

She’s a baby, so she’ll calm down right? Charlie is just chilled most of the time and his bursts of energy are fun because they are bursts but Layla is like the duracell bunny – she just goes and goes and goes!

 

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m sorry You know in cartoons when a character runs through a wall and leaves a shaped hole in the wall? That’s what I’m picturing with your ‘bunny dent’ in the NIC cubes -your post cracked me up!!

But I’m with you, my Kokanee was quite the hooligan. When they are bound and determined to do what they want it can become a battle of the wills and trust me they have stronger wills.

Your options are: Distract, punish the bad behavior, reward the good behavior, block the areas off, provide something else to do.

With a destructo bunny-go with all of them!! Amp up your bunny proofing-read the sectin on here about proofing and get creative!
Spray your bunny with water when she’s being bad, and clap your hands and say “NO!”
Give her treats if she stops doing something bad, or does something good.
When you see her going for something like carpet or a wall, pick her up and put her somewhere else, or give her some veggies.
Give her more toys and stuff to chew and wreck. There are tons of things around the house you can give so not to break the bank-toilet paper rolls (for added fun leave the toilet paper on!) old towels phone books paper bags, cardboard boxes, can with some pennies in it for noise, slinkies, balls, blankies, etc etc.

If you attack the behavior on all fronts, it may help. Of course she’s young and full of energy and not her fault-shes not trying to be a terror but you can certainly modify behavior Just have patience and be creative.

[Deleted User]

Sounds like a toddler … as soon as they know how to start moving they are off …

[MarkBun]

Rabbits are problem solvers. Even after 6 years with Maryann there are times that I am in the living room and suddenly there she is, hopping out of the bedroom where her condo is. It was all locked up but still she finds a way.

Do you have a lot of toys for her to play with in her pen? She could be a bit bored.

[Author]

Messages