My bunnie has suddenly got very distructive

[bugsy]

I was wondering if you could help me Charlie (the youngest of my two) has suddenly decided that she wants to rip up carpet and trys to eat it, i have fortunately been able to catch her at it before she swallows anything but i am frightened that she might attempt to do it while i am at work.  I have put things over the areas but she just moves them out of the way to carry on.  I have tried spraying my perfume on the areas as well as covering it but it doesnt seem to work.

Since bugsy has come back from the vets, the vet advised us to ensure that they do not eat paper as this can get lodged in there tummies but this was a good distraction as well as cardboard boxes is this correct or do you thinik it is safe enough for them to eat? 

I am very confused as what i thought i was doing correctly (from looking at your website) the vet thinks opposite!

[Lucy]

A LARGE consumption is bad, but I’ve NEVER had a problem with my bunnies and eating phonebooks and cardboard. I would think that paper is better than carpet.

You can try a piece of wood in that area. I have scraps of 2x4s all over my apartment and my bunnies love to chew on them.. they are ripping at cardboard right now…

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

My bun has eaten lots of cardboard and paper in his life with no problems to show from it.

Also, spraying perfume on the carpet in areas she goes for will do the job most of the time. The bun won’t like the taste and you don’t have to worry about anything looking different.

[Gravehearted]

Is Charlie spayed yet? As Fujoe suggested, phone books are great for keeping destructive bunnies busy. we bought some seagrass and maize mats to put down in places where our bunnies seemed to really be going for the carpet. this gives them something fun to do and helps prevent them from eating carpet. I know some people like getting the cardboard cat scratchers for bunnies to destroy too. My bunnies are always eating cardboard and haven’t had any health issues from it.

[BinkyBunny]

As Fujoe said, a LARGE consumption amount can be bad, but I have never had a problem with my bunnies and cardboard. Plus the at the rabbit rescue, many bunnies get cardboard tubes, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, as well as hidey boxes made of cardboard and have never suffered negatively from it. I also once bought this mega cardboard thing for bunnies to chew on from the House Rabbit Society, so in general, cardboard has never been issue in MY EXPERIENCE.

However, I do know of one person whose bunny’s eat the cardboard like it’s lunch and this can be a concern. Most bunnies will nibble on it, consume a little, but usually they just make a mess with all the left-overs.

Does your bunny actually eat it – consume most of what she chews?

[bugsy]

Thank you for your responses.  I went home last night and found an old telephone book, which they enjoyed attacking straight away.  not tried the perfume yet but will try that tonight if she starts again!! 

Yes they are both spayed, i think she just gets bored and she is always attacking the carpet around 6am every morning!

With regards to the consumption they do tend to eat the cardboard and paper, but there is a lot of mess as well so they can’t eat that much!!

[Lucy]

letting you know that perfume does NOTHING to my bunnies. So, I would say, try it, but it has never helped in my house. binky- i think i might have a theory- possibly a lot of the deterring methods don’t work with Fujoe and Patina because they are smaller breeds?

I would also suggest getting some wooden toys as that keeps my bunnies occupied for a bit longer than cardboard. Baby toys are great too- I have sets of baby keys I got at the thrift store that my bunnies will toss and toss

[maxy]

i use lemon oil that i bought at the health food store. it works great on furniture and it does not evaporate like perfume. my bunny hates the taste.

[Spacehopper]

Mine have tubes, magazines and my clothing to destroy when they get bored but it seems these are not enough, as I discovered whilst cleaning them out Sunday… I turned to find five inches long of paint had been chomped off the corner of a wall. It’s definitely Brian as he got a taste for this at our old house – along with my wardrobes!! If he’s got the bugger in him, then a bugger he will be. Bettie on the other hand rather likes feet, socked or bare she’s not fussed!!!

 

When we moved recently and the place was empty we realised just how of a love for carpet Brian had (we didnt have Bettie Beanage then), he’d pretty much ripped it up along the entire edge of the room.  It was the carpet, the walls, the door!!!  My sister has the same with Kevin her swedish house bunnybun, she’s just bought a place out there, but in her rented apartment Kevin couldn’t rip up carpets as there weren’t any, but instead discovered how much fun it was to tear wallpaper off the walls!!!!

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By fujoethebunny on 07/24/2007 8:58 AM
 binky- i think i might have a theory- possibly a lot of the deterring methods don’t work with Fujoe and Patina because they are smaller breeds?
;

Hmmm.  Interesting. I would have to really do a poll or research a bit to find out if it has anything to do with the smaller breeds.    I will begin asking around and taking note over time to see if there is something to that.&nbsp

[bugsy]

Just to give you a quick update, Charlie again was attempting to eat carpet around the telephone pages that i put there to distract her, so in the end i resorted to spraying my perfume on the carpet so i could get a couple of hours sleep, this did seem to work until she had the idea of physically moving her litter tray and start attacking the carpet there, will i ever win!!!!!

[Lucy]

zip tie the litter box to the side of the pen/cage. I found that to work really well so that they can’t move it.

[Spacehopper]

Have you tried carpet deodoriser (enzyme stuff) or Febreze etc.  Mine hate it and wont destroy it, they just love to flop on it.  Good Luck!!

[Author]

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