Obsessed With Off-limits Area

[pinknfwuffy]

Olaf, who now thinks his name is “Noooo!”, has been utterly obsessed with getting into a five-inch space behind a cabinet. There is nothing behind it to be of interest for a bun but he is insistent on being back there. He first discovered it three weeks ago and I closed it off to him because the space is so small to get in and out of, he was kicking and riggling to get inside. I was worried about his hind legs and back in fear of injury.

Now, he is relentless. I’ve placed cardboard into the opening, he yanks it out. I’ve blocked it with distracting, fun things (fleece forest). He rattles it away until he can get around it. I’ve surrounded the cabinet with a metal dog pen–he pulls and rattles it to the point where I’m worried about his teeth.

At one point I tried policing it on my own, holding out my hand in front of the opening to block it,saying no. He swiped my hand with his paw and buzzed at me, which is very unlike him. He didn’t have access to the space long enough to really claim it but it reacting like a mother in a nest.

Any ideas or suggestions? Olaf is just over a year old, neutered, and generally a sweet boy.

[Sr. Melangell]

Olaf is still very young, he’s just wanting to have a look, my bunny used to pull a dog pen, but stopped after a while, could you use those Nic grids? Or put something on the bars to stop him that does not taste nice from a pet shop?

[LuckyBunny]

My rabbit does the same thing. She likes to chew the doors in the hallway so I have the hall blocked off. She also likes to rattle her dog crate when it’s bed time. I wouldn’t be worried about his teeth really… I’d try things that smell or taste bad, that bitter apple stuff or white vinegar, and spray that on what you’re using to block him off. I’d stuff boxes in there until the space was entirely taken up. We’ve gotten quite creative in my house with cardboard haha. Good luck

[jerseygirl]

Are you able to screw something to the back of the cabinet?  Ikea’s Mosslanda picture ledges are almost 5 inches wide. They could be set in a bit so not really obvious once the cabinet is back in position.

I’d give him a tunnel or create something tunnel-like somewhere so he can go there instead. Behind a sofa is often a good place to put a tunnel and they like to go there, but it protects the sofa also. 
Some rabbits can be obsessed worth no-go zones. Jersey used to be like that. When my sister was living with me, her bedroom was a bunny free zone. She was convinced Jersey was stalking her because so often when she came out of the room, Jersey was there making a dash inside. 

[binkiessince2010]

Maybe you could move the cabinet away from the wall a little bit and let him explore it for maybe an hour (under supervision) This way he would feel like he knows what’s behind there, and that he owns it, but he wouldn’t be able to do any harm. When he’s done exploring, move the cabinet as close to the wall as possible so he can’t get back in….

[Q8bunny]

Chewie did that with a sideboard. In the end, I put my mobile in the space on the loudest most strident ringtone, let him get behind there, called myself from my landline, and voila! He flew out of there like a bullet, and hasn’t tried to go back since. Worth a try.

[Azerane]

Posted By Q8bunny on 7/04/2016 9:55 PM

Chewie did that with a sideboard. In the end, I put my mobile in the space on the loudest most strident ringtone, let him get behind there, called myself from my landline, and voila! He flew out of there like a bullet, and hasn’t tried to go back since. Worth a try.

That is a brilliant! (Though I also feel bad for poor Chewiw ) Rabbits can be so determined, but that’s certainly a good way to deter them. I’m going to remember that one

[Brambino]

Q8s idea is absolutely incredible (though not for Chewie!) I’ve never heard of that lol.

Just wanted to say that Bramble sees us blocking up somewhere she wants to go as a huge game. I’ve tried the same blocking up techniques for the back of our sofa. She thought the whole thing was absolutely fantastic and couldn’t believe the humans were putting up obstacle courses for her to play with. She would binky, zoom, jump on the sofa, run from one side of the sofa to the other, try to jump over or pull away any obstacles, whilst we cursed her.

In the end we gave up, pulled the sofa out a little further so she could fit behind. Her interest lasted about 3 days and then she got bored and doesn’t go back there anymore! Such a madam!

[Q8bunny]

LOL So very bunnyesque of Bramble.

[Author]

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