Rabbit chewing through cage

[Angie]

I have two mini lops.  They’re 9 months old and I’ve had them for 6 or 7 months.  I have a 24″ x 48″ cage by Kaytee.  One of my rabbits has been chewing and digging the cage since I got her (she did this in their smaller starter cage as well) and has managed to chew through the plastic at the bottom of the cage.  I currently have a piece of acrylic glass underneath the cage to prevent her from damaging my floor.  

Is there anyway to stop her from chewing and digging? And how do I go about patching the hole in a way that is safe for rabbits?  Or if all else fails, ideas for a new cage that she won’t be able to chew through? 

[jerseygirl]

Do they get much time out of the cage?

Do you have room to put an exercise pen around the cage and leave the cage door open?

[Angie]

They get anywhere from an hour to 5 hours out every day depending on my work schedule.  I don’t have space to put an exercise pen around them.  Time outside the cage doesn’t seem to affect her digging and chewing.  

[tobyluv]

Is she spayed? Do you have toys and other things for her to chew on – old phone books, boxes, etc.? You can even make her a digging box filled with paper, but there wouldn’t be room for it in her cage. Rabbits do need several hours of out of cage time each day. If she could get more exercise and play time outside of the cage (in a bunny proofed room or rooms) then be given a small treat when she is put back in the cage, maybe she would be more content and not so destructive.

You can see various ideas and pictures of different housing for rabbits if you click on the BUNNY INFO link at the top of the page.

[Yilina]

Hi Angie!

As our friends above have said, bunnies dig and chew for different reasons. It can be because she wants out of her cage (5 hours is probably not enough) but also because it gives her joy. My bunny digs in the floor linoleum right before he lays down.

It would be good if you could give her some toys to dig and chew. As said above, a digging box, old newspaper or books, etc. There are plenty of Youtube videos with cheap/free ideas for toys. Even a cardboard box can provide days of fun.

[jerseygirl]

That’s surprising she was able to chew through the bottom. Could you ring or email Kaytee and ask if they sell replacement bases?

Im not certain how you would go about repairing the hole. I would probably place a large tile over the hole myself, smooth side down.

You could build them a condo style habitat, that has a few storeys, so they have more vertical space but it won’t take up more of your floor space. Or convert an dog crate into a habitat, with some levels.

Some rabbits just have a really strong drive to dig and make their way through barriers. For some its a project. And I suppose it has to do with being prey species also. Making themselves a bolt-hole of sorts.
Hay mats are pretty inexpensive. Could you use them to line the habitat so she digs and chews at them instead? Or would she be likely to toilet on them?

[Angie]

They have lots of toys in their cage. I don’t give them cardboard boxes because they got blocked up from eating so much of it. I’ve tried a hay mat and it just made their cage really dirty because they would occasionally use it as a toilet. They’re both spayed. They always get a treat each time they get put back in their cage, they’re classical conditioned to go to their cage with a specific vocal sound that means they’re getting a treat.

And yes, I’ve emailed Kaytee asking for suggestions and I’m looking at building a cage out of the NIC cubes when I move to give them more room.

[sarahthegemini]

That cage sounds absolutely tiny for two full grown rabbits! And only an hour to 5 hours out of cage time a day, that means that they are in their cage for 19 to 23 hours a day. No wonder one of them is trying to dig out. Rabbits like digging anyway but I think it is pretty clear that the reason for this is lack of freedom. Is there any way you could bunny proof a room for them to roam in?

[Angie]

Maybe in 6 months I’ll be able to but right now there’s not an extra room in my house and they get into trouble all the time so they’d need to be in a furniture-less room. I just think it’s odd that she’s been digging and chewing (which is the main problem with the hole in the bottom of the cage) since I got her and like I said it doesn’t seem to matter how much time she is out, she still digs.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Angie on 1/18/2017 10:32 PM

Maybe in 6 months I’ll be able to but right now there’s not an extra room in my house and they get into trouble all the time so they’d need to be in a furniture-less room. I just think it’s odd that she’s been digging and chewing (which is the main problem with the hole in the bottom of the cage) since I got her and like I said it doesn’t seem to matter how much time she is out, she still digs.

What are you going to do in the mean time? Regarding your rabbits having more space? You say the digging continues regardless of how much out of cage time they get but you said they get 1 to 5 hours out, 5 hours still isn’t long enough so it’s no surprise that it has no effect on the digging. You need to think about your rabbit’s mental health  – being cooped up is not good for any animal,  especially an animal that requires a lot of exercise. And again, that cage is not adequate enough.

[Angie]

In the meantime I’m not sure. I’m doing my best to have them out when I am home and my mom gets them out when she’s able. Once I move (in a couple of weeks) it should be easier since my apartment will be one floor and completely bunny proofed so they’ll have the whole apartment to run around when they are out instead of just my bedroom.

[Author]

Messages