Digging Couch

[bmt87]

So I’ve looked through the forums and tried to find an answer to this – so I apologize in advance if this is already answered…

Lola LOVES to lay next to me on the couch and will nose me to pet her (see image below as she patiently waits for her ear/jaw rub).  The problem is she almost seems like she has this crazy “urge” every couple minutes to dig at our micro-suede couch.  Sometimes she will jump up and furiously start digging it so we push her down to try to startle her and yell ‘no’  but she literally will use the fall as momentum to jump right back up and start digging again.  This process can go on up to 20+ times or until we get to the point where we have disciplined her so much that we have to put her in her cage (which I HATE doing because I think she is starting to think as her cage as a place to go when she gets in major trouble).  Sometimes she gets so into it that she ‘nips’ the couch. I REALLY do not want a hole in the couch.

Has anyone else had this problem?  Is there anything that will resolve this?  Is this just a puberty thing (she’s 4 months)?

She DEFINITELY knows the word ‘NO!’ (if she’s going to places she’s not supposed to be if you yell “no” or snap your fingers – she stops) but isn’t responding to it with this.

Also – she has started lightly “nipping” to get our attention. It’s definitely not biting it’s just more “let me very lightly touch my teeth to you so you pay attention to me because i want love” and it is only around 9pm at night when she is in a really good mood and wants to just run around and play.

 

[Stickerbunny]

Digging furniture is really normal.. think it is their natural instinct. Powder digs the bed before he will lie down, some buns dig the floor even before they will lie down. Maybe put a throw over it to avoid damage to the couch? Once altered Stickers my mini rex stopped digging so much destructively but she still digs at her beds and stuff before she goes to sleep.

[Huckleberry]

Sometimes you can distract a distructobun with a phone book or box filled with something to dig in like newspaper strips or something. Good luck!!!

[emkvet]

I would put a blanket down over “her” spot on the couch. But she still may dig on the blanket; it’s normal for buns. So put the blanket down for her in case she digs, and you’ll protect your couch and let you dig. As long as she’s digging something bun-appropriate, let her go for it!

As to the nipping, that’s just another normal bun thing. They do it to each other to get attention, etc. If it hurts you or you need to remind your bun to be gentle, you need to squeal loudly. That’s “OWWW!” in bunny language. She should get the point that you don’t like it. She also may be doing it as a product of her hormones; mine nipped a bit before she was spayed, and now she doesn’t.

[bmt87]

Thanks so much guys! Blankets are for sure a signal for her to dig – when I set one down for her to rest on while I brush her she does NUTS digging. So I know the blanket will protect the couch but just make her dig more.

Has anyone tried cat cardboard scratch boards? Would she even bother with it? Or just ignore it/eat it?

I actually am super relieved to hear about the nipping. It is almost cute when she does it so I hate to yell at her for it because I know it is just a gentle – hey! i’m here! i used to work with marine mammals so i know a lot of them communicate through teeth raking and nips so i was thinking this might be a rabbit “word”.

[Huckleberry]

When Huck nips me, I don’t mind it. It rarely hurts very much. She never actually bites unless I pick her up. I hope that is all that is all Lola is doing.

Huck is a big time digger. I have actually found little that helps. I put things down to protect my carpet and she destroys them. I use large sheets of cardboard. She goes nuts over those but I end up with a huge mess of shredded cardboard. She just moves blankets out of the way. I have tried those cat scratchers and they don’t do anything for my bun but Lola might like it. Each bun is different.
Try just some sheets of cardboard first or get the refill blocks for those cat scratchers before you spend a lot of money on something she might not like.

[Author]

Messages