Eating Carpet, Litterboxes, Bonding, and more!

[FuzzButtLover]

 Hi everyone!

I’m a relatively new member to binky bunny, so, hi! We are having some problems with our buns and need some help please. I apologize ahead of time for the novel that you are about to read, but thank you for your help!

I found Molly outside about 2 years ago. She was in relatively good shape (had ear mites, slightly underweight) so she probably wasn’t a stray for long. Our vet guessed her age to be about 2, so now she’s approx. 4 years old. My husband and I built a very nice condo for her and she had free reign of our apt except when we were at work or when it was time for bed. About a year or so ago we started to let her out all of the time except when it was time for bed. She had excellent litterbox habits once she was trained. 

While she was out, she would often sleep under our love seat. We thought it was cute until we moved it several months later and discovered that she chewed and ATE a TON of the carpet. We covered it up with hard plastic as well as the underneath of our couch. That put a stop to her eating the carpet.

About 6 months ago I began volunteering at our animal shelter with the rabbits. We then also became bunny foster parents. Molly did pretty well with the guests and had some territorial peeing and pooping but we knew to expect it and she eventually got over it. 

2 1/2 months ago we started trying to bond her with a bunny named Edgar. They didn’t really like each other, so I let Edgar be adopted. I then brought home Mikey and started their dating that night. It wasn’t love at first sight, but it did go well and they were officially bonded 2 weeks later. The love buns have been together now for about 1 1/2 months. 

Their current set up is their 3-level condo (size is 4’x4’x2) with a litterbox (floor is mostly linoleum with a little bit of carpet on the ramps) which is in the corner of the room, an ex pen half surrounding it which makes the whole space a little under 7’x7′ with another litterbox and a litterbox with hay (the floor is 20g vinyl). Since we put the ex pen up, I don’t close the door to the condo so they have that whole area to do whatever they want in. When we are home, they have free reign, but not when it’s time for bed. (see problems below for why they can’t be free reign anymore) They have lots of boxes, a play tunnel (concrete form tube), bunny and cat toys to play with.

Here are the problems:

1. Molly has gone back to eating the carpet. She isn’t being sneaky about it anymore and is doing it right in front of our faces. Clapping hands, water, or a spoon against a pot doesn’t deter her. We have to get up and chase her away. I think she is doing it for attention but I can honestly tell you that she gets a lot of it from us and by Mikey.

2. Their litter habits have gone down the toilet. I know that it’s normal, but I don’t know what to do. They have 3 litter boxes in their area and are peeing beside the one in the condo and pooping everywhere on the bottom floor. I clean up the pee and set the paper towels in the boxes and clean the floor with vinegar water after each time.

3. Mikey seems to be less comfortable with me now, than when we brought him home. He knew me prior to because he had been at the shelter for 4 months. He enjoyed sitting on my lap, spending time with me on the floor, being held for short amounts of time, but not anymore. He only seems to want me when I have their food and treats.  I understand that some bunnies don’t need their humans much once they bond with another bun, but I didn’t realize it would be like this.

I don’t like keeping them penned up but with Molly eating the carpet, I just can’t let them out when we aren’t there. Any suggestions for the litterbox habits?

Thank you again for reading this!!

 

[RabbitPam]

Hi, and Welcome. You clearly have experience with bunnies, and are doing a good thing by fostering, adopting and volunteering. It is very frustrating when a bunny with good habits makes a change, or reverts.

I first urge you to browse through our Bonding Forum. Many members have had similar situations, and if you do a keyword search there, you may pull up some posts with good advice. (Just don’t reply to any older ones, like over a month old.) Clearly the litter habits have changed due to the bond. Actually, your 2 have bonded in a fairly quick amount of time, so it’s taking a little longer with this. You basically are taking the advice that would be given, cleaning, vinegar cleaning, etc. It may just mean that you need to keep at it for another week or 2 before they get the message and give up. Be sure you’re using a litter that they both like. Sometimes a small change in that will set one off.

The carpet can be sprayed with a vinegar/water 50/50% solution to make it less palatable. If confining her is necessary when you’re out, than that’s OK. If she starts in front of you, say a firm NO, and substitute a chew toy like a willow ball, after moving her away from the chew spot. Unfortunately, bunnies can view an activity as an ongoing project and return to it repeatedly. You want to reward her good behavior with treats, and ignore her bad so she gets no reward for it. If you see her go to the carpet, pause, and decide NOT to eat it, praise her and then play with her elsewhere so she learns that behavior is better.

[FuzzButtLover]

Thanks Pam! I guess I just needed some reassurance.

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