Distructive rabbit!

[Skye727]

We got a rabbit about 3 weeks ago. Her name is Ginger. She is the sweetest rabbit I have ever met. She comes running for attention and lays in bed with me letting me stroke her ears. She plays with the dog too. She was perfect the first week. Then all of a sudden she started chewing cords and my Daughter’s oxygen tubing! She went through three of those. I put eucalyptus essential oil on it and she stopped that. She then started tearing the carpet up in the corner. She has gotten three corners. She gets on the couch and has put holes in a pillow. I made a box for her with lots of cardboard to chew on in it. She doesn’t like it. She has apple tree branches to chew. Now today she is digging in the liter box throwing the litter everywhere.  I brought it my outside bunny to keep her company. They lay in the liter box together. She likes him a lot. He is neutered, so no chance of little ones. I keep them in the cage most of the day  now. I feel awful about it! What can I do? I can’t afford to spay her. It’s $300! Still paying the credit card for fixing Marshmellow. I read about grass mats that she can dig. I think I’m going to get her two of those. Any other suggestions? I want to keep her but she has destroyed some expensive cords for my disabled daughter’s equipment, the carpet and it working on the couch.

[Cottontail]

My Tilly is happliy destructive as well. She loves to dig and dig and dig and chew. We put down some overlapping rugs in her area, making sure to let them overlap the baseboards a bit, so that she doesn’t just lift up the edges to get to the carpet, and gave her paper and cardboard to destroy. She also has a large blanket that is hers to do with as she pleases… she’ll dig at it, toss it, chew holes in it, and it saves the carpet since she feels she’s getting somewhere by being able to move it around… we just spread it back out when she’s done.
As far as the throwing litter goes, she does that too. I managed to get her to stop tossing it as far by increasing the size of her litter box; now she still tries to tunnel through the bottom, but when she starts digging most of it stays in the box.

The best thing for keeping her away from cords will be rearranging and creating barriers to them… as mostbunnies love to chew cords. I think they think it’s a strange type of hay. NIC grids are great for making barriers, just make sure that the wires are at least an inch or two away on the other side of the grid so that she can’t force her little face through and grab them.

Pet stores also sell products such as Bitter-Apple, No-Bite, and Yuk; that can be sprayed on things every couple days to deter her by making her think it tastes bad. I found Bitter-Apple works for my Pete, but Tilly thinks it’s candy coating. No-Bite seems effective though. My vet described it as tasting like pepper-spray.

As far as her spay goes; budgets understandably get tight. I would suggest keeping a jar for spare change.. That way you’ll have a slowly growing bunny-fund, and when you can squeeze a bit out of your budget you’ll have that fund to help cushion the costs. I have 2 jars, one by my washer/dryer for things left in pockets; and the other by my receipt book for change from shopping.

Sending good vibes to you and your buns.. and with your daughter as well!

[Little Lion Head]

Lots and lots and lots of bunny-proofing! My first bun Boston was insanely destructive!! We covered every cord and blocked every area we needed to keep safe. Our apartment was not pretty! She dug and scratched at brand new furniture including the bottoms of nice wooden coffee tables and end tables. It was awful but we loved her. Have you shopped around to see if you can get her spayed somewhere else cheaper? I’m guessing that getting her spayed will really help!

Other than that, CT has some great pointers and very recent experience with this!

[ChesnutKC]

How old is she? If she’s still young then she could be going through her “teenage” phase or her hormonal phase. My bunny, March went through it where she tore and chewed at all my clothes and cords and carpet. But now that she has gotten older it’s died down. I haven’t had her spayed yet so she gets a little nibbly sometimes but I just make a quick hissing noise and she stops.

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