Bunny licking the pen gates

[kirbyultra]

I have dog pen metal wire gates enclosing my two buns in separate areas. Lately Toby has been rattling the gate to get out. He would bite the metal wires and I would let him be. Sometimes I'd let him out to play a bit when I could supervise him. But lately this week he's been licking the gate up and down! Is licking the metal gate harmful?

 

[jamesedwardwaller]

galvanized(zinc)wire and iron/steel is ok,,but be concerned about the biting on the wire could mess up the teeth,.how did the the plastic bag thing turn out??,sincerely james waller

 

[kirbyultra]

Got your PM James, thanks. He doesn't bite often, he licks it more...

 

[Lola13]

I know this is an old post, but my 6 month old bun zentor has just started licking his cage door also. i dont know why really though. also he for some reason bites his water bottle metal straw part when hes drinking from it. but its not all the time. is this bad???

 

[Amy27]

My rabbit licks her NIC cage. I don't worry about it too much. I just make sure that if I ever clean it, I rinse it really well to make sure when she licks it, she isn't getting any chemicals.

I do wonder though what the purpose of the licking is. It can't taste that good. My rabbit does it where her door is so I don't know if she is trying to tell me she wants out.

 

[Runestonez]

Our boy Oliver has lately begun to do the same thing...with Oliver its because he doesn't feel he is getting enough out time...and we are trying to bond him to our girl Gypsy...and IF he could just chew through the darn bars....he could go visit! lol The only thing keeping him from getting a bunny butt kicking is that he actually settles down at night and goes to sleep! The bunns have the bedroom beside ours and that noise is enough to wake the dead at times!:grumpy:

Unfortunately I think the noise will continue for awhile...I have been worried about his teeth...he thinks it fine. We have had luck with using a water bottle to curb his behavior when he was younger...but right now its just annoying to the humans...and if he doesn't get any attention it should gradually cease. Rabbits love to find new and inventive ways to make us crazy...when they don't work or have the desired effect they tend to move on!

So for now I just wait!

Danielle

 

[kirbyultra]

Well, months later Toby still licks and chews on the bars. It may be a characteristic of the individual rabbit... It's ok I suppose as long as you train the bun and manage when they chew and make a racket. Toby doesn't do it at night. I had such a hard time with him that I bun proofed the apt so I could let him out more often. After that he seems much more content. He doesn't do it as often anymore and he knows his routine. He doesn't act out with chewing when he knows it's not his out time.