Bunny proofing fails/cannot free roam them anymore?

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MopsyLops

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Location
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So my 2 bunnies have been free roamed for 1 year.

I follow 'Lennon the Bunny' on Youtube and did all the bunny proofing tips but to no avail.

Lennon the Bunny recommended getting the bunny proofing materials from the dollar store but we actually spent a lot of money on getting heavy duty materials from the builders store...but "where there is a will there is a way" and these boys seem to have a very big will.

Why does bunny proofing seem to work for all of Lennon the Bunnys followers but not me? Are my bunnies particularly destructive more than the average bun? Has anyone else had an experience where bunny proofing cant stop their rabbit?

So we feel like it has gotten to a point where there is no choice anymore but to cage them...because we want to replace the lamps and sofa and having them roaming at night or when we are not home gives them too much time and opportunity. But this breaks my heart. Especially because we cannot have a big cage since our apartment is small.

I wish there was another solution?
 
Uhm, there are quite mixed opinions about this channel, too much confidence with little background. Don't know about her bunny proofing tips though.

I have grids across the doors of some rooms which I can easily step over. To keep their gnawing urge satisfied mine always have tree branches and twigs under the kitchen table. A lamp might be secured with a ring of chicken wire, and I use pallet wood for bunny projects. Cardboard can also offer protection for stuff in certain applications, even when boxes are just a distraction. There already are tons of threads about this bunny proofing where you can find inspiration.
 
Preitler said:
Uhm, there are quite mixed opinions about this channel, too much confidence with little background. Don't know about her bunny proofing tips though.

I have grids across the doors of some rooms which I can easily step over. To keep their gnawing urge satisfied mine always have tree branches and twigs under the kitchen table. A lamp might be secured with a ring of chicken wire, and I use pallet wood for bunny projects. Cardboard can also offer protection for stuff in certain applications, even when boxes are just a distraction. There already are tons of threads about this bunny proofing where you can find inspiration.
Click to expand...

Well I have done everything. The problem is, it doesn't work on them. Hard plastic around cables, no matter how hard, strong, unbendable, rigid, stiff it is they will bite through it and get to the wires. They are invincible it seems. I think i have no choice but to cage them and it makes me sad.
 
People whose rabbits are similar to Lennon's nature will continue to watch her videos, so there's somewhat of a skew -- your rabbit's bunstructive tendencies are likely no more different than a "normal" rabbit, and the inability for LTB's rabbit-proofing technique may not work for many rabbits. Personally, I do not perceive Lennon as "most rabbits" in terms of their persistence in bun-struction, so it is not surprising. For example, cord covers are not actually effective rabbit proofing for the vast majority of rabbits -- it just buys you perhaps +3 more seconds to catch them before permanent cord damage is done.

Some additional bunny-proofing resources can be found here, which are a bit more well-rounded and informative on recommendations: Bunny-proofing - WabbitWiki , Bunny Proofing Archives | BinkyBunny

"Consistent (blocking access and) redirect" is the key, since we cannot reduce a rabbit's 100% chew/destruction energy (unless it is an expression of pain/discomfort or hormonally-mediated, in which case veterinary intervention may help; it will never eliminate chew energy though).

Free-roaming at night is often a very valid implausible for a rabbit's safety (and owner frustration). If free-roam for the majority of the day, I do not see restricted room overnight being bad practice. An xpen to set up, then take down in the morning, while a hassle, is less work and frustration than dealing with permanent bun-struction damages.

If your rabbits are drawn to the sofa in a destructive way, you need to block access to it. When not in use, you can try covering it with a tarp to make it less appealing, setting up an xpen around it, etc.. For lamps, I assume it's wire damage, so obviously better cord-keeping (height and blocking access; again, covering wires is simply a delay for time tactic--- rabbits are the best chewers; if they want it, they'll get through it), but if it's physical damage, again, you need to straight-up block access.

Holding an ideal that LTB's situation can be possible is not realistic, because it is simply not possible for all rabbits and that is natural (and not generally communicated in her videos).
 
I agree with the other replies. I saw a LTB video suggesting that putting clear packing tape on the corners of walls will stop chewing. o_O Then & there I knew that her experience with rabbits was surely lacking.

Finding effective bunny proofing is an exercise in creativity! What works for some buns won't work for others. Adjustments need to be made often and nothing beats keeping a close eye on them.

I cage my buns at nightime. They can roam during the daytime (usually morning til 11pm+). This makes it so they can't get into mischief while we're sleeping.

Trial & error, trial & error.... that's how to come up with effective bunny proofing.
 
MopsyLops said:
So my 2 bunnies have been free roamed for 1 year.

I follow 'Lennon the Bunny' on Youtube and did all the bunny proofing tips but to no avail.

Lennon the Bunny recommended getting the bunny proofing materials from the dollar store but we actually spent a lot of money on getting heavy duty materials from the builders store...but "where there is a will there is a way" and these boys seem to have a very big will.

Why does bunny proofing seem to work for all of Lennon the Bunnys followers but not me? Are my bunnies particularly destructive more than the average bun? Has anyone else had an experience where bunny proofing cant stop their rabbit?

So we feel like it has gotten to a point where there is no choice anymore but to cage them...because we want to replace the lamps and sofa and having them roaming at night or when we are not home gives them too much time and opportunity. But this breaks my heart. Especially because we cannot have a big cage since our apartment is small.

I wish there was another solution?
Click to expand...
Would you mind uploading a photo of the room or describing your current bunny proofing setup so we can give you additional advice? I don’t usually watch Lennon theBunny so don’t know what advice she may have given but people’s situations are always different. If we see your current setup, we may be able to give advice that helps directly with your situation.
 
I don't take Lennon The Bunny's bunny proof advice too seriously because of the type of "cord protectors" she's using may work for Lennon. But I learned the hard way that they do not work for me. I had to use actual metal tubing to protect my Ethernet cable.

I use NIC type solid shelving grids as protection from my rabbits for my power bars, hung the bars onto my wall and plug all my stuff into the power bars near my desk. My desk is a wire management nightmare because of bunnies.

Our desk, bed, and dresser have metal legs, which heavily discourages chewing. Giving the rabbit plenty of enrichment will help mitigate the excessive chewing. (Again, learned the hard way.) Such as willow or apple sticks, foraging supplies such as herbs spread out in like a foraging mat or in a freshly cleaned litter box. Places to run and hide. I find the my rabbits love tunnels so we made tunnels from boxes and use cat tunnels.
 
LoL I watch Lennen. And she's a pretty good bunny.
My Cinnabun chewed 3 wires in 1 year. She doesn't do it anymore.
I talk to her as if she can understand me. And tap her on the nose if she does anything wrong. She's really smart. And does understand. I spend a lot of time with her, too.
P.S. I don't tap hard on her nose. Just a very little tap.
 
My bun is locked up all night. When I open his door he comes out into a area thats about 7'x5'. He is plenty happy with it. He also gets cuddle time here and there throughout the day with me or my boyfriend. I have 3 dogs and 3 cats so he can't roam free. He's out of his cage for 7 plus hours a day, but he's safe. And that's the most important thing.
 
Ok she ate the baseboards. So we blocked all of them with 1/4 plywood about 2 feet high. The back of the TV is in a wood box braced with a 2x2 screwed in pole. We cut and folded a top which also blocks the wires in and out from the back. Wifi and lamps go in a powerstrip on top and blocked at the base by wire grids. Air filter in the middle of room has green hose on cord. We built a plywood box around my electric motorized chair. Fun bun likes carpet so every 3 months, Amazon sends us a sea grass mat that she loves to eat (not the carpet). We share a studio apartment. For such a small critter, she has most of the space. Lol
 
MopsyLops said:
Well I have done everything. The problem is, it doesn't work on them. Hard plastic around cables, no matter how hard, strong, unbendable, rigid, stiff it is they will bite through it and get to the wires. They are invincible it seems. I think i have no choice but to cage them and it makes me sad.
Click to expand...

My previous bunny was a chewer and this was the only wire cover that worked for me.

MBN0.38SV Tinned Copper Tubular Braid - 3/8", Cut: 25ft
https://www.wirecare.com/interest/a...sv-tinned-copper-tubular-braid-3-8-10-ft-cuts
 
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