Bunny proofing for blind bunny?

[I_heart_Fraggles]

So last night Miss.Muppet was having a great time racing around the living room. Bunny 500s and binkies like crazy. She is way more active then Fraggles. She was having a good time until she ran face first into the entertainment center. She was bleeding pretty good from her nose and so (you know Jason) we are off to the E-Vet. She got x-rayed and the vet tried to convince Jason that Frags needed to be seen cause she had nibbled on a sandwich earlier that day. It was not until a real emergancy came in that they told us she had a broken capulary and we could leave. In other words she is fine and it was a nose bleed..... But my problem is what can I do to minimise these little injuries and prevent big injuries while still giving her the freedom to be a normal bunny. She loves to run and jump and play with toys. Her potty habits are getting better and I don't wanna lock her up. Any idea's?

 

[LakeCondo]

I was trying to recall what baby-proofing things are out there that you could use, but all I can think of is things for sharp corners. Blind people learn where things are in their environment, but I don't know if rabbits can do this. I imagine padding everything would be problematic. [I don't suppose she could ever learn to use a cane & having a seeing-eye dog wouldn't work, either. lol]

 

[BunMommaD]

When I was reading I had this image in my head of an entire living room covered in pillows or a completely padded room however cool that would be... Probably not realistic lol I wonder too if buns can learn thier environment like the blind humans I know... Maybe they can! I'd just be sure not to rearrange to often so as not to confuse her... Such a lucky bun to have such a caring momma!

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Ya see any special bunny proofing we do is just something for Fraggles to find and chew up. To bad Frags can't be a seeing eye bunny.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

I have been told that we can NEVER rearrange as she will not know where she is.

 

[Sweetie]

Katie you are brillant!!!!!! Maybe Fraggles CAN be a seeing eye bunny. They have seeing eye dogs for people who are blind. Why not a seeing eye bunny for a blind bunny? Check into it, maybe it can be done.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Um...... This is Fraggles we are talking about lol. She has better things to do with her time.

 

[mrbunny]

Yes, keeping things in the same place is a good idea. That way, Miss Muppet will always know she's home and safe. Always feed the bun in the same place and keep the litter bin in the one location.

I don't really have bunny proofing tips. But, you'll be surprised, they'll get by pretty well after some time.

Ensure everything is accessible: food, hay, water, litter. Soft plush toys and fleece blankets are reassuring. Remove toys that don't roll or hang, because Miss Muppets won't be able to control those toys and may trip on them.

The biggest thing I would say is to make sure there is no height drop or stairs. You can try to make the same noise each time you have to pick her up so she knows she's going to be lifted. (Same idea for food, etc. so there is a familiar routine.)

Finally, this is a crazy idea, but with all the talk of padded rooms and pillows, perhaps a layer of cheap bubble wrap around the edges of the wall and any furniture could minimize any accident bumps?

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

All excellent ideas I will take them all into mind. However Fraggles would rip the bubble wrap to shreds. See its hard because Frags is perfectly suited for destroying EVERYTHING!

 

[Dulmit]

You could try a cane. Use a harness and have 3 small feeler wires comming off of it. Imagine long metal whiskers in front. When they touch something, she should be able to feel it. Or you could place a piece of rope or other material on the ground around all objects. Then she should be able to learn that the rope borders objects.

 

[MiniLopHop]

Fraggles being a seeing eye bunny isn't that silly of an idea. When we had Indiana, who was blind, Becky did help him. She taught him where things were and would guide him back to his bed when he got himself stuck somewhere. She would thump and look at him, he would follow the thumps a hop at a time until they were back where he knew where he was.

Perhaps after the girls are bonded Fraggles will provide the service, at least when Muppet gets stuck somewhere like a corner.

As long as things don't move they do really well memorizing the environment. Wild rabbits have to memorize where the tunnels undergroud go, so it would be a rather natural skill.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

I would be surprised if she EVER runs into the entertainment centre again!

Though, I have to say, it took Gus three times running into the patio door before he realized he couldn't run through glass. And he obviously can see just fine.

I don't know if there's much you can do to bunnyproof if Fraggles will destroy it all. Could you put some temporary stuff up while Muppet gets run time, then take it down after?

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[jcottonl02]

What about different types of flooring? Put mats next to walls and things like that, so the texture is different from the rest of the room that is 'safe', so she can feel the difference and know roughly where she is?

Jen