chewing carpets and pillows

[blwinteler]

So, I got all the cords protected now, after discovering that Groucho found one that was not protected. I repaired it with electrical tape and duct taped it to the wall. I examined the rest of the areas they have access to. Cord free now. The newest issue is that Bugsy is chewing on carpet. They both chew on pillows and scratch at them. I think they are trying to burrow in them. So, we pick up the pillows. But we can't pick up the carpet. I live in an apartment, so I really can't have them chewing up the carpet. How do I stop them from chewing it?


:no:

 

[Sophie's Humble Servant]

What worked for me was clucking my tongue. Sophie does not like that sound at all! So every time she tried to either chew on furniture or pull on the carpet or even if she looked like she was about to do it, I click my tongue. It took quite a few times for her to realise that "hey, when I chew on certain things she makes that awful noise" lol. Maybe my method won't be liked by some people but it worked like a charm and now she rarely ever puts her teeth on my furniture and she never pulls the carpet anymore. Ideally you should also immediately give an acceptable chewing item to them.

 

[PaGal]

My buns go after the carpet but only in certain spots so I simply block those areas. On one spot I simply placed an item on top of the spot.

Since you rent you may want to come up with a different way to protect your cords than just duct tape. Over time the glue on the duct tape will stick to the wall and will be very difficult if not impossible to get off. Also, although your buns may not be chewing the cords now they can very well chew through duct tape and may start to at a later date.

 

[whitelop]

You could get a ceramic tile to put down over the spot they like to chew. They might dig on it or lay on it. They might actually like it. Or you could get a cardboard box and put it over the spot.
Clapping your hands or saying NO in a loud firm voice might help too. But sometimes when you make a big deal about an item, it makes them want it more.
If they want a pillow to lay on, maybe you could get them a small pet bed. They might enjoy being able to lay and dig in that. And they're machine washable! Sometimes you can find them on sale at like Dollar General or I just saw some at TJ Maxx.

When I have to block my rabbit from things, I just put cardboard in front of it. My rabbit loves cords, so one cord (the stove) has a box and the trash can in front of so she can't get to it. And my NEW fridge has a huge bin of chicken feed and a grate thing in front of it, so she can't get to that one. She killed one fridge and will not kill the new one! The washing machine is also blocked off with a piece of granite and her food tin.

I agree though, you might want to find something else to attach the cord to the wall with. The duct tape will get weird. I think Command(3M) makes cord holders, for like Christmas time. They attach to the wall in a nice way and don't leave marks behind. I haven't ever used any of those products, so I can't say for sure that they don't leave marks. My guess would be that its better than tape.

 

[blwinteler]

Thank you. I figured he might go after the tape, but didn't really think about the tape in the wall. It is really a temporary solution either way. I think what I need to do is run the cord through some pvc pipe to protect it. That is what we did with the other cords, we just missed this one because it is behind the couch. They also chew the carpet in that spot, so the pipe might even help with that. I will get that and some tile as soon as I have a little money. In the meantime, I will leave the cord taped and see what I have in the apartment to protect the carpet. I do have a bed for them. Perhaps they would like it more tucked where they chew.

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[whitelop]

Do you have a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in your area? You can find stuff like single tiles and things like that, for cheaper than some places. It might help with your cord problem or your carpet problem!

 

[middlemuse]

Good suggestions for the carpet chewing! For the pillows, I'd consider giving them an old sheet or towel to dig. Aria digs my couch incessantly, so I've been covering it with an old sheet. She digs the sheet as much as she wants and it keeps my couch safe.


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