Chewing Issues!!!

[Julia]

I have a 7-month old female dwarf rex, Miss. Dogen. I have offered her many different things to chew on (wood chews, paper towel rolls, cardboard boxes, etc) but she isn't interested in them.Instead, she only seems to want to chew on my couch cover or my clothes. I was diverting her attention to some old towelsshe couldchew on (it worked occassionally)or placing a fuzzy blanket over the couch that she could also chew, but I am concerned that it could be harmful to her if she is ingesting any of it. I don't know if she is ingesting anything or just chewing holes. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I should give her to chew on instead?Along with chewing, she also loves to dig at the couch. I have tried boxes that she can dig in, but again, she is not interested.Any ideas?

 

[becc_boland]

Sounds like my bunny Lilly, no matter what you give her she'll still chew the things shes not allowed to!

 

[Kricket]

I've heard you can squirt a water bottle at them when they chew in hopes of disciplining them. I am such a big baby...I don't think I wanna do that to my sweeties!

Any disciplining ideas??

 

[becc_boland]

i couldnt do that either lol

Becc

 

[Carolyn]

Welcome to the forum, Julia,

You're right to be concerned about her ingesting it. It could definitely cause a blockage should that be the case.

My rabbits' chewing issues calmed down with age. You might try getting a water gun. When my rabbits would dig and chew at my rug, I had to make them stop right away and they wouldn't until I'd get over to the spot they were fixed on. The watergun did help.

When they're that determined and even the watergun doesn't help, it's a matter of diverting their attention - just as you would a baby. Call them over to you, set up a brown paper bag in the room, many like to dig in that, if you have a travel cage, put some newspaper in there and let her have at digging and ripping it.

I wouldn't let her out unsupervised until she's over this point. Two out of three of my rabbits, I can't trust being alone in a room.

I wish I had a cure all, but that's all I can come up with at the moment.

-Carolyn

 

[Carolyn]

Kricket wrote:

I've heard you can squirt a water bottle at them when they chewin hopes of disciplining them.? I am such a big baby...I don't think Iwanna do that to my sweeties!?

Any disciplining ideas??

It's really not painful for them. I'd only give them one squirt to get their attention before they're insulted and off and running. You don't soak them down. They hop off and then lick the water off of their pretty fur.

You may call me crazy, but from my experience, rabbits don't like to be disgraced and the water on their fur tends to make some mad.

Some rabbits aren't affected by waterguns at all. It's a roll of the dice to see if it works.

Sometimes, by the time I noticed or heard them ripping the carpet and they'd make me go to them and then dart out of the way, they were already in danger of ingesting at least two of the fibers. Doesn't sound like much, but that could do a Lot of damage - especially to my Polish and Holland Lop. Actually, any rabbit, but especially the smaller breeds.

The watergun got there quicker than I could. After a few times, all I'd have to do is pick up the watergun and they'd beat feet in the oppositedirection.

-Carolyn

 

[cirrustwi]

I've been really lucky, as none of my babies arebig chewers. I've always used the squirt gun, I've used it onmy cats too and it has worked fairly well for me. Sage is myonly guy who seems to have a liking for carpet, but he just hates thatsquirt bottle, I usually just have to shake it so he hears the watermove or squirt it in the air because I use the bottle and it makes somenoise when squirted.

I learned the hard way about watching them and how just a little clothcan do lots of damage. Basil, my mini rex, had never chewedcarpet or cloth of any kind. (She loves anything cardboard orpaper, like books.) I went away for just a couple ofdays back in January and when I got home, she had munched on somecarpet and had a blockage. She had to have it surgicallyremoved. It was not fun for me or her or my mom (who wassupposed to be watching her), but everyone learned their lesson: Basilhasn't eaten any cloth since, I majorly rabbit proofed their room (I'mtalking I covered the whole carpet with plastic), and Mom learned towatch closely when I'm gone. I was gone last week and allwent well, but the squirt bottle was pretty low on water when I gotback.

Get that squirt bottle! It isn't cruel, in fact, it could save your baby's life as a blockage can be deadly.

Jen

 

[Carolyn]

Jen,

I know that not only are the operations to remove the material isunpleasant, scary, and life-threatening for the rabbit, but it alsocosts up to a couple of thousand dollars.

When I went to purchase a watergun for Tucker, it was in the middle ofthe winter. The toy store I was in packs them away as a summer product.They went digging and found one, but they almost didn't sell it to mebecause they considered what I was planning on using it for as crueltyto the animal.

With a house rabbit, there are all kinds of risks. Like you said, ittook a very short amount of time before Tucker even saw me reach forthe gun and he'd stop immediately chewing and run away.

I couldn't think of any other way to get to them as fast as I could in a harmless way.

They all tend to do the same thing when they don't like it. They runaway, and then bathe themselves for 10 minutes to dry their fur again.

-Carolyn

 

[Julia]

I bought a waterbottle last weekend and it doesn't do anything. I think Icould dump an entire bottle of water on her and she wouldn'tcare...LOL

I don't know if she really enjoys chewingand digging at the couch or if she sees it as a game. Whenshe starts to chew or dig I pick her up and put her on the floor (I cando it 100 times and she doesn't get the hint). Tonight,however, I was copying some notes and watching her, but ignoring her atthe same time. She would chew for a few seconds, but then doa little flop and stretch out. Is picking her up and placingher on the floor actually reinforcing her negative behavior?She is chewing on one of those soft throw blankets, and she only makestiny little teeth holes. How can I tell if she is ingestingit?

I have tried letting her in her travelcase, but the one I have is like a bookbag for pets. I had anice soft bottom to it, but my mother lostit during my lasttrip home so all that's left is a vinyl-type material that she hasalready started to chew (and I KNOW that's not good forher!)

I love having her jump up on thecouchto lay next to me (shes socute when she doesit too!)but I want tokeep her healthy and my couch coverintact. All of the suggestions were good ones, but ones thathave already failed. I'm getting desperate!:?

 

[dajeti2]

I have learned that what looks best isn'talways as important as what protects the best.Here's anexample of what I mean.

Apollo feels threatened by my husband. I guess hefeels he has to compete with hubby for my attention(not). Every timeI'd let him out he'd jump on the couch where my husbands sits and he'dpee. I mean every single time too. He'd jump off the couch and peewhere my hubby's feet rest.

I tried everything, clapping, stomping, Telling him no and as alast resort yes the squirt gun. Nothing helped. I tried covering itwith towels or blankets that didn't smell like my hubby but he stilldid it. I finally put a gigantic clipboard I have on the cushion. HeJumped up went to get on hubby's cushoin and felt a slippery surface.He didn't like that on bit and jumped down.

To cover the floor I went to a home improvementstore. I bought two 12 inch tiles and wrapped them in foil.He didn't like the smell and when he went to move them the foil feltweird and he gave up.

You have to use your imagination to outwit these bunnies. Trystuffing a cardboard tube with some hay as a treat. Here is a postwhere someone is having almost the same problem and some of the ides wecame up with to help.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6305&forum_id=1&jump_to=89480#p89480

Tina

 

[cirrustwi]

Carolyn wrote:

Jen,

I know that not only are the operations to remove the material isunpleasant, scary, and life-threatening for the rabbit, but it alsocosts up to a couple of thousand dollars.

When I went to purchase a watergun for Tucker, it was in the middle ofthe winter. The toy store I was in packs them away as a summer product.They went digging and found one, but they almost didn't sell it to mebecause they considered what I was planning on using it for as crueltyto the animal.

With a house rabbit, there are all kinds of risks. Like you said, ittook a very short amount of time before Tucker even saw me reach forthe gun and he'd stop immediately chewing and run away.

I couldn't think of any other way to get to them as fast as I could in a harmless way.

They all tend to do the same thing when they don't like it. They runaway, and then bathe themselves for 10 minutes to dry their fur again.

-Carolyn

You know that new movie "Million Dollar Baby"? Well, MissBasil in my Million Dollar Bunny!! LOL She bettergive me some good kits to make this worth my while...ok, just kidding,I'll love her even if she never has babies. I actually have aMillion Dollar Cat too.

I can't believe they didn't want to sell you a squirt gun.I'm thinking I might need one of those for Sage, he is tasting thecarpet a lot these days....the gun would give me better distance.

Jen