Flooring, Bedding and Digging

[Redrabbit]

Hi,
We’re new bunny owners and had our little boy for just three weeks. We’ve read loads on here and it’s helped so much so huge thanks.
He chews on everything and we’ve bunny proofed as much as we can but we can’t find a suitable rug/ flooring. We have wooden floors everywhere and he’s sliding around. We’ve tried cardboard and a hemp rug but between digging and chewing it lasted less than 48hours! I think he wants to be able to dig and run without skidding and I’m out of ideas. He chews rugs so I don’t want to put them down as I’m worried about him ingesting the fibres. We’re based in the UK.
Also, we’re using the recycled paper bedding and he keeps pushing it out the way. Is it possible he doesn’t like it. The previous owners had him on wood shavings but I’m keen to avoid dust where possible.
I’m sorry for the hugely long message.
Thanks so much

 

[zuppa]

Hi, can you post a photo of his setup, do you have his cage base fully covered with bedding? When I got my first rabbit I didn't know much and just put a little toilet box with wood bedding in his cage and the rest covered with hay, I was really surprised when he pushed hay to the corner making his floor clear! Actually it is better if you only have something like wood pellets in his toilet tray only, or if you have shredded paper there.

Wooden floor isn't easy to walk on so my rabbts are fine on carpet just I have short pile carpet or textured lino is good and easy to clean too.

Also, if you'd give him some chewing / digging toys it would keep him busy and away from your rug

 

[Redrabbit]

Thanks so much for replying. We have the wooden pellets everywhere - in the litter trays and over the floor. We let him out into the room when we’re in there but not if we’re out. He is chewing everything so need to find a way of protecting the skirting boards before letting him free roam.

I won’t be offended to hear if I’ve got it wrong, just want to sort it as early as poss. Ideally before his friend arrives

 

[zuppa]

He looks very nice and happy little rabbit and has lots of toys already
I'd remove wood pellets (or what you use probably recycled paper pellets they are also good) from his hutch floor, just put them into his toilet box where you have hay, or maybe you have them there under hay so just save them somewhere so you can refill his box twice a week with them. Other than that your setup is fine and you have a nice playpen as well, just to cover the floor I'd go with a lino as it is easy to clean he's still very young and not fully trained probably, just pick lino that is textured so he can walk on it, like 3D.

Some people use foam floor protector mats just make sure the edges are behind the playpen so they couldn't get them. Some rabbits like to chew mats too.

 

[Redrabbit]

Thank you!! What should I put at the bottom of the hutch? Also, is it dangerous for him to chew the lino? We had a rug down at first and although he was very happy with it I had to remove it because I was worried about him ingesting it.

Thanks so much for replying

 

[zuppa]

Thank you!! What should I put at the bottom of the hutch? Also, is it dangerous for him to chew the lino? We had a rug down at first and although he was very happy with it I had to remove it because I was worried about him ingesting it.

Thanks so much for replying

Nothing! It is best to keep his floor solid rabbits only pee in one spot usually in their corner and when you keep his floor clear they maybe will pee on it at the beginning but you just wipe urine with a paper towel and put it into his litter box under litter so it will smell like tis toilet and he will start using this spot. The rest of the hutch should have solid floor and you can clean pee-spots with vinegar/water solution 1:1, that will remove urine smell so he will only have one spot that smells like his toilet and will pee there, just train hm a bit. If he pee or poop outside of his toilet put his berries into his toilet and he'll get idea sooner or later, they are very smart creatures.

They also like peeing on soft like hay, blanket, so if you cover the whole floor with soft bedding they take it as it's his toilet.

 

[Redrabbit]

Okay, great. It feels strange having nothing all over the hutch as it has a zinc base so it will be quite slippery. He’s not fully trained but does always seem to go in or around his litter box- fingers crossed he’ll stay like that.
Will remove the recycled paper pellets tomorrow (apart from in his litter box) Thanks so much for your help

 

[zuppa]

I honestly don't know never had zinc tray it must be slippery indeed. Maybe those hutches were designed for keeping rabbits outdoor without the need of toilet training and zinc is excellent for cleaning, probably put some pellets into corners and cover with hay the entire floor.

If I had to think something keeping it indoor I'd probably cover it with lino again maybe fixing it with double-sided carpet tape or glue gun. Covering the entire floor with pellets/hay would make toilet training more difficult. But some people have it just changing bedding more frequently. Maybe will work for you too.

What I've done before to make cage base floor easier to walk on I've used glue gun don't have a picture and couldn't find on the internet but here like they did for their carpet but I did in cage just like grid or stripes to get some grip. Not ideal but worked.

Good luck anyway let us know how's it going there's no one solution it's always try & fail & try again, until you find what suits your rabbit.

 

[zuppa]

Just looking through your pictures again maybe it is fine I didn't know there was zinc tray underneath maybe there's no need to change it, your rabbit will just find his spots and you will see them and can put toilet box there also putting some soiled litter into it so hopefully he will start using it.

 

[Scarly]

One of our bunnies is a chewer as well and the only thing we've found that she doesn't chew is this kid play mat/carpet from IKEA. https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/urskog-rug-flatwoven-leaves-green-00393903/
They have a few other designs in other sizes of the same style. It's totally flat woven and she hasn't been tempted to chew at all. Also ensure that you provide good alternatives for chewing and digging, like a digging box, chew toys, etc. Good luck!

 

[Scarly]

You can also try putting a thin fleece blanket on the floor of the cage so he has something a little softer

 

[Redrabbit]

One of our bunnies is a chewer as well and the only thing we've found that she doesn't chew is this kid play mat/carpet from IKEA. https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/urskog-rug-flatwoven-leaves-green-00393903/
They have a few other designs in other sizes of the same style. It's totally flat woven and she hasn't been tempted to chew at all. Also ensure that you provide good alternatives for chewing and digging, like a digging box, chew toys, etc. Good luck!

We have the same but he won’t leave it alone, constantly chewing at it. Not much comes up but a bit does and I’m worried that he’ll ingest it. Thank you though

 

[Redrabbit]

You can also try putting a thin fleece blanket on the floor of the cage so he has something a little softer

Will definitely try that. Thank you

 

[Redrabbit]

Just looking through your pictures again maybe it is fine I didn't know there was zinc tray underneath maybe there's no need to change it, your rabbit will just find his spots and you will see them and can put toilet box there also putting some soiled litter into it so hopefully he will start using it.

He seems really well toilet trained already, I know it could change but he tends to go in (or around!) the litter tray downstairs. It is an outdoor hutch but I thought it would be okay indoors and now it’s but late

I might try and cut some Lino to size and put it over the top and see what happens

Thanks again for the advice