HELP MY RABBIT IS RUINING CARPET

[loppylove]

How do you stop a rabbit my ruining carpet, he is digging holes. Will getting him a friend stop him? He has toys but he goes for carpet... Help!

 

[Lissa]

Try covering the spot he/she is chewing with an area rug.

 

[Shuu]

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6333&forum_id=1&highlight=carpet

Try doing a search next time for similar threads. All I did was search "carpet" and this came up.

 

[CorkysMom]

You can try that bitterapple or bitter orangestuff ...but test it on a spot of the carpet to make sure it doesnt'discolor it first. Some of them like the bitterapple....tobasco also works but it'd most likely stain it!

 

[Stephanie]

Bitter Apple really worked for me. I have onebuck who just looooooves going after the carpet. A good spray with thatstuff and he stays away.

However, I do know that some rabbits actually like the taste of thestuff, so it's a 50-50 chance that it'll work for you. Try it though,it may work.

 

[naturestee]

Lots and lots of training. Don't lethim out of your sight. Stop him every time. Say"No" and clap your hands, squirt him with water, pick him up and movehim away, put your hand over his neck and use slight pressure to showhim you are dominant, whatever works. There is a lot to besaid for vigilance- it has helped for me.

Does he have a dig box? Some rabbits like boxes filled withshredded newspaper. Mine like long enclosed boxeswith paper at the end or just digging at the bottom of big enclosedboxes. We add extra layers of cardboard at the bottom so theyhave more to dig up. If he goes outside, give him a sandbox.

Also, is he neutered? It helps.

 

[loppylove]

the thing eith all of these is that i have to be there to do them...he has full run of apt all day and i work 9-5

 

[Stephanie]

Have you considered putting him in his cage during the day while you're at work? When I worked, this is what I did.

Not only is he going to ruin your carpet, but it could also kill him ifhe gets a blockage due to the carpet fiberhe ingests.

If he has the run of the house all day and is going after the carpetwhile you're gone, I don't think there is going to be any way to breakhim of this if you're not there to catch him in the act.

 

[naturestee]

loppylove wrote:

the thing eith all of these is that i have to be there to dothem...he has full run of apt all day and i work 9-5

As much as you want him to have full run, it's not safe for him if heis digging and chewing the carpet. There is a possiblity thathe could ingest enough to give him an intestinal blockage.Blockages from carpet and other fibers are much more difficult to treatand are more likely to require surgery, which has a low successrate. I don't want to scare you, but I really think it wouldbe better to build him a large NIC cage and work on training him not tochew carpet. You could bring him back to house rabbit statuswhen he learns to behave.

 

[naturestee]

Stephanie wrote:

Have you considered putting him in his cage during the daywhile you're at work? When I worked, this is what I did.

Not only is he going to ruin your carpet, but it could also kill him ifhe gets a blockage due to the carpet fiberhe ingests.

If he has the run of the house all day and is going after the carpetwhile you're gone, I don't think there is going to be any way to breakhim of this if you're not there to catch him in the act.

LOL, we posted at the same time!

 

[Stephanie]

Yes, most of us here don't let our rabbits havefull run 24-7. They can just be too destructive and it can be fatal tothe rabbits.


Hahah, I saw that and chuckled too.

 

[loppylove]

naturestee wrote:

loppylove wrote:

the thingeith all of these is that i have to be there to do them...he has fullrun of apt all day and i work 9-5

As much as you want him to have full run, it's not safe for him if heis digging and chewing the carpet. There is a possiblity thathe could ingest enough to give him an intestinal blockage.Blockages from carpet and other fibers are much more difficult to treatand are more likely to require surgery, which has a low successrate. I don't want to scare you, but I really think it wouldbe better to build him a large NIC cage and work on training him not tochew carpet. You could bring him back to house rabbit statuswhen he learns to behave.

where can i but NIC cubes?

 

[loppylove]

ALso do you think if i got him a friend that would help? i was thinking of getting a holland lop

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Another suggestion is to get a box of shreddedpaper and put it in the spot he loves to dig in most. Rabbits love toburrow. But that being said, your rabbit should be caged when you arenot home or it will not stop.

 

[Stephanie]

I'm pretty sure they sell them at Target andWalmarts. They're cheap and make very nice cages. There is a threadthat is for Cages Only, you should check that out.

My husband and I built a cage of our own out of wood....but I wish I had known about NIC cubes before hand!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Another suggestion is to get a box of shreddedpaper and put it in the spot he loves to dig in most. Rabbits love toburrow. But that being said, your rabbit should be caged when you arenot home or it will not stop.

 

[Stephanie]

Getting another rabbit won't stop the problem.If anything, he'll just end up teaching the new rabbit to dig and chewat carpet.

I have three rabbits, they all share a cage, and one of my bucks stillgoes after carpet. We're moving to all hardwood floors in two weeks andI can't wait so we don't have to deal with the carpet chewing anymore.

 

[loppylove]

so water gun, bitter apple, and dig...any other tips or hints??? Thanks!

 

[naturestee]

If he is digging in one particular spot, block it off or put wood or something over it.

I got my NIC cubes at Shopko. I just built acage. Check out the Cages Only thread and this site forideas. http://www.cavycages.com/

I recommended an NIC cage mainly because of cost andflexibility. You can build multiple levels, make it as big asyou want, etc. If you don't want to build something, I alsolike large dog crates. The floor is slippery on mine so weuse really coarse sandpaper to provide some traction.

 

[Stephanie]

Just the cage so you can spend the time with him when he's outside of the cage to re-train him.

Obviously you're a good owner and love your bunny a lot.