HELP with sudden behavior change needed!

[Tinto]

My netherland dwarf (buck, 4 months old) has been with me for 1 month now. I thought he settled down pretty quickly and bonded with me quite well.

But yesterday I had to leave him alone overnight and when I came home I realized that he had skipped over the fence separating his part of the room from the mine, moved around the room, eventually chewed on whatever he found etc. When I put him back and strenghtened the fence again, he started to chew on the wires, apparently not wanting to remain inside. I could hardly sleep, I tried to spray water on him but without success. In the morning he still kept biting the fence aggressively and in the afternoon found another hole to escape from his area.

So now I let him move freely when I am at home, but the room isn’t completely bunny-proof. I have to close him at least at night and when I am not at home. Any idea what is the best thing to do? I like him but the whole appartment cannot simply belong to him alone... What does he want to express when he bites the cage or the fence? Should I simply ignore him and wait until he gets used to it and accepts the reality? Or is it a sign that he actually got familiar with the environment and wants to expand his own territory?

Please, anybody with similar experience, HELP ME!

 

[Blue eyes]

Is he neutered? Hormonal rabbits can be excessive with destructive chewing.

Chewing on the cage bars can misalign his teeth so that needs to be stopped. You can zip tie some cardboard to the areas on the pen that he's chewing.

Rearranging his space and changing out different toys, tunnels, etc. can help keep his interest in his own area.

If he isn't neutered, that should be considered sooner than later.

 

[Tinto]

Thanks, Blue eyes. I really appreciate your comment and am so sorry for responding so late. No he isn't neutered, as far as I know. I will check with the vet, because I really cannot say judging from the appearance.

I really do worry about his teeth. I always try to distract him, give him other suitable things to chew on etc., but still he seems to be curious and get out of his pen. Recently I got the idea to try to pick him up every time when he starts biting the wires, so that maybe he develops and instinct of being picked up (which he dislikes) when doing so.

Do you think that might work? Or will he gradually resign and accept the fact that he has to remain inside his (not so small) playing area?

 

[Popsicles]

I wouldn’t use picking him up as a punishment - if anything you should be working on getting him t accept being picked up for times when you need to (e.g. healthcheck, clipping nails, etc)
Like blue eyes said, block off the bars with some wood or cardboard and give him something fun inside the cage to keep him busy, and once he can’t bite he bats just ignore him and he’ll learn he can just throw a tantrum to get what he wants!