Make them stop?

[Shmoo06]

I don't know if I'm just not good at the search thing or what because I'm sure this has been addressed before.

Any ideas on making them stop doing something they're not supposed to when you can see it happening?

Sometimes they get a lot of energy and decide to chew and dig on anything and everything. Other times they're just fine and don't bother anything they're not supposed to. I have plenty of things for them to chew on, but they just don't taste as good as my apartment walls. This morning and yesterday morning have been crazy, they won't stop digging at the blankets I use to keep them out of my entertainment center.
I usually make a loud noise to make them stop, but they go right back at it, which is why getting up to shoo them is just exhausting. My hands are starting to hurt because if me just clapping doesn't work, I hit the ground and that usually works. The obvious solution would be to create a barrier not allowing them to get to the places they chew, but that'd be literally around my whole living room. I still want to let them out to play/get exercise. Any ideas on something that makes a loud noise that will make them stop? I've been looking around my apartment, but nothing is catching my eye.

I've tried the vinegar and water spray, which has stopped working.

I found this thread. I might try the cardboard box w/shredded paper. Has anyone taken chew toys away and when you gave them back, they were all the rage? I might try that.

-they are both neutered-

 

[agnesthelion]

I honestly think the hand clapping, water spray things like that only make things worse. Rabbits won't stop doing something to please us or because they know it's wrong like a dog would. So it's my personal opinion that the clapping and water spraying only agitated a rabbit and makes them need to take out that agitation more which in turn means more digging, more chewing, more intense behavior.
So really the biggest success I have found is just preventative, remove the object or block them from the object don't want them to chew on.
Sorry not the best solution I know! But rabbits are particular little beings sometimes and that's what I have found to work the best.

Good luck!

 

[PaGal]

I would just keep trying different things. Thumper has chewed on my doorways, I tried: clapping, spraying him with water, rubbing ivory soap on them, lemon juice, bitter apple, hot sauce, pushing him away and habanero sauce. None of that stopped him and yes, he had toys all over the place: cat balls, wicker, ball, hay ball, hay stuffed tubes, twigs, toilet and paper towel tubes, pieces of cardboard. What finally seems to have worked is when I put several boxes together in what we call Thumper's town. The boxes have doorways foe him and some tunnels and one box is filled with torn up phone books and cardboard pieces. I haven't seen or hear him chew a wall since. Using just a dig box might be enough for you, I know not every one has the room for a box town.

 

[Blue eyes]

Yes, Lisa is correct. Bunnies aren't interested in obeying us lowly humans. Some rabbits are just more persistent than others. Extra grids can be used as a barricade. It's a matter of figuring out as you go what will work and what won't as far as blocking off areas (or opening areas up).

I had a couch against the wall that the rabbits desperately wanted to get behind. I used to block off that 2-3" gap as best I could. But then they wanted to chew at the couch corner to get back there. My solution? Pull the couch further from the wall (about 10") so they COULD get behind there easily. Now they leave the couch corners alone and enjoy lounging behind the couch. -problem solved.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Dogs have masters, cats have staff, and rabbits have slaves! We let our out in the family room and everything has plywood bolted to, is blocked with tiles, or is barricaded with cardboard. All the furniture in there is "sacrificial. Good luck with getting them to leave anything they can get to alone.

 

[Shmoo06]

Thanks everyone! I guess I'm just going to have to get more creative. I'm probably going to buy another gate to keep them out of one corner, but I have no idea what kind of contraption I need for a few other areas. lol.

The box house sounds extremely interesting, but I certainly do not have that much room. lol. I'm going to try and make a dig box tomorrow.

 

[Imbrium]

if you need more ideas, check out this page on bunny-proofing: http://www.binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/8/PID/940/Default.aspx

if you're not opposed to a few tiny holes in your wall, NIC barricades are versatile and easy to put up - you just build whatever size fence you need out of grids, put screw eyes in the wall where you need to attach each end of the fence (for a 2-grid-high fence, I use two screw eyes at each end - one near the top and one near the bottom) and then zip-tie the ends of the fencing to the screw eyes. I think it was like $1.18 for 8 #14 screw eyes at home depot, which is enough to secure two fences - very cheap!

best deal I know of on the NIC grids is still at sears - http://www.sears.com/stor-floor-sta...p-00913332000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1

 

[Shmoo06]

Thanks so much for the link! Unfortunatly, I can't put anything into my walls, which is going to make putting a "fence" up difficult. I don't know how I'm going to keep it in place.

I've made the dig box with paper. They're scared of it and haven't been in it for more than a few seconds. They're still curious, and I think they'll come around.
Thanks again!

 

[qtipthebun]

Throw a craisin or a banana chip in it. That'll entice them into the dig box!

 

[bellaterra214]

sadly, as everyone has stated above clapping and spraying only goes so far, then they come up with other devious plans..

positive reinforcement is always the best method, but sometimes you have to let then know whos boss. my rabbits (2) are free roam, so I have a penalty box, which just an old USPS box (ssshh dont tell usps) put them in it with some hay.

my loves are pretty persistent so it usually progresses from 5/10/20/30 mins, and usually after being put away for 30 mins, they dont do it again for the rest of the day. then from that point on a stern, NO and a finger wag :nonono: and they turn around all innocent like "wha did i do?" but usually stops the action immediately.

sometimes you gotta remind them whos boss. (or we would love to think)

 

[kagerod]

I have an issue with the fact that my bunnies like to wriggle behind the tarp that is pinned up behind their cage. Since they're behind the tarp and behind the cage, I get really worried because I can't see them. I ended up making little obstructions - heavy books I don't care if they get wrecked and an old wooden bridge thing they never liked pushed in a way to cover the entrance that is kept in place by the cage and open door. I also put my computer room off limits by putting up a childs' fence.

Just try your best to block it off I suppose....

 

[Shmoo06]

I don't think the penalty box will work with my buns, unfortunately, but that is a fantastic idea! I'm pretty sure I'd just spend my whole time trying to get them into the box and lose all sight of what I was doing. lol.

Mumbles went crazy in the dig box for about 20 minutes this morning! Stitch has been in it, but hasn't been digging yet. It's harder to make Mums stop, he just ignores me most of the time, so I'm happy he found the dig box. Stitch stops pretty quickly after I say his name in a stern voice. It's so funny because he bolts away and does what looks like a binky when I catch him in the act. The dig box is blocking one of their favorite corners to chew my walls, so my stress of making them stop has gone down.
Yay! Thanks everyone!

-I made my dig box with an old bin hamster cage that I have. I put cardboard on the bottom with a bunch of shredded paper on top. I cut a side down, so they can get in and out easily-

 

[BugLady]

Buns are sneaky little things!

Mine respond pretty well to a sharp "NO" while clapping my hands, especially if I start walking toward them. Rascal listens right away, but Appledot usually waits until the second or third warning, then hops and binkies away! She appears to enjoy getting caught.

When I'm not looking, they're much more likely to get into trouble. They rarely do anything they're not supposed to when I'm within sight.

I've noticed that if there are any hiding spots where they feel safe, they'll cause more trouble - chewing, digging, etc. When I rearranged the furniture so they had nothing to hide behind or under, a lot of the behaviors stopped. So I would try your best to block off any areas where they can hide.

And some things... well... I'll just have to putty and paint the baseboards before I leave my apartment, haha.

Glad they're liking their dig box! I have a big plastic bin filled with hay (in addition to the hay racks by their litter boxes). I used a hot knife to cut a hole in the side, and in the top, and that keeps them busy for long periods of time, eating and digging.