protection of electrical cables

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Sabine

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Cork, Ireland
I have two bunnies that enjoy a run in the living room when the weather is bad. Because they are not permanent indoor buns I've been a bit lax with protecting my electric wires and those two are not particularily chewy buns. I just noticed lately that they have taken a liking for the half heartedly tucked away wires and we had a bit of damage.

I want to make a serious effort now to bunny proof the room regarding the wires but I somehow lack ideas. For those of you with indoor buns. Have you any tips or ideas or even pictures to share?
 
Here is the Library thread on this, some useful ideas here. :)

The only room I've really had to bunny proof in my house is my own room, as that and the kitchen are the only rooms any of them are left unsupervised in. But I have used NIC grids to block off the wires, it works pretty well, but that's probably because due to the furniture layout they stay in place. Those plasticy tube things that group wires together would probably be good, have you tried that?
 
Michaela wrote:
Here is the Library thread on this, some useful ideas here. :)

The only room I've really had to bunny proof in my house is my own room, as that and the kitchen are the only rooms any of them are left unsupervised in. But I have used NIC grids to block off the wires, it works pretty well, but that's probably because due to the furniture layout they stay in place. Those plasticy tube things that group wires together would probably be good, have you tried that?
Not yet. And I don't think we have NIC grids? Where would you get them? I'll check out the link anyhow, thanks Michaela.
 
Do you have B&Q in the south? That's where I got my NIC grids, they are available online too though. They can be tricky to get hold of, took me ages.
 
We do have B&Q. I've never seen them but I must check it out. Also do you know hoe to get hold of bitter apple soaray? My online search led me mainly to American suppliers.
 
I went looking for the NIC grids in the B&Q in Limerick and they didn't even know what they were never mind stock them. Maybe they have them in Cork though.
 
irishbunny wrote:
I went looking for the NIC grids in the B&Q in Limerick and they didn't even know what they were never mind stock them. Maybe they have them in Cork though.
I'll check but I doubt it. If I ask they probably think it's some "foreign stuff":biggrin2:
 
You can get Bitter Apple spray from Pets and Home and Seapets, so I would presume maybe you could get it at your pet shops?

I use wire covers for my wires, and they work well. They do chew them but it takes a lot to get through them and so Ijust keep my eye on them. I also block the wires off using various things. I have had to be quite creative because each bun has his/her own way to getting to the things they shouldn't, lol.
 
I use many different things to cover my wires. I have the general clear wire covers which works great with my good bunnies. And then there's Miss Savannah.. who much destroy it all. You know the hollow metal pole you have for a shower curtain? I have one of those for whatever wires she's close to. And I also use electrical tape for the wires they already chewed, they seem to never go chew the wire again.
 
Flashy wrote:
You can get Bitter Apple spray from Pets and Home and Seapets, so I would presume maybe you could get it at your pet shops?

I use wire covers for my wires, and they work well. They do chew them but it takes a lot to get through them and so Ijust keep my eye on them. I also block the wires off using various things. I have had to be quite creative because each bun has his/her own way to getting to the things they shouldn't, lol.
We don't have those pet shops you mentioned here but they may have an online shop. I'll check that out later. maybe I should look in the dog's section in one of our stores because they definately don't have it among the bunny stuff

David claims he has some wire covers somewhere. So I'm going to give him a few days to drag them out or else I go out and buy some:)

My buns creativity getting into places they shouldn't seems to be greater than mine. Our living room is beginning to look strange with all these make shift bunny protectors. i'd love to find something that blends in a bit with the design (Not that there was much design in our home.Lol)

Isn't it great the buns give us a challenge every day
 
You have a PetSmart there? They would be likely to sell it. I just meant that probably any big petshop would be likely to have it. If not, I can try and get you some over here if you want and send it to you.
 
PixieStixxxx wrote:
I use many different things to cover my wires. I have the general clear wire covers which works great with my good bunnies. And then there's Miss Savannah.. who much destroy it all. You know the hollow metal pole you have for a shower curtain? I have one of those for whatever wires she's close to. And I also use electrical tape for the wires they already chewed, they seem to never go chew the wire again.
Metal pipe sounds a good idea. I was also thinking that i have to replace a shower hose soon. Maybe I can use the old one as a wire cover. We use the electrical tape too to patch up superficial damage. Maybe i should cover the entire wire in it. I might leave some old covered cable out for them and see what they do with it:)
 
Flashy wrote:
You have a PetSmart there? They would be likely to sell it. I just meant that probably any big petshop would be likely to have it. If not, I can try and get you some over here if you want and send it to you.
The biggest chain stores I know here are Maxi Zoo and Zoo Plus. Everything else is smaller scale. If I can't find it here I'm going to England in a forthnight and I should be able to get it there. Thanks for your kind offer.
 
I use wire shelving to block off areas of interest to the buns. It's very inexpensive and readily available.

075381013611md.jpg

 
We use this for our exposed wires:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Cable-Wire-Tidy-Cover-2-Metres-JML-Type-New_W0QQitemZ180125988902QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Computing_NetworkingTools_Accessories_SM?hash=item180125988902&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318


It's fairly cheap and reuseable too...

For the rest of our wires, we have extension cords behind the sofa, and the plug block sits on the back of the sofa to plug in phone chargers, laptop chargers, etc- so those things are never on the floor for a bunny to get to. Our TV unit is right in the corner in front of the socket, and we have boards behind it blocking the wires that go into the unit so that bunnies can't get to it. Mouse was trying to get under the unit for a time, so we got a piece of 2x4 wood for about £3 in B&Q and wedged it underneath so that she can't get under there...

In Steve's office he has NIC grids in a kind of fence around the main cables and under his desk, he has a wire shelving thing just like Slavetoabunny posted, where he stores his extension block etc....

You can also buy sheets of hardboard, in B&Q and other DIY stores, and just cut them to size and place them in front of sockets, behind units etc.... We got them for about £2.50 for a giant sheet....

In short, lots of different ways! :p
 
I use the blockade method to protect cords. Nick and Amelia have the run of our living room and dining room. Amelia would eat cords all day if she could, so we have limited the amount of things that can be plugged in in those rooms.

In the living room, there are only two spots. The major one is behind the tv. Our tv stand is solid, with back on it, and we made sure the shelves have doors, so they cannot get inside it. Around back, we've used NIC grid panels to keep them from going back there:
100_2000.jpg


There are two panels on each side, connected in a T shape with cable ties. One panel goes behind the stand and is nailed to the back so it can't move. You can't even see them from the front. The cords are behind there, far enough no one can reach them. (One speaker wire got chewed when it got close enough for Amelia to reach!)


The other area is the lamp and air filter area. Our apartment doesn't have overhead lights in the living room or bedrooms, so we're forced to use lamps. Here, I put a small shelf thing right against the outlet, and the cords for the lamp and air filter are just shoved back behind it. There are no gaps for bunnies to get behind. There is a small (1") section of lamp cord that is exposed, I've covered it in a clear plastic cord cover (actually big aquarium tubing) and taped it onto the base of the lamp. Amelia could chew through the tubing if she wanted to, but she doesn't like something about the tape.
100_2003.jpg


This area is just across from their pen, so the shelf holds all the rabbit supplies. (There's a little bucket and hand broom hidden in the bottom cabinet, toys and pellet food in airtight containers on the shelves, and treats on top for easy access.:D)


We used to use an old coffee table to hold the tv up, which was open all the way through. We just used the NIC panels across the back, wire shelving, boards, or hardboard cut to size would have worked, too.

I will have to remember the shower rod idea, I may have to use that in the future. Very smart idea.
 
I must see if I can get hold of some NIC panels somehow. Maybe I'll have to bring those back from England too. I'm sure they've seen weirder things at customs at the airport :)
 
Corky always ate right thru the wire covers I bought. I have the cords in his room all running thru pvc pipe, we used elbows and such to get it all the way up to where it connects into the fan itself.

It was reasonable to do and easy to find, comes in various sizes as well. One of those things that s/ never need replaced....I've not seen any type of evidence of him even attempting to get thru it.
 

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