Rabbit destroyed carpet! Parents don’t know I’m afraid they’ll get rid of her

[TheBuns]

I posted about my carpet here before but know it’s a problem! one of my parents wanted to deep clean my carpet because they done the whole house so it was my turn, I said no because the chemicals that’s in it are harmful for bunnies and because my carpet is torn up, I’ve never told them about it!! Because they really don’t care for my bunny and if they find out I’m afraid that they’ll throw her out! ;( I don’t know what to do I told them that I’ll do it another time and find some over safe product to clean the carpet as an excuse..I’m really worried. They said okay for know but they said “eventually we going to have to deep clean it” so know I don’t know what to do? Can anyone help me? Any suggestions on how to fix my carpet fast , and safe cleaning product?

 

[Flakes]

I don’t know about cleaning products... maybe use vinegar? But as for the carpet, you are going to have to come clean with your parents eventually, you might as well get it over with.

 

[Niomi]

To keep my rabbit from destroying the carpet, I leave a small felt blanket on the floor where he attacks the carpet. Then he digs in the cloth and puts holes in it instead of the carpet.

 

[Hermelin]

You will need to tell your parents. My own bunnies have destroyed my mothers slippers, chewed up the sho laces of both my parents, destroying my dads charger for his laptop and so on. They have done many things, even leaving scratch marks on the door.

Myself often compensate with replacing the things or paying a bit of the cost.

If your bunny destroy the carpet try to place something else over the carpet to protect it. Maybe have a digging box where he often digs.

Bunnies will often manage to destroy something even though you try to keep it safe and think it’s bunny proofed :3

 

[samoth]

Part of humans caring for animals is that we also have to take responsibility for our animals -- even when they do something that, although natural and meaningless to them, is harmful (finacially) to us. And we can't get mad at or blame the animal!

Rabbits dig. It's ingrained into their very nature and their genetic code. Keeping animals with a digging instinct inside our homes means... well, this kinda thing happens.

I don't know your parents or your situation, but I try to always live in an open and honest manner, even when it means taking responsibility for something bad. I would be honest and tell them, but I would also explain how much my rabbit means to me, and my willingness to make sacrifices for its care -- say, offering to pay to fix or patch the rug, or find ways to make it less likely to happen in the future.

I would hope your parents would recognize your maturity and willingness to take responsibility, even if it's going to be annoying to them because something in their home got damaged.

At the end of the day, damaged carpet is annoying, but it's just damaged carpet; a thing. Your rabbit, on the other hand, is a living being for whom you (and by proxy, your parents) are wholly responsible. Even if they get mad, I hope they can look past the carpet and you can all work together for your rabbit's best interests, which is staying with a caring family and not throwing her out

 

[MrB]

Honesty is the best policy

There is something you could try first, it will not change the torn up carpet or change the fact that you will need to take responsibility for what your bunny has done though

Take the time to get your parents to know your rabbit. Perhaps try getting them to hold your bunny (most rabbits don't like being held though, so maybe if they are seated first)
Or get them to give her a few strokes and pats and always mention the bunnies name. Naming is an important act of giving a creature an identity

Spend time talking about your bunny, naming your bunny in front of them, talking about your bunny like he's a member of the household. Mention how you are learning responsibility by caring for your bunny and then demonstrate by actions how you are being responsible in the home to others and to the family

What your after is helping them to feel like they know your bunny and understands that your bunny is important to you and therefore part of the family and how your bunny is helping you be responsible to your family

Parents who feel connected to a pet will have a harder time getting rid of a pet

However, you must realise that your not doing this to decieve or trick your parents, that is the wrong reasoning but what your trying to do is help them get to know your bunny in the best possible way

At the end of the day, your parents place is theirs and that includes anything that resides there and this must be respected
Carpet is very expensive, they will naturally be annoyed

Also start thinking about a plan of how to ensure your bunny will not destroy any more carpet, perhaps a rug placed over where it roams?

Formulate a plan

1. Socialise your rabbit with your parents so they get to know it
Show how that learning about your bunny and caring for it is improving your ability to be responsible in and around your home

2. Construct a plan of how to stop further damage.
Make sure you include this when you tell your parents about the damage

3. Work out how you will tell your parents about the damage to the carpet and by when (set a date!).
Practice your 'speech'. Select the right words. Pick the best moment when you know they are at their best

4. Contingency
This is the hardest part. You will need a plan of how you will handle the situation if your parents insist on getting rid of the rabbit!
Not everything in life goes how we want, so plan for it, as hard as it is to think about...
You don't want the rabbit just dumped or given/sold to people who would not care for it correctly.
You may even be able to ask them can they consider their decision to get rid of the rabbit over say 2 months?
Think about what they would need to see after 2 months to change their mind (no more damage, household chores done instead of playing with bunny too much etc etc etc. I don't know your circumstance)

A planned response is better than a causal one because you have a better chance of influencing the outcome BUT at the end of the day, your parents have all the authority here so you'll need to be mindful and respectful of that

Keep working on point number 1 as much as possible without being over the top about it

Good luck

Edit:
I didn't see the date of the previous post.
I'm probably way too late and the decision made about the bunny :-(

 

[Tilley]

I put tiles down on carpet where my bunny wanted to dig it up. She had a tendency to go to the same places every time.
I could here her digging on the tile but she couldn’t move it. She eventually gave up but I still leave it in place

 

[TheBuns]

Thanks for response and my mom was okay with it I told her I’m going to repair it with new carpet, she said it was fine not to that where going to change it anyways but I’m still going to repair it till then