Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Leonard Harper
This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.Bunnies – If you look at them, you can’t imagine them causing any harm. But when you look away for awhile your cables could be gone! And so can your plants. Like it or not, every rabbit owner sooner or later, must face the fact about rabbit chewing.
A lot of people avoid this by keeping their rabbits outside the house and although this can be a good solution, make sure they have enough place to move around in and be careful with cold weather.
But if you decide to have your rabbits accompany you inside, be sure to get all chew-able things out of sight. Think about cables, plants, furniture and all sorts of paper. This includes electrical wires, telephone cords, and poisonous plants. Delicate items and expensive furniture should be moved so they are inaccessible. Keep your books and papers off the ground, rabbits love messing with paper and cardboard.
In other words you need to rabbit proof your house.
Why Do Rabbits Chew?
Rabbits enjoy chewing and digging. It is in their nature and it is perfectly normal to them. Rabbit chewing is extremely important for their teeth. It is necessary for keeping their incisor teeth at a manageable length.
They grow throughout their lives about 3-4 in (10 cm) per year.
If you do not rabbit proof your house they can chew on everything, like your mirror framing, books, doors, the floor, trimming, furniture, carpet etc.
However, the main reason why rabbits chew things you do not want is because they doesn’t have enough fun.
How to deal with Rabbit Chewing?
Protect your cables and other belongings, also make sure your room is save from several things that can be very harmful for your rabbits. These things include: chocolate, several types of plants, electrical cables, etc.
You might be able to stop chewing certain things like cables by cover things with protective plastic. You can find different types on Amazon:
How To STOP Your Rabbit From Chewing Furniture?
Your rabbit cannot instinctively know that he is not allowed to chew furniture and other items at your home. You are the one who must teach him not to.
This means that when you bring a rabbit home, watch it closely while playing.
Try to get your training as early as possible to prevent bad habits.
Whenever your rabbit tries to chew something you don’t want to, slap your hands and say “no” (without yelling) and push him gently.
Too much freedom and too little dealing with the rabbit is also the cause of his stubborn destruction of furniture.
The simple rule is to make your furniture taste bad, this will stop your rabbit from chewing furniture. You can buy sour apple spray or other bad-tasting deterrent sprays.
When my rabbit does chew furniture he isn’t supposed to I just give them a little squirt with spray bottle. I use Ultra-Bitter Training Aid Spray , it is completely safe and effective. It can be sprayed on anything, and you’ll instantly transform your furniture into an utterly distasteful object.
Provide Alternatives For Rabbit Chewing?
As I said earlier it is in their nature to chew, so it is up to you as their owner to guide them on what to chew and what to avoid.
Give them some toilet paper rolls filled with hay (they love it), wood blocks, balls . Sometimes they like to chew on things that are immovable, unlike balls and wood blocks. A cardboard hide box can be an alternative solution as well.
Place some branches of apple to chew near their food. This encourages the bunny to chew something that is not your furniture.
Please note that some fruit tree branches are toxic while attached to the tree (like peach and apricot), but not if they are cut and dried for a month or more.
Provide Your Rabbit A Lot Of Toys He Can Chew On
If your rabbit has some favorite corner or some particular spot, place the toys in that spot and give your rabbit some quality alternatives for chewing.
DIY rabbit toys, here are some ideas:
- Make a mansion out of cardboard from some old boxes.
- Fill toilet paper rolls with hay
- A piece of a cardboard box
- A wooden ball
- Plastic baby rings
- Unlimited hay
However, if you are willing to spend some money for your pets then check out the list of 15 Best rabbit toys for chewing. Seriously, choosing the best toys for rabbits to chew on, mean your furry friend will never be bored again.
Rabbit Playpen
Your apartment is probably full of cage bedding and hay around the cage. Especially when you let them out of the cage the rabbits are pooping everywhere.
Using a rabbit fence, playpen or playground helps a lot. The bunnies will have their own private space where they can run freely and play with their toys.
While, in the same time your apartment will be clean, or if the bunnies are kept outside, the garden will be safe from them.
See more: Best Cheap Indoor Rabbit Playpens.
Rabbit Neutering
Some rabbits exhibit lots of undesirable hormonal behaviors including excessive chewing, aggression, forgetting potty habits and spraying urine about. Those, clearly, would make one want to neuter.
The main reason why getting rabbit neutered is that many behaviors that intact males can display are not great for indoor pets.
Leo, a novice urban farmer and avid writer hailing from Chicago, Illinois, finds his joy and inspiration in the company of rabbits. His affection for these cuddly creatures started when he was gifted a Mini Rex, named Poe, on his 18th birthday. Poe soon became a source of comfort, companionship, and surprisingly, creative inspiration. He soon expanded his brood to include three more rabbits of different breeds, each with their own engaging tale.