how to bunny proof a room with carpet

Growing up, my family had 3 male rabbits, and although they showed a little bit of digging, it wasnt incredibly destructive. Then hide some treats in the box to encourage your rabbit to dig in the box instead of your carpet. Now its time to check on all the little things that your rabbit might try to get into. So the best actions you can take is try to divert their attention and protect the vulnerable areas of your house. Whats behind your bunnies carpet chewing behavior, Repair small or even large areas of damaged carpet. Ive designed adorable bunny apparel! Ive partnered with them to give you 15% off your order if you use the code BUNNYLADY at checkout! You could use crumpled up or shredded paper, some of their wooden chew toys, some toilet paper rolls, etc. Now you will only need to take measures to protect a small portion of the baseboards in the room, rather than the whole length of it. Ive come to really trust the quality of all the products I get from Small Pet Select and cannot recommend them enough. Important: As an Amazon Associate and an associate to other companies I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Rabbits can dig and chew through cardboard relatively quickly, and you dont want them to get all the way through to the rug. If these can be avoided in the room where your rabbit roams that is ideal, but if not, you should cover or protect the baseboards to avoid them being destroyed. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Plastic corner protectors that attach with adhesive are also useful for baseboard corners. Understanding what's behind this destructive behavior. While you are unlikely to be able to block off the entire perimeter of the room, you will limit the amount of work you will have to do. This is especially true of female rabbits. Rabbits are amazing, but they do have some behaviors that are a little destructive. Simply move the baby gate to a different doorway if you want to move your rabbit to a different room. If youve got one of these really smart and determined rabbits, just install a childproof lock on your cabinet doors. Instead this comes from an instinct based in their burrowing roots. Now your rabbit cant chew up your collection. No matter how many times you tell them to stop their natural instinct to dig and chew will always return. First I want to point out that you wont cure a rabbits digging habit. The first thing to do is try to consolidate as many wires as you can into just one or two spots. But I find I need to re-apply the spray to every available surface very frequently, so this is usually a last resort for me. Ill be going through the common rabbit bad behaviors that are destructive to homes, so you can learn from my mistakes and bunny proof your home. list of items I use to bunny-proof my own home, I recommend this online store called Small Pet Select. But you can also choose to rabbit proof your whole house so your rabbit has more space to be free and join the family. How to Go on a Road Trip With Your Rabbit, How Rabbits Stomp, Grind Their Teeth to Communicate, Reasons Why Rabbits Chew and How to Stop It, Things You Should Know About Caring for a Pet Rabbit, My Adoption Story: A Bunny for the Holidays, The Right Cage Will Be a Happy Home for Your Syrian Hamster, How to Choose the Right Cage for Your Indoor Rabbit. With a little foresight and preparation, you can keep your rabbit from chewing on wires, digging into your carpet, and just being a little troublemaker. This is why it's important to bunny proof your carpet. The mats are the ones that are made to be able to wrap around the leg of a table so they can also be used to prevent your rabbit from chewing on furniture legs. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, like how to supervise your rabbit when it's exploring your home, scroll down! This will not only hide the area but potentially keep them from chewing it. If you are new to caring for rabbits, check out the Bunny Lady bimonthly newsletter. Bitter sprays (such as Grannick's Bitter Applespray) can also be a useful chewing deterrent for items you can't protect. References. Use zip-ties to connect the panels together, and use command hooks to attach the fence to the walls or furniture. Youll need to go through your home and look at it from a rabbits perspective. Rabbits also have a tendency to chew on things that we really dont want them to bite. You want to cover any wires that your rabbit can reach with some plastic split loom tubing. If you are letting your rabbit roam freely around your home, make sure that you provide chew toys, bedding, and a litter box. We also show you the best toys to use that will give your bunny an acceptable alternative to exercise their natural behavior. Rabbits can be litter trained so that they can roam around the house, like a cat, without the worry of cleaning up a lot of smelly messes. Area rugs, carpet, and carpet padding are all attractive digging items for your rabbit so if you have them in the room you designate for your rabbit's playtime or home, it is very likely that they will be ruined. If you can, keep your rabbit in rooms with hardwood flooring and use area rugs that you wont mind if your rabbit digs at. Rabbits will chew the bottoms and corners of these doors so in order to protect them you can put a kick plate the very bottom of them. Learn how to create a happy, healthy home for your pet. No, your rabbit did not chew through your favorite headphones just to spite you. Its not uncommon to find that they chewed into an important wire or dug into the corner of your carpet. Linoleum, tile, and laminate flooring are popular choices for bunny owners since they can't be dug into, don't absorb urine, and won't stain. If you want to avoid the mess and possible fiber ingestion, choose a room for your bunny that has a non-porous, easy-to-clean surface instead. They tend to be frightened of people until they get to know you. Alternatively, you can use a plastic office chair mat to cover a small area of the carpet. link to How to Safely Take a House Rabbit Outside for Playtime. If you want to make your own bitter apple spray, combine two cups of apple cider vinegar with one cup of regular white vinegar. Baseboards are another concern for chewing rabbits, namely all rabbits. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years. Great job! This prevents your rabbit from being able to burrow underneath. If you're worried about your rabbit chewing on wooden furniture, spray it with bitter apple spray. Electrical shocks and burns are seen in rabbits that chew on wires. Utilize ceiling lights whenever possible or keep lamps on a table. Normally, the spikes face down into the carpet to hold the runner in place. I also position pieces of furniture in corners to keep my bun away from these tempting digging spots. Unfortunately, for many bunny lovers, this means their carpeting is the victim of their bunny's behavior. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. You want to keep any objects that are harmful to rabbits outside of their reach. Wires look like roots. It just wont happen. If you have carpeting that has been chewed or is especially vulnerable to being chewed (corners that lift up) try placing furniture, litter boxes (if your rabbit is litter box trained), area rugs, or mats meant to be chewed by rabbits on those spots. Then you will receive tips and tricks about rabbit care straight to your inbox so that you know youll be taking excellent care of your new rabbit. The PVC tubing will be too difficult for your rabbit to bite through. Its also not really an option if you live in an apartment or rent your home if you arent allowed to make alterations. ", wooden blocks, paper tubes, and cardboard boxes, https://bestfriends.org/resources/bunny-proofing-your-home, https://www.longislandrabbitrescue.org/bunny-proofing.htm, https://www.wideopenpets.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-raising-a-free-roam-cage-free-bunny/, http://humanesocietysoco.org/New/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Rabbit-Proofing-Your-Home.pdf, https://www.petful.com/other-pets/pet-rabbit-care-guide/, https://www.vetwest.com.au/pet-library/rabbit-housing, https://kb.rspca.org.au/i-just-got-a-new-rabbit-can-you-give-me-some-general-advice-on-its-care_36.html, http://www.rabbithaven.org/litter-training/, https://www.longislandrabbitrescue.org/housing.htm, https://www.petmd.com/rabbit/conditions/digestive/c_rb_poisoning. Sometimes you only need to rabbit proof the room where you let your rabbit out to exercise. Always keep your rabbit away from ashes, even if the ashes are cold. In the wild, its the female rabbit (the doe) that digs the new tunnels to nest in, with her litter of baby bunnies. Youll want to make sure you refresh the toys and treats in the box every now and then, but this is a happy way for your rabbit to partake in her natural behavior without hurting your house. But Ive been taking action and implementing some changes to help keep my rabbits digging habits from destroying the house. Digging and chewing are natural behaviors for your rabbit, so you need to give them an opportunity to use their natural instincts without being destructive. Cords and wires are not only things that are hard to replace on lamps and electronics but they are also extremely dangerous to your bunny if they are chewed. Letting your rabbit out of its enclosure and into your home is a great way to keep it entertained. And even if they have enough toys, sometimes they decide they want to chew on the baseboards instead. I put together a guide that goes over all the basics of rabbit care so you have it all in one place. If you are okay with this likely potential, then that's fine (just make sure they aren't actually eating what they dig up). % of people told us that this article helped them. You can also go the cheaper route and put flattened cardboard boxes down along the floor. The best and easiest way to stop your rabbit from accessing these items is to keep them behind closed doors or out of reach. She is trained as a Fear Free Certified Professional to prevent and alleviate fear, anxiety, and stress in pets. You can make your own chew toys using cardboard toilet paper tubes and other items you can find around your house. Because rabbit teeth continuously grow, they need to wear down those teeth. Learn how to Stop your bunny chewing your carpet. By bunny proofing your home, your rabbit can explore their domain without getting into trouble. Like with carpets at the corners of a room, you can also deal with this scenario by putting plastic desk mats down underneath your furniture. You could also use lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar if you prefer. Rabbits love to chew on paper, and books are no exception. Rabbits like to explore areas under furniture, such as sofas or beds. Its natural for rabbits to chew, so stopping all chewing activity may not be possible. Make sure all electrical cords and wires are out of reach of your rabbit. Put anything you need easy access to on the top shelves, and make sure your rabbit cant reach them. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, like how to supervise your rabbit when it's exploring your home, scroll down! You can also keep your rabbit and furnishings safe by confining your rabbit to a smaller area. Last Updated: August 10, 2021 Large PVC piping is another protective option or you can use temporary chewing alternatives like toilet paper and paper towel tubes to slide onto thin table legs and provide your rabbit with something to shred. This could mean locating wire-heavy technology (like a TV station or computer setup) in a room where your rabbit is not allowed. So for our wallets and for our rabbits safety we need to find ways to keep the wires safe. For any piece of furniture that you cant or dont want to block off, this will work well to keep your rabbit from destroying the rug. Ensure that you do not have any toxic plants in the same room as your rabbit. But thats not always possible, so heres where a little reorganizing will do the trick. There is a corner of the room with a patch of carpet missing because of my girl (Oops!). I am here to make sure all of you rabbit lovers have everything you need to care for your fluffy little bundle of joy. It is a natural part of their behavior and trying to force them to stop is like telling them to stop being a rabbit. There are also lotion or cream options if you need something other than a spray. These can be rabbit-proofed. Rabbits are natural burrowers, which means digging is a natural behavior for your rabbit. This gives you time to notice your rabbits behavior and replace the plastic cover. Shake well and spray wherever you need to. You can use wire and plastic storage cube pieces that snap together and lean up against the wall, short pieces of wooden fence pickets individually attached with removable adhesive pieces (i.e. Then you want to get some plastic bins that will fit on the lower shelves and pack them with the rest of you books. You can set up hooks along the wall and behind furniture to make sure your wires are lifted and your rabbit cant get to them. But we all know that chewing on wires can be really dangerous for bunnies, especially if your rabbit finds something while its plugged in. Follow the Bunny Lady and her bunny partner Elusive and they seek to educate rabbit caretakers and make sure everyone is able to have a happy and healthy bunny in their home. Rabbits love to nest in soft upholstery such as beds and couches, as these spaces are warm and dark, and feel secure. She got a number of those DIY storage cubes, and linked them up (using zip ties) in a full perimeter around her room so her boys couldnt chew on the wall. Check out the store for T-shirts, face masks, mugs, sweat shirts and more! To rabbit-proof your home, cover any wires with plastic tubing so your rabbit can't chew through them, or tape them up high so they're out of reach. They can also manage to knock down these appliances, potentially causing a fire. Take your rabbit to a veterinarian immediately if it shows any worrying symptoms such as seizures, a loss of appetite, lethargy, or a lack of body temperature regulation. My rabbit, Elusive learned how to open cabinet doors. With just a little more work, you can keep your rabbit from getting into anything dangerous or destroying anything important. Theres a big hole in the rug. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I now. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Bitter apple spray prevents rabbits from chewing as it has a bad flavor that your rabbit wont like. Sometimes they will decide that these are great places to build a home or nest and theyll start to dig into the carpet underneath the furniture. I am a lifelong rabbit lover and have been specializing with rabbits at my local animal shelter. Then block those areas off from your rabbit. So youll want to take some steps ahead of time, to make sure this doesnt happen. Subscribe to the Bunny Lady e-Newsletter and receive a FREE pdf guidebook going over all the basics of rabbit care. Flex tubing is a popular choice to slide onto furniture legs since it is flexible and comes in different diameters. A solution that I have used with my bun is those flexible cat scratcher mats. If you are having difficulty finding toys that your rabbit actually likes to play with, I recommend this online store called Small Pet Select. This is a way to make a safe place for your rabbit to dig to her little hearts content without destroying your home. Its not the prettiest solution, but it gets the job done. But cardboard and applewood sticks are also good options. Plastic tubing is also called polygon tubing, plumbers tubing, and vacuum tubing. Amy Pratt is a lifelong rabbit owner who has been specializing with rabbits at the Humane Rescue Alliance. You may have to make something to fit the furniture legs in your home if you can't find something to slide over them. It has made me realize the time required and the level of intervention needed. While there are some safe plants, some plants are toxic to rabbits if they eat them and potted plants will just be dug up and make a mess so there are really no good reasons to keep them where your bunny is. Rabbit proofing, also called bunny proofing, is when you go through your home to: The goal is to allow your rabbit to exercise or roam free without having to keep a constant watch on them. However, How Much Time Do You Need to Spend With a Pet Rabbit? Its been a very effective solution for her and definitely worth a shot if youre having some trouble getting your rabbit to stop biting the baseboards. Your rabbit will come across something that looks like a root and think Oh! This is because the ashes can still be caustic. Follow these guides to learn the tried and tested ways bunny moms stop carpet chewing. If your bunny has picked up this troublesome habit we hope this simple advice will help you keep your carpets looking neat and let you share your home with your bunny without any stress. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6a\/Rabbit%E2%80%90Proof-Your-Home-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Rabbit%E2%80%90Proof-Your-Home-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6a\/Rabbit%E2%80%90Proof-Your-Home-Step-1.jpg\/aid653657-v4-728px-Rabbit%E2%80%90Proof-Your-Home-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"