Is Your Rabbit Chewing Your House Down? Here’s How To Stop Him

February 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

RabbitHutchesPlus.comWhat would you rather, your bunny chewing on your grandmother’s treasured rocking chair or on it’s on personal chew toy? I’m pretty sure that most of you answered on it’s on personal chew toy. Although, chewing on your grandmothers rocking chair won’t necessarily hurt you rabbit there are some things around your house that must be rabbit-proofed before your bunny can be set free.


Some of the things that rabbits love to chew on are carpet edges, books, wooden furniture legs, shoes, telephone cords, electric cords, curtains, socks, hairbrushes, toilet paper, purses, cell phones, picture frames, stuffed toys, cat and dog food and the list goes on but their most favorite things to chew on that they’ll choose first over everything else are books (paperback and hardback), electric cords, remote control buttons, and shoes. The electric stuff is obviously the most dangerous that they can chew on and can be fatal to your rabbit and could potentially burn your house down in the process.


Some things can be easy to keep your rabbit from chewing on them such as books and shoes. Just keep the books on a bookshelf out of reach from your bunny and keep shoes hidden away in a closet that is off limits. Then there are some things like electric cords and wooden furniture legs that are a little more difficult to protect from the almighty gnawing teeth of the rabbit.


For electric cords many owners have found success by wrapping the cords in clear fish tank airline. Just spit the plastic tubing down the middle and wrap it around the cords. This will not prevent the rabbit from chewing the cords but this will prevent it from hurting its self and others. Be sure to check the tubing on a regular basis and replace it when it starts to wear through to the bare cords.


If you don’t want to use aquarium tubing to wrap your electric cords with then some alternatives to that are using spiral wrap specifically made for wrapping cables and should be available at your local electronics stores. Also, some automotive stores have black plastic covering that comes in different diameters and is already spit down the middle for you.


Another thing that you want to pay close attention to and be sure not to let your rabbit eat is dry cat and dog food. Your rabbit would love nothing more but to nibble on the dry food and this can cause very severe digestive problems to it so be sure if you have a cat or a dog to keep their food in a place where your bunny cannot get to it.


For wooden furniture legs many owners find it helpful to wrap the wooden legs in plastic or bubble wrap. The other alternative to that is to just keep the rooms that have expensive furniture with wooden legs off limits to the rabbit. The bubble wrap will not deter the rabbit from chewing but will protect the wood while the plastic lasts. Also be sure to check the bubble wrap on a regular basis to replace it as needed.


It’s also important to have plenty of your rabbits chew toys lying around the room when you let it out to play and exercise. This will also help distract your rabbit from chewing on the things that he shouldn’t be chewing on. Last but not least it’s always very important to keep your rabbit under your constant supervision while you have it out of its cage.


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Filed Under: Caring For Your Rabbit Tagged With: rabbit chew toy, rabbit chewing, stop chewing

6 Things You Must Do Before You Let Your Bunny Roam

January 21, 2010 By admin 1 Comment

Rabbit CareThe combination of rabbits being very curious animals and loving to gnaw on things gives them the potential to be very dangerous to themselves, you, and your house if some measures aren’t taken to protect you, your house and your rabbit.


Here are some things you should very strongly consider doing before you let your rabbit free to roam and play around your house:

  1. Rabbits love to hole up in small, tight spaces so one thing to do before letting your bunny roam is to scan the room for any holes or small gaps that your rabbit could get into and possibly get stuck. If there are too many for comfort then consider using another room of your house to let your bunny roam and get his exercise.


  2. Rabbits have been know to also burrow down into the nooks and crannies of recliners and sofas and it’s not hard to figure out what will happen if your rabbit did this and someone sat on him. So cover these hazardous spots up and always keep a close eye on your furry friend while he’s playing.


  3. Look for loose objects on the floor that could potentially be harmful to your bunny or even fatal if swallowed. It’s even a very good idea to get down at his level and look underneath furniture to make sure nothing harmful is waiting for him there.


  4. Unless you’re letting your rabbit play around in your garage or your kitchen, which is not a good idea, then worrying about toxic chemicals shouldn’t be an issue. Stranger things have happened so be on the look out for toxic substances such as cleaning supplies, anti-freeze, fertilizer, rat poison, pesticides, and anything else that could poison your furry friend.


  5. Make sure that there are no waste buckets or whatever else you keep your trash in that your bunny could get into. Not only could he end up creating a big mess for you to clean up, he could also get into something that could harm or kill him.


  6. If you’re a lover of house plants make sure that they’re well out of the reach of your bunny before you set him free to roam and play. Rabbits will get into these and eat them and most houseplants could be harmful or fatal to them if eaten.


    7.

In closing, always remember to never let your rabbit out of your supervision while he’s playing. Keep a constant and close eye on him and everyone will be safe and happy.


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9 Important Things To Know About Your Rabbits Cage

January 15, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

There are some things you need to know when choosing your rabbit’s cage or hutch and then there are some tips about cage courtesy that your rabbit is sure to appreciate.
When shopping around for your rabbit’s cage make sure it:

  1. Has a solid floor or is made with plastic slats. If you’re planning on litter training your rabbit, and hopefully you are, then the best type of cage to shop for is a cage with a solid floor.


  2. Has enough room to fit 5 very important necessities that I mentioned in a previous article. Those five things are a water bottle, a food bowl, a hayrack, a nesting box and of course a litter box. Also, be sure to notice how wide the openings are between the bars. Any cage that has bars that are more than 1 to 2 inches apart from each other may be too big for your rabbit. This could result in your rabbit getting its leg or head stuck in between the openings resulting in a possible injury.


  3. Is physique friendly. By that I mean try to steer clear of multi-level cages. The truth is that rabbits are afraid of heights. So a multi-level cage can be very intimidating to them.


  4. A reasonably large enough living area. The House Rabbit Society says that at the very least a rabbit’s cage should be four times bigger than your rabbit. So in other words, the bigger the better. This is within reason of course. Your obviously not going to have a cage that fills the entire space of your living room or wherever you decide to put your rabbit’s cage.



    5. When looking for a place in your home to put your rabbit’s cage, please take these very important points into consideration:

    1. Never house your bunny friend next to TV’s and loud speakers. Ok, that was obvious huh? You would be surprised though just how many people unintentionally overlook this important detail and have their rabbit’s cage sitting right next to the family’s super expensive sound system. This can wreak havoc on the bunny’s very delicate nerves. How would you feel if your bed were right up against the wall that the neighbors like to put their heart-stopping sub-woofers against? :)


    2. Do not put your rabbits cage in a basement or an attic. There usually isn’t enough ventilation in these areas.


    3. Since windows can magnify the sun’s rays and make it hotter it’s not a very good idea to place your rabbits cage in front of a window where direct sunlight shines through during the day.


    4. Even though it’s not good to place your bunny’s cage in direct sunlight it still is important to place his cage in a well-lit area.


    5. Rabbits need to be in total darkness for at least 8 hours just like we need to sleep 6 to 8 hours in total darkness every night. No night lights, no street lamps shining through the windows or any other source of light for 8 hours. If this near impossible for you to do then covering the cage with a blanket that blocks out all light will do the trick.


    6. And last, avoid placing your rabbits cage where the temperature tends to get extreme. Places to avoid would be next to heating and air-conditioning vents. Places like this also tend to blow out dust every once in a while which could upset your rabbits respiratory tract.



      7. A well taken care of rabbit is a healthy and happy rabbit, which in turn makes you, the owner, happy. So always be considerate of your little friend. I hope this helps.

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Filed Under: Caring For Your Rabbit Tagged With: rabbit cage, rabbit home, rabbit hutch

The Rabbit’s Sanctuary

January 10, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Rabbit CageIf you’re a guy reading this article then you know all about ‘man caves’ and how cool and important it is to have one. That place you go to, to just hang out maybe by yourself or with your guy friends while passing the time away playing games or music or whatever your favorite past time is. If you’re a lady reading this article I can’t convey the importance of a ‘man cave’ to you, it’s just a guy thing but ladies you also know how nice it is to sometimes just go away in your room or day spa away from everyone else for some ‘you’ time and just read a book or take a nap or whatever your favorite past time is.


Well, the same thing applies to your pet rabbit and it’s cage. The rabbit’s cage is not a prison but a place where he can go when he just wants to be alone. His cage should feel like a home or a sanctuary to him. It should be a place where he can feel secure and comfortable in. This is a special and very crucial need for your rabbit. So here are some tips to make your rabbit’s cage feel like a den or sanctuary and not a prison.


The first tip is to always keep your rabbit’s cage clean. That was a no-brainer huh? But the catch is do not clean your rabbit’s cage while it’s still in the cage. Set it out to play and then clean it’s cage.


The second tip is to keep it comfortable and secure with familiar toys, a nice, soft blanket, and a treat from time to time.


The third tip is to never force your rabbit out of its nest box or cage when they’re not willing to come out. They’re in that nest box for a reason and want to stay in there until they’re ready to come out. Don’t force them out just because you just got your second wind and want to play hide and seek at that moment.


The fourth tip is to never associate your rabbit’s cage with a way of punishing it. This will only cause your precious pet to be uncomfortable and tense every time you put him in his cage or hutch.


The fifth and very important tip is to never do things to your bunny that it doesn’t like while it’s inside of its cage. Like I said before, the rabbit’s cage should be a place of rest and comfort not a place of discomfort or aggravation. So, for example, if you’re ready to play and rough your rabbit up a little and they’re relaxing inside their ‘man cave’ and don’t feel like playing then show your bunny respect and let it have its alone time. Your furry friend will in turn show you respect. :)

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9 Things That Your Indoor Rabbit Must Have

January 5, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

RabbitsIt’s a great joy to have an indoor rabbit as they can provide a great deal of satisfaction for the owner. However, there are 10 things that an indoor bunny must have in order to make it the most pleasurable experience possible for the both of you.  Other than having a rabbit cage, you must also have:

  1. Litter Box: Rabbits urinate out behind them in a horizontal spray so it’s important when picking your litter box to make sure that it’s deep enough to keep your rabbit’s spray on the inside.  It’s also very important to get a litter box small enough to fit inside your rabbit’s cage and not take up all of the room but also big enough for the rabbit to comfortably sit in.  A small cat litter box or even a small plastic shoebox will do the trick but it’s recommended to get a corner hugging litter box that is ideal to your rabbit’s specific needs and won’t take up too much room in it’s cage.


  2. Litter: What’s a litter box without litter, right? Yes, it’s very important to provide your rabbit’s litter box with litter but here is a quick run down of some things that you should not use as litter:
    • Clay Based Cat Litter: Not only does the dust from the kitty litter irritate your rabbit’s respiratory tract but it can also kill your rabbit if eaten by causing an intestinal impaction. So please, please, please do not use cat litter. Just because you may use a cat litter box for your rabbit doesn’t mean you have to stock it with cat litter as well.
    • Cedar and Pine Beddings: Avoid these at all costs. Cedar and pine beddings can potentially damage your rabbit’s liver.
    • Corn Cob Bedding: There are two factors that make corncob bedding not an ideal litter for your rabbit. The first problem is that it’s not very absorbent. The second and more serious problem is that it can cause intestinal blockage if eaten by your rabbit, which can lead to some very serious problems and could even be fatal to your little fur ball of joy. So if you have corn cob bedding for rabbit litter on your shopping list go ahead and scratch it off now :)
    • Newspapers: Although newspapers will not put your rabbit in any kind of danger and are absorbent they do not control the odor that I’m absolutely positive your little furry friend will put out. The truth is that rabbit urine is very strong smelling so it’s important to use something that’s absorbent and also controls odor. If you want to use newspapers you can add a layer of hay on top to help absorb and control the odor.

    So what’s the best litter to use in your rabbit’s litter box? Well I’m glad you asked. The ideal litter is pelleted bedding. This type of litter includes compressed sawdust, cellulose, aspen, and paper. Pelleted bedding also will not harm your rabbit if eaten and rabbits always tend to eat a little of their litter. And last but not least pelleted bedding is very absorbent and tends to draw moisture away from the surface.

  3. Food Bowl: Rabbits like to tip things over so when choosing a bowl make sure it’s one that would be hard to tip over. Also make sure that it’s not too deep, as this would prevent your rabbit, especially baby bunnies and smaller breeds, from being able to eat.


  4. Water Bowl: Yes bottle, not a bowl. A water bowl can be used but rabbits love to tip things and a water bowl is no exception to the rule. Having a water bowl will only create a mess. A water bottle with a metal tip that hangs on the side of the cage is the ideal water supply for your rabbit.


  5. Hay Rack: Hay is a very important part of your rabbit’s diet and in order to keep your bunny friend’s cage and your house free of hay a hayrack is necessary. The hayrack hangs from the side of the cage and keeps the hay in one place where it belongs.


  6. Chew Blocks: Rabbits have a constant urge to gnaw because their teeth are always growing. Chew blocks will keep your rabbit from chewing the wooden legs off of your sofa :)


  7. Nest Box: Rabbits like to hole up in a dark place and be by themselves from time to time so a nest box takes care of this need. Beware of the wood only nest box. Your rabbit will chew it to bits.


  8. Bedding: Your rabbit’s nest box will need some bedding, of course. Hay, an old t-shirt, an old soft rag or anything else rabbit-friendly would be much appreciated by your furry pal.


  9. First Aid Kit You never know when your bunny will need some quick minor medical attention so keep one of these handy at all times.



    10. I hope this information helps :)

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Filed Under: Caring For Your Rabbit Tagged With: rabbit cage, rabbit hay, rabbit hutch, rabbit litter, rabbit water bottle