Rabbits are super pets. Ask any bunny owner. Rabbits are cuddly, quiet; full of personality, affordable, fairly small and they get along well with other pets. Plus they are cute and really soft, how can you not love that? As a proud owner of my own long eared friend I have to say who needs a dog when you could own a bunny (ok, ok dogs are pretty great too)?
I would like to introduce to you the cutest, fluffiest, most spoiled rabbit that ever lived. My very own rabbit Miss Lily!
There is a lot to be learned and experienced when owning a rabbit, so much that I don’t think I could even come close to covering half of it in just one blog entry. With that being said I think the most surprising thing I found when first owning my own rabbit was the destruction they can sometimes cause when out of view (those sneaky rabbits!). Here are some tips about bunny proofing your home! Yay! For being able to own nice things and a rabbit at the same time!!
Like any pet, bunnies can cause a small or big amount of destruction if not closely watched while out of their kennels. Within our household Lily has earned herself the reputation of being a goat. She will eat just about anything you put in front of her, or at least give it a little taste if it seems interesting enough. Rabbits love chewing, digging, grazing and chewing some more. It’s important to protect both your bunny and your possessions by bunny proofing your home; this is essential for indoor rabbits.
First, start by thwarting your bunny’s natural tendency to chew everything in site by removing tempting items. Cords of ANY kind are a big hit with rabbits: telephone, lamp and stereo wires. Make wires inaccessible by keeping them up high on unreachable counters or tables, using decorative wire concealers, spiral cable wrap or PVC tubing.
Rabbits also love to chew on wood. Wood items around your home such as furniture, baseboards and other knickknacks are likely targets. The best advice is to limit your bunny’s access to such items. Offer your bunny acceptable chewing toys instead.
I highly recommend building a wooden structure around your wooden furniture to keep your bunny from chewing the wood. I, myself married a handsome man who is a creative carpenter. He was able to build simple wooden structures around the legs of our furniture that keeps Lily away from those problem areas. The use of a non-toxic stain or paint to cover your furniture or make shift barriers will taste unappealing to your bunny and keep them away for good.
A curious bunny will also graze, so be aware of houseplants! While houseplants may seem like a good snack some may be poisonous. Hang your indoor plants if possible but watch for any falling leaves .
The list for what your bunny can and will get in to can go on and on. The best way to be proactive about destruction is to be observant of your bunny. What does your bunny like to do? Lily loves to eat carpet and chew on the corners of our walls…she just loves the taste of that chalky dry wall. By observing these habits we have learned to evolve and better the bunny proofing in our home.
Plastic corner covers found at your local hardware store help with our walls and a good ‘ole handy spray bottle of water helps with the chewing of our carpet. The more your rabbit is trained to stay away from these areas the more likely they will. The key is to be consistent!
Happy Bunny Proofing! – Nichole and Lily
Oswego Vet 