# Nibbling at clothes..??



## megs (Jun 28, 2011)

Of course Harley is new.. And I just don't want her to develop the habit to nibble clothes.. and think she can get away with it.. 

When on anybody's knee she sometimes just starts to nibble on clothes.. not so she puts a hole i nit.. But i just want her stop.. I don't want her to think it is ok.. Cos' she might just put a hole in clothing...!

Just wanna' know!

thanks.. 
Or is it cos' she is a young bunny!



Megs


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## SOOOSKA (Jun 28, 2011)

Good luck, I have had many pieces of very good clothing chewed by Buttercup. My suggestion wear old clothing when you are holding Harley. 

I honestly have no idea what to say to you to stop it. I don't think they understand the word "NO".

People may say to raise your voice and say no, to me that will only scare them. Buttercup is almost 13 now and he doesn't chew anymore. So hopefully Harley will live a LONG life and outgrow the chewing.

Susan:expressionless


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## gmas rabbit (Jun 28, 2011)

Benjamin is a real chewer. If he is snuggled up to you he will chew on you shirt, or the pillow or the sheets or the comforter. He seems to really enjoy chewing. I make a point of pushing his head away each and every time. That he seems to understand better than no. As I have told before, my mom-in-law was rabbit sitting and was told to put her clothing up high at night when she went to bed, so that Benjamin wouldn't chew on it. She forgot and woke up to Benjamin running around the bedroom with her bra wrapped around his ears. She has never said how many holes were chewed in it, but I guess she had a good laugh.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Jun 28, 2011)

Most will jump on me for this, but I will 'slap' them. Or like take 2 fingers together so its not a full hand and tap them with it, letting them know I don't like their behavior. I don't do it hard enough to hurt them in any way, but it gets their focus off the chewing. I refuse to tolerate bad behavior from rabbits. And if they continue to nibble then they can be put back in their cage. Generally its the babies who do it, and its easy to correct.


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## jujub793 (Jun 28, 2011)

my willow is a chewer.... and she can chew a hole faster than the blink of an eye! she has put holes in pants, shirts, sheets, blankets, towels, couches....you name it. I hope she grows out of it (she is a year old now) but so far she stills loves to chew cloth. :X


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## lagomorph (Jun 28, 2011)

You could try giving her something to chew on while you hold her, such as a twig from a fruit tree.

One of mine loves to chew clothing, and I have never bothered to try to break her of the habit, figuring it's the normal way a rabbit explores its environment. I have special "rabbit clothes" I wear when I handle her. The sleeves are full of little holes, but I don't care. If you go this route, be sure to choose shirts/sweaters without buttons or zippers, as she might chew and eat these. Mine once ate a few zipper teeth. Fortunately, she was no worse for the wear, but I would not want to risk it again.


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## Nancy McClelland (Jun 29, 2011)

Chewing comes naturally to bunnies. So;me more so than others a clothing chewers though. Good luck.


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## SOOOSKA (Jun 29, 2011)

Honestly I don't think chewing is bad behaviour. 

I would NEVER "hit" my rabbits. To me that is sinful.:shock:

Susan


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## megs (Jun 29, 2011)

OK! 

Thanks guys for the help.. 
My mum suggested to put a tea towel on me to she can chew that.. instead of my school uniform :biggrin2:!!

But I guess she has to grow out of it... 
But when she gets comfy and settled she will rest and let you stroke her continuously... :innocent 

Gotta' get her more comfy quicker... :wink:wink


Thanks again


Megs


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## MiniLopHop (Jun 29, 2011)

My husband learned the hard way to keep his clothes picked up off the bedroom floor. He left a tshirt too close to Becky's play pen and she pulls it through the bars. In her little project she ends up putting holes in the material. It is now her toy. Every morning I pull it out from between the bars so it it laying right at the edge. She spends the day pulling it back in.

The funniest part is that the play pen door is open! If she really wanted to have the shirt all she would have to do is walk around the outside of the bars. I think she enjoys the project of trying the hard way.


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## NDrAbBiTs58041 (Jul 10, 2011)

Hello, im new to the site and to rabbits/bunnies. We just got a holland lop bunny 7-8-11 and seemed fine. The next day she seemed squirly and wanted to get down, but putting "firm" pressure on her she seemed to calm down. A fee mintues after being out of the cage she was biting me. ( reading the posts on here, its seems to be "normal") but talking to her and petting her she stopped. Today I took her out, again squirmy but calmed down, hoever a few minutes after being out of cage, she was licking me. Do the these behaviors mean anything? Might be stupid ?'s but again, im new to bunnies! any help would be helpful. Thankx


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## Nancy McClelland (Jul 10, 2011)

Bunnies naturally don't like to be picked up and held, although there are exceptions. Nipping is a normal response. When they start licking or grooming, it's a sign of affection.


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## NDrAbBiTs58041 (Jul 10, 2011)

Ok, thank you! I thought maybe thats what she was doing but again, being new I wasn't sure.


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## juliew19673 (Jul 12, 2011)

Bunnies are the BEST MOM ever as they teach you to put your clothes away (hang them up, put them in a closed hamper, back in the drawer) or ELSE you will have holes in clothes...

NEVER hit your bun, redirect, put in a pen, make a noise - again NEVER hit.. Chewing is their need (think if your teeth continued to grow 24/7 and had to be wittled down somehow), your job as a human is to give them something to chew ON..


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## lagomorph (Jul 12, 2011)

Well said, juliew!


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## wawacrates (Jul 22, 2011)

two things to try. 

my rabbits have been going crazy chewing on the trim around the lower portion of the wall in my closet. whenever they start chewing, from behind them, i gently lower my hand onto their back and slide it between them and the wall, then i gently nudge away from the wall. I've done it so many times that most of the time, theyll start chewing and then stop around the time i would have nudged them away, as if they were anticipating it. thats one

the other one, im not entirely certain of and my require additional research. making a high pitched noise (not loud, just high pitched) while the rabbit is chewing on your clothing or your person will cause the rabbit to associate that noise with the infliction of pain, therefore, the rabbit will think it has hurt you and will most likely stop what it is doing. 

I dont really do this one, as i dont completely understand it and am not entirely certain that it doesnt scare the rabbits, but if you cant get anything else to work, this one may work for you


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## megs (Jul 25, 2011)

Harley now.. only will sit on me and groom herself and casually rest on me. If she sits on a different person's knee she always chew there clothing and digs at them!
:biggrin:

But behaves on my lap!:innocent:innocent:innocent


Megs


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