# Biting/Chewing/Nipping Clothes



## Sir Binksalot (Aug 30, 2013)

Hi! I am a proud new mother to a 2/3 month old Holland Lop whom Ive named Bink aka Sir Binksalot. He is an adorable bunny who loves sitting on laps for pets, and doesn't mind being picked up so long as he has had a few pets before hand. 

I love this little guy for bits, and Ive only had him for a week (come Sunday) but in the time Ive had him Ive noticed he is obsessed with nibbling and pulling on my clothes. I've read quite a bit about this behavior but it still baffles me. I've tried squealing and jumping a bit when he does it but he just stops for a second and then goes right back to nibbling and pulling until he is content.

I find the behavior cute but he tends to catch my skin unless I watch him and keep the areas he is chewing on away from me. I read that perhaps he is trying to get me to move but when I move over he will follow me to keep nibbling. If I stand up and walk to the other side of the pen sometimes he follows me just to nibble at the bottom of my pants or skirts. Plus if im right outside of the pen he will stick his face through the bars just to try to nibble my pants

Yesterday he was so attracted to my skirt I just left it in his pen with him to watch his behavior. He nibbled, pulled and dug at it for quite a while!

Could anyone help explain this behavior, as well ways to keep him from doing it? Does anyone think he will stop/slow down once he has been neutered?


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Aug 30, 2013)

What I found that worked was to give them something acceptable to chew on as soon as they do it, as an alternative. I also found that the squealing out loud didn't always work so each time Sophie nibbled my clothes I gave her a wooden chew toy instead. It seems to be working because she hardly does it at all anymore. I don't think she'll stop completely but it's a lot better than before. Also sometimes they just like to check out new things with their teeth. I probably wouldn't give your personal clothes as an offering because that will just make that behaviour acceptable to them in my opinion.


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## Sir Binksalot (Aug 31, 2013)

He only got to play with my clothing the day I put it in the pen to see what his reaction was and the following day. After thinking about it I figured it may reinforce the bad behavior so I replaced it with a sheet. He really seems to enjoy burrowing and rearranging fabric so we put it in there for him.

Ill try giving him a wooden toy or piece of cardboard next time he tries it! Since he is so persistent Im sure the next time I go in there I will get to try it out. If he just tries to push the toy or cardboard out of the way or move around it should I just persist in trying to get him to nom on it instead?


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## Sophie's Humble Servant (Aug 31, 2013)

I think if he's the type of rabbit that doesn't ingest cloth fibres then there's probably nothing wrong with letting him have his own towel, blanket etc to dig. I personally can't let my rabbit have those things because I've witnessed her eating it. She will however dig and nibble on seagrass mats and coconut fibre mats so I give her those and she can eat it and I don't have to worry. I think every rabbit is different and they will have their preference of what they want to chew on...hopefully the preference isn't your flesh lol!


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