# HELP! Rabbit biting carpet!!!



## LadyBones (Nov 14, 2011)

HELP!! My rabbit Boscoe will not stop attacking our carpet. He sometimes tries to attack my shoes. I have tried everything I can think of to get him to stop. I have made noises, clapped and said "No" firmly, I've tried perfume on the carpet, I've put him in his crate when he does it for time out, I have tried putting paper for him to chew on the places he attacks but he does it everywhere in the living room. There is no particular place he chews he just does it at random. I have even tried spraying him with water (I hate doing that I just don't think its a good idea and so far he's still doing it). 

So now what? I'm desperate, we rent and I don't want him tearing the house up, I want him to have free reign but no amount of bunny proofing the house is stopping him. 

ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!!!! THANK YOU!!!!ray:


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## Bugsy12 (Nov 15, 2011)

My rabbits a outside rabbit but im out their every hour or 2 and LuLu trys to eat bottom of my shoe of laces and everything i wear shes now starting to bite my clothing


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## LaylaLop (Nov 15, 2011)

Is Boscoe neutered? Maybe you could put him in a playpen in an area like in the bathroom or kitchen where it's tile? I say free-roam of the house is something to be earned and if they're destroying your flooring, they get supervised out of cage time in a more restricted area.. My rabbit is still young and doesn't know what she should or shouldn't chew on so I give her supervised time out of cage daily, but not free-roam. Maybe with time and better litterbox habits, but not right now.


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## LakeCondo (Nov 15, 2011)

> I say free-roam of the house is something to be earned and if they're destroying your flooring, they get supervised out of cage time in a more restricted area.


Exactly right. You have to be the boss at times like this. It's also good practice for your upcoming parenthood. Congratulations on that BTW.


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## patches2593 (Nov 19, 2011)

first,i wouldnt use perfume on the carpet because it could SERIOUSLY harm them. try having treats just spread out across the floor and stuff to chew on and shred


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## Nancy McClelland (Nov 19, 2011)

We had to fence Commander Bun-Bun out of any area with carpet or she would put holes in it in no time. Never was able to get her to stop till we put tile and hardwood in.


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## Serenity73 (Nov 20, 2011)

Oh goodness, my Cinder started ruining my carpet and I tried everything to but she still persists. She lives mainly outdoors now because of a Giant hole she made in my bedroom. She comes in on occasion and when shes not knocking on the doors she still tries to chew the carpet. Is there a certain area your bun is chewing? I would cover it with a box or something but if its everywhere that is another issue. Might have to move your bun somewhere carpet free.


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## xsparkleworksx (Nov 21, 2011)

I wouldn't put him back into his hutch when he is doing something wrong as he will start associating this with it being a prison where he's put when he's done something bad! My bun seems to get the idea that clapping loudly is "NO", he is only very young but when he tries to chew something that isn't meant to be nibbled I will clap and he will leave it alone.

Persistence is the key to this, every time your bun scratches the carpet try clapping, it should startle him and he won't find scratching the carpet as enjoyable with such an irritating sound. Make sure you always watch him though while he is out of his hutch.


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## LadyBones (Nov 21, 2011)

I have tried clapping loudly and the treats and paper thing it doesn't work. He doesn't scratch the carpet he just bites and pulls and its anywhere in our living room not just one spot. He has so much paper and toys it isn't funny and he still wont' give up. I have blocked him off from the living room but now he is just trying to tear other things up such as furniture and anything he can get to. I've put everything I can out of reach but he wont' stop. He seems angry at me for doing this but I can't have him destroying our house. It's stressed me out pretty bad and frustrated me because I've never had a rabbit that was so hell bent on causing so much trouble. Like I said before, he has tons of toys and unlimited hay and paper to shred and he insists on chewing our stuff. It's gotten now to the point where I think he enjoys making us upset. If he is out an about and behaving himself and I go to pick him up I can't because he runs off. If he's doing something bad and I clap and say a sharp "No" he doesn't stop pulling the carpet until I stop what I'm doing (usually reading a book with one eye and watching him with the other)and go pick him up and he doesn't fight me. It's so weird. The look in his eye when he's doing it is nothing short of disturbing, it's like the devil is in him or something =(


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## xsparkleworksx (Nov 21, 2011)

Oh dear he sounds quite a handful. If he's not irritated when you pick him up this shows that he is not doing it to be a nuisance to you as you may think! You are going to have to find some sort of other "horrible" new noise that he doesn't like so the noise doesn't stop until he quits. Make sure it's not too loud or anything - just something he wouldn't like to keep hearing.


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## LadyBones (Nov 21, 2011)

I feel like I've run out of noises =( I've clapped, snapped, whistled, yelled, and made a variety of other weird noises that I don't know how to write and he STILL does it. It's like he can't keep his mouth off of anything. It could be a cord he managed to yank down from where I have it taped up that he's sampling and I can still pick him up. I don't understand it at all. I was thinking if it was an attention thing that if I picked him up and held him, played with him, gave him treats anything that showed him he had my attention he would stop but that doesn't work either. I'm ready to just bang my head against a wall or scream at this point =(


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## LakeCondo (Nov 21, 2011)

You need to confine him to an area that you have covered with a sheet of linoleum or something similar. An xpen or something similar sounds like a must in this.


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## LadyBones (Nov 21, 2011)

Any ideas on where to get a pen that isn't outrageously expensive? Luckily our whole house is hardwood/linolium except for the living room so he has some freedom but he still manages to find trouble. 

He is getting fixed soon, I know this is supposed to help a lot, I'm just hoping it won't ruin his personality.


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## LaylaLop (Nov 21, 2011)

If anything, neutering should help with his destructive behaviors but not take away his friendliness. 

I bought an x-pen on Amazon for $40 with free shipping since I have Prime. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H8YTJI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's not super huge, but I attach it to my Layla's cage and let her have a "front yard" with extra boxes/toys. 

Have you tried a squirt bottle to spray him with when he's being a brat?

Good luck!


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## LadyBones (Nov 21, 2011)

*LaylaLop wrote: *


> If anything, neutering should help with his destructive behaviors but not take away his friendliness.
> 
> I bought an x-pen on Amazon for $40 with free shipping since I have Prime. http://www.amazon.com/Midwest-Black-Exercise-Pen-Inches/dp/B000H8YTJI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1321906946&sr=8-4
> 
> ...



I tried the spray bottle but that did nothing for him other than make him pause his activity for a few seconds =/


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