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 Pet Central
Q&A
Q: Bunny, our rabbit,
is litter box trained, and generally well behaved but she gnaws on furniture
and scratches doors. I have plenty of boxes and other things for her to
chew on but she continues to pick the furniture. I plan on getting new
furniture. What should I do? -- B.E., Austin, Texas
A: Either get wrought-iron
furniture or follow the advice of Chicago rabbit behaviorist Margo Lakin:
Provide even more things for your bunny to gnaw on. Toss plenty of shredded
newspaper (we give you permission to include this column), and/or aspen
shavings or straw inside a box. Put the paper, shavings and/or straw inside
a plastic litter box to fit inside this play box, just in case Bunny makes
a boo-boo. Get out there and compete with the squirrels for pine
cones (let them dry for 30 days to allow the cyanide to dissipate), or
pick up tree branches (don’t use anything from an oak tree, however, and
let fruit tree branches dry for 30 days to allow the cyanide to dissipate).
You can also purchase
wood blocks made for small mammals.
It’s extremely important
to offer lots of Timothy hay and fiber in your rabbit’s diet. And Lakin
recommends a treat called Puffs for small mammals as another alternative
for bunnies with the munchies.
Now, about that scratching:
Keep Bunny’s nails clipped. Generally, rabbits don’t scratch at a door
unless they want in or out of a room. Lakin suggests you open the door
and put up a gate instead; leave the door closed and put up a piece of
plywood where the rabbit is scratching; or attach a Plexiglas panel to
the base of the door.
If you catch Bunny
either scratching or gnawing at furniture, act like a mother rabbit and
stomp your feet and say "no." You might also spray Bunny with
water using a plant mister. That will work best if you spray so fast Bunny
doesn’t realize the misting came from you.
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