Bunny enclosures

How To Stop Your Bunny Chewing Its Cage

bunny chewing cage Bunnies chew their cage for a number of reasons. To stop it you have to understand why

Bunnies chew their enclosures for a number of reasons and if your bunny is a repeat offender this behavior can become very frustrating.

In this article we look at the various reasons for this unwanted behavior and show you what other bunny owners do to stop it.

Bunnies are sociable creatures

If your bunny is aware that you are at home and feels that it is not allowed to join you and might be missing out on fun or food, then chewing at the door to an enclosure is typical.

Remember rabbis need a few hours a day of socialization as a minimum so you will need to find the time for this.

It's important not to reward bad behavior. Attention seeking chewing can be made worse if you get into the habit of giving your bunny a treat or two to make it stop.

This will reinforce this behavior and you could be making it worse.

bunny looking through bars It's no fun missing out

Chewing is healthy behavior for bunnies

Bunnies are constantly chewing, their teeth grow continuously throughout their lives so they are always looking for tough materials to help wear them down.

You will need to enrich your bunnies environment with lots of suitable alternatives.

First and foremost, lots of fresh hay is very important, you bunny should be eating a stack of hay almost the same size as itself each day.

Any wicker or willow bunny chews will provide an excellent alternative however there are lots of freely available alternatives such as a cardboard box and old toilet roll tubes that work just as well.

Bunnies are constantly looking for roughage to eat as it is vital for their digestion to work well and they will happily chew on wood or other soft materials we consider indigestible for the fiber it contains.

Chew toys we recommend to use as a tasty destruction

Enrichment

Bunnies if left alone with nothing to do will get bored and become restless. It's important for your bunnies health and happiness to have lots of toys and things to do in their enclosure to keep them occupied.

Fun toys we recommend to stop your bunny getting bored
bunny chewing willow toy Bunnies should eat a stack of hay each day

Using bitter strays

A common defense for unwanted chewing behavior is to use a bitter spray however it's unlikely this will work as a single solution as the taste does not seem to put all bunnies off so you are best to use this alongside more positive things that you can do to help. If you do find it works for you remember to apply it on a regular basis as it will wear out.

A good way of applying it without spraying it everywhere is to first stray some onto a cloth and then wipe it directly on to the areas you want.

Always buy a product suitable for bunnies and be wary of homemade alternatives that may be suggested to you such as perfume or chilly oil as these can be harmful.

bitter spray button Bitter spray

Why does my bunny chew his cage?

wild rabbit eating flowers

Rabbits have strong front teeth that grow constantly throughout their lives and can chew and eat many things we would consider indigestible.

In their natural habitat they shape their environment by chewing things and finding a way through too somewhere by chewing through comes naturally to them.

How do I stop my bunny chewing its cage