In this article we take a look at the damage that can happen to these bits of furniture and show you the ways other bunny moms have found to protect them using a variety of bunny proofing measures.
If your bunny likes to nibble at your furniture, it's best to put a stop to this before it become noticeable. What starts as a few scratches here and there can soon turn into the soft wooded edges being completely rounded off.
We have some great tips and tricks to how to protect your table and chair legs that are a common target for unwanted chewing behavior.
We also show you how to set out some simple bunny proofing to keep your furniture out of reach.
Bunny proofing to keep your furniture out of reach
If you want to add some permanent protection, we show you what you can do using tough plastic corner guards.
If you think using a taste deterrent like a bitter spray could help, we have details on what's best to use and the best way to apply it.
So if your bunny has decided your furniture is on the menu and you need some practical ways to put a stop to it then continue reading this guide and see what bunny proofing would work best for you.
If your bunny is in the habit of chewing the legs of your wooden furniture, then there are lots of inventive ways to stop this that people have found, many of which re-purpose bunny toys or other things found around the home.
A simple but clever trick can be to use some toilet or kitchen roll tubes as protection. Either slip over the legs or cut then along the length and wrap them around to add a layer of protection.
Another useful item that can be purchased from pet stores is a Willow bridges, also called fiddle sticks. They are made from a series of willow sticks help together with wire that can be bent into a variety of shapes. This toy can be bent all the way around a table leg to shield it from being chewing.
Did you know
Rabbits eat a lot of things we think of as inedible
In the wild rabbits eat a wide range of fibrous materials many of which we would not consider to be edible.
Unfortunately, many of the wooden or cloth materials furniture your home is made of is ideal for helping your bunnies digestion and to wear down their teeth that unlike our teeth grow constantly throughout their lives.
An easy way to stop chewing is simply to cover the area to add some protection. You could try covering a TV cabinet or coffee tables with a cloth cover that trails down to the floor.
It can be helpful to rest something up against the sides or a corner. A willow bridge toy is ideal for this as they are heavy enough to not be knocked over and can be bend around the corner to protect it.
We would avoid using cardboard to protect furniture as it does not take long for a bunny to chew through and it may even encourage them to go to this spot when they fancy chewing something.
If you want to be sure your bunny is not going to get to a valuable piece of furniture, then its best to fence of the area with a few sections on pet pen or office storage cubes. These sections of wire grid can be lashed together with some cable ties or string and made into a fence that can screen off the area.
Tough plastic corner guards are made for the job of protecting wooden edges from being chewed
If you are looking for a permanent solution a simple way to protect soft wooden edges is to use a simple commercial product design specificity to stop this sort of damage .You may have seen these L shaped length of tough plastic in public buildings and you can pick them up yourself in most DIY store.
They can be easily cut to size to size with a craft knife and can be attached with some sticky pads or adhesive, so you don't need and DIY Skills to install them.
Bitter sprays can help make wooden furniture, chair or table legs a little less appealing to chew on however most people discover they don't offer a single solution to a chewing problem and need to be used alongside other bunny proofing. if you are thinking of using a taste deterrent follow this guide to get the most out from these products.
You can apply the spray directly to the affected area or to help stop the spray going everywhere you can also spray some into a cloth then wipe the liquid on.
Remember to keep reapplying the bitter spray regularly so it does not lose its effectiveness.
Avoid home-made remedies such that may be suggested to you such as perfume or chilly oil as these can be harmful to your bunny. We would also avoid remedies such as double-sided sticky tape that could get stuck in your bunnies fur or cause problems if eaten. Instead choose a product designed for bunnies.
