How To Stop Bunnies Chewing Carpet

Protecting carpet from chewing damage is an essential part of bunny proofing your home.

Bunnies are always on the lookout for something to chew and have razor sharp teeth that can easily slice through and damage carpet.

Eating carpet can also be dangerous for bunnies and can lead to a blockage which can make when very unwell.

In this practical guide to protecting carpet from bunny chewing we show you the many ways other bunny parents have found to protect carpet and avoid patches of damaged carpet around their home.

We have some simple solutions for protecting carpet where damage is occurring.

We also have a guide to the best floor coverings commonly used to cover carpet and protect it from chewing damage and carpet stains.

We also have a guide to using bitter sprays and tips on how to apply taste deterrents for maximum effect.

So, if you do have a bunny that is a bit of a carpet chewer, follow this guide and learn how to put a stop to carpet chewing with some effective bunny proofing.

How to protect your carpet from bunny chewing

Carpet chewing can be a common problem with house bunnies that can be hard to control. No matter how many times you say No! They will often return to the same spot of chewed carpet which over time can cause a lot of damage.

However, it is essential to stop your bunny chewing carpet as soon as you notice this destructive behavior. Not only to avoid costly repairs or worse a trip to the vet if it causes a blockage in their digestion.

Bunnies will often chew carpet in the corner of the room or alongside baseboards where they can tug up carpet and eat it along its edge.

Bunnies also have a habit of chewing carpet behind your couch or under furniture where the damage may go undetected until costly carpet repairs will be needed.

The best way to stop your bunny from eating carpet is to find a way to protect it from damage. Fortunately, there are some tried and tested solutions bunny owners have found to protect their carpet and stop the destruction and, in this article, we will show you how.

How to protect your carpet from bunny chewing with some well places ornaments or furniture

A simple way to protect spots of carpet your rabbit chews is to place an object over the top of it. This will restrict access to this favored spot and the weight of the object will help stop your bunny tugging up the carpet which can be the start of some considerable damage.

If you can rearrange your room, then moving a piece of furniture over the area of damage can be a permanent way of protecting it.

An easy and less permanent way to protect carpet from bunny chewing damage people have discovered is to lay a heavy ceramic tile over the area. Tiles are good as they do not get in the way and fit nicely into corners of the room.

They can then be packed away when your bunny is not roaming freely.

A way to protect your carpet that your bunny will also love is to place a cardboard box over the top. This will not only stop your bunny getting to the carpet to chew it but also give them something more fun to chew instead.

You can make this even more fun for your bunny by making it a digging box by filling this with fun stuff for your bunny to chew such as chew toys and hay they can forage in.

How to protect your carpet from being chewed under your couch and furniture

Often bunnies will start chewing the carpet under furniture, beds or behind your couch. Always check these areas for signs of unwanted chewing and if you do find your bunny has been eating your carpet then it is best to block off access.

Simply fill the space with something you want to store there or consider using it as a storage area by filling it with plastic storage boxes.

Spaced behind furniture or even parts of a room can also be blocked off easily with a fence made from a few sections of pet pen.

These large sheets can be broken out of the pen and lashed to the sides of a piece of furniture or arranged together to make a free-standing fence.

Always provide your bunny with lots of chewing alternative to stop them eating your carpet

It is important to remember that chewing and digging is instinctive behavior for bunnies, and they will always be searching for new things to try to eat.

When you have protected a spot always provide your bunny with lots of safe and acceptable chewing and digging toys to keep them occupied and out of trouble to help stop this problem occurring somewhere else.

What is the best way to cover carpet to stop damage from your bunny chewing carpet

If you want stop your bunny damaging your carpet, then the only sure way to protect it is to cover it over.

Bunnies are always looking for new things to chew and soft fibrous carpet material is not only attractive to them to eat it is also no match for their razor-sharp teeth.

Adding a layer of protection can be especially useful if you have a room or night-time pen where your bunny spends a lot of time unsupervised.

This trick is often used by bunny parents that want to make sure they get your deposit back when are keeping bunnies in rented accommodation.

Without a layer of permanent protection your bunnies natural chewing and digging behavior can cause quite a lot of damage to floor surfaces over time.

Covering your carpet with a waterproof material will also stop your bunnies urine stains or smells damaging the carpet as well as spillages from water bowls mess from your bunnies litter tray.

What are the best materials to cover my carpet with to stop bunny damage

There are lots of materials that can be used to cover a carpet to protect it from damage and they all have their merits so to help you choose we talk you through the common option people choose.

What are the best materials to use to cover carpet and to stop bunny damage

I buy the black plastic sheets from Home Depot. Tape down to protect carpet/hardwood floor from accidents. Then buy inexpensive carpet remnants to put on top. The remnants are cheap and easy to switch out as needed. I also put padding in since it is a hard wood floor and I want the buns to have cushions. I did actually wrap the padding in plastic too, cause momma bunny tends to pee in the corners.....That way I don't have to replace the padding too, only the carpet itself.

An obvious way to cover your carpet and protect it is to simply lay down rugs or mats over the area of carpet you want to protect.

It's best to choose a rug made from a natural material such as wool or cotton in case this gets chewed as long strands of undigestble material can cause a blockage to your bunnies digestion which is very dangerous.

Children's play mats or puzzle tiles are also another good options to protect carpet from bunny mess. They are wipe clean, waterproof, which can be especially helpful during the litter training stages.

They are made from non-toxic materials, however, always keep an eye on it to make sure your bunny is not eating a lot of it as this could be bad for their tummies.

If you want to cover a larger area of carpet your bunny spends time on such as a nighttime pen, you can always see if your local carpet store has any cheap carpet roll ends. This can be a straightforward way of covering a whole area or room at a low cost.

Try and avoid carpet with rubber backings as it is not great if your rabbit eats a lot of carpet backing. If you can find some a pure wool carpet would be ideal.

If you want to make sure there are no stains or odors from pee seeping through to the carpet underneath, then it is best to lay some plastic sheeting under the covering.

How to use bitter sprays to stop damage from your bunny chewing carpet

Bitter sprays can be helpful to make chewing your carpet a little less appealing to your bunny.

Unfortunately, in most cases people find that it is not a single solution and works best alongside other bunny proofing.

We suggest you avoid home-made taste deterrents that may be suggested to you such as perfume or chilly oil or soap as these can all be harmful to your bunny if they end up eating the carpet anyway.

We recommend using a recognized brand designed for bunnies to be sure it is safe.

Remember you will need to keep reapplying it regularly as it will wear off over time.

Bitter spray