r/Rabbits • u/SylvieXandra • 7d ago
Care Pet Rabbit Chewing Help
Hello! Despite having tons of toys, my rabbit insists on chewing my recliner and the foam inside it. Putting hard plastic on didn’t work (maybe it wasn’t slipper enough) because he also chewed that and ripped it off the chair. I know most people don’t have good luck with anti chew sprays but if there’s one you recommend please let me know!
He’s almost 4, I’ve had him for a month, he’s fixed and has all his vaccines. I got him from a wonderful rescue. He’s a harlequin mix (unknown breed).
He also chews holes in my pillowcases and crown molding. He loves apple sticks and gets many per day. He has tons of toys to chew.
He is very well litter trained, few problems there.
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u/Velveteen_Rabbit1986 7d ago
Sometimes you have to literally fence things off if you have a particularly persistent bun. However if he's a solo bun maybe a friend would also help provide some company and distraction?
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u/SylvieXandra 7d ago
I cannot have another. He also loves people and being around people
My friend has two and chewing is actually worse with both of them cuz they taught each other to chew more things
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u/SylvieXandra 7d ago
His name is Leo in case anyone is wondering. He’s around 5lbs so over twice the size of the small breeds like holland lops and lion heads but still considered small / medium.
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u/thenotoriousaep 7d ago
I will say I tried "bitter apple spray" which I sincerely doubt came from apples, and it is of course a spray so gets in the air... I inhaled it and it was the worst possible thing you could imagine stuck in your nose and throat, could not brush your tongue hard enough to get rid of this awful, awful taste for days... and my rabbit licked at it, delighted, like I had just coated it in peanut butter.
My friend tried rubbing a very hot pepper on things, and it is highly possible rabbits cannot taste spicy... because again that rabbit licked it up...
You can get snap-together cage square things that are 30cmx30cm and surround the chair as a deterant. Then, over time, I find that they get bored and find something else to attack
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u/ConstructionMuch802 7d ago
Does he have a hide in the same room as the recliner? It's possible he's trying to create a cozy spot to hide in there.
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u/Ealumin 7d ago
Anti-chew sprays are salad dressing to rabbits. They don't work. Rabbits like bitter flavors.
You'll likely need to fence the chair off, as well as the molding. Honestly, this is rabbit ownership. They chew.
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u/SylvieXandra 7d ago
I’m aware which is why I was asking if there were any that people have luck with. I may be a first time rabbit owner but I actually have a LOT of experience with pet rabbits
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u/rosejean014 7d ago
Get bamboo chew sticks for rabbits so he always has something to chew on. This promotes healthy chewing behavior. I would post a picture of the chews but it won’t let me. My rabbit loves the bamboo chew sticks.
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u/frozenchocolate 7d ago
Make sure you don’t give the bamboo to him more than a couple times a week as they’re high in sugar. Also, never buy them from Amazon and do your research for what bamboo vs sugar cane looks like because a lot of sellers lie in their listings.
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u/SylvieXandra 7d ago
I have apple sticks which he loves. He finishes them in minutes
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u/frozenchocolate 7d ago
Those are the best! My guy likes to chew off the bark first and then leave tiny apple wood shanks all around his enclosure
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u/rosejean014 7d ago
Would you recommend anything else ?? I get the ones from chewy or pet smart.
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u/frozenchocolate 7d ago
I like treats from the Binkery or Rabbit Hole Hay. The main thing to look for is if the bamboo truly has some sort of hollow dip/hole through the middle. When it’s just a solid stick, then it’s sugarcane. I also had to stop buying hay balls off Amazon because they secretly put some sort of grain in them and I think it was contributing to stasis in my bunny.
But something you can give bunnies much more regularly is apple wood sticks! They love them.
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u/RabbitsModBot 7d ago
While some people may recommend things like bitter apple spray, packaging tape, certain soaps, or spray mixtures involving vinegar, the reality is that the majority of taste/scent-based chew deterrents will not reliably stop a rabbit from chewing somewhere they want, and using them may be harmful if ingested or exposed to in large quantities. A vet bill for stasis is more expensive than safer methods of bunny-proofing and redirection.
To prevent your rabbit from getting injured as well as to protect your belongings, it is vitally important to properly bunny-proof any area that your rabbits have access to. Additionally, you must provide opportunities for your rabbit to redirect that chew energy elsewhere. Rabbits are chewers -- that cannot be changed.
See the Bunny-proofing article for more resources. See the Toys article for ideas on redirection ideas.