How to Rabbit Proof Your Home
Go around the entire house on your knees, or even better your belly which puts your eyes at bunny level, looking for potential threats., Find a way to deal with every threat., Place a crate around chewable things., Tidy up., Make a list of rules for...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go around the entire house on your knees
Even if the bunny will be confined to one room, he will get out sooner or later, so it's best to do the entire house.
Potential threats include:
Electric cables, especially when attached to heavy things (e.g., kettles, irons, etc) or if they are dangling in their path.
Bleach, pesticide and other chemicals Small cracks, holes and gaps which your bunny may get stuck in.
They can get into surprisingly small spaces and are drawn to dark hideaways.
Remember that they are burrowing PREY species. -
Step 2: or even better your belly which puts your eyes at bunny level
Put it out of reach (preferably somewhere high up, rather than simply in a cupboard) cover it up with something your rabbit cannot chew through, or get rid of it all together.
If none of these are possible, keep the room strictly off-bounds for the rabbit until you have a solution.
Electric wires and cables are dangerous; unplug and store them, or cover them with plastic sleeves.
Don't choose cord covers/protectors that are scented, or have spaces in them. , You probably have furniture or items made from wood, metal, plastic, and stuff that your bunny can chew on that is not edible but may seem attractive to the rabbit.
To avoid letting your bunny chew on these things is to put a pen or some kind of crate around it.
This way he/she can't get through to it., Something as innocent as a piece of string can potentially kill your rabbit if he finds it lying on the floor.
Remember, rabbits are curious and love to chew. , You are essentially rabbit-proofing your family as well.
Make children in particular aware of the rules.
Make sure these are included:
Do not feed junk food to the rabbit Do not feed too much fruit to the rabbit Do not pick up the rabbit without warning Do not squeeze, hit, poke or shout at the rabbit Do not leave chemicals, junk food, rubbish or string/yarn lying in the rabbit's reach.
This is especially true for chocolate, which is very appealing to them and is poisonous for bunnies. , These can be used to possibly distract the bunny from chewing things., Bunnies do not litter train like cats do, but you can put a litter box where they have had a pee and they will use it, especially if you wipe the inside bottom of the pan with the paper towel you just wiped the pee up with (clean the original spot with an enzyme odor-removing cleaner).
They key off of both scent and location.
Once they are using the box regularly, it can be gradually moved to a more convenient nearby location, if necessary.
Some bunnies can be trained to poop only in their litter box but others cannot.
This is not usually a problem, since their pellets are usually dry and easily swept up.
Do not use clumping clay litter for bunnies.
It can cause digestive problems. , Some bunnies can be trained to the "come" command.
If they can, do so, since this makes them much easier to find/ catch/ remove from behind the washing machine...
Be sure to always reward a bunny well for responding promptly and enthusiastically to this command, since it can be a life saver. -
Step 3: looking for potential threats.
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Step 4: Find a way to deal with every threat.
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Step 5: Place a crate around chewable things.
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Step 6: Tidy up.
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Step 7: Make a list of rules for the whole family to follow.
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Step 8: Spread suitable rabbit toys around the room/house.
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Step 9: Provide a safe spot for their bathroom needs.
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Step 10: Train your bunny to come
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Step 11: if possible.
Detailed Guide
Even if the bunny will be confined to one room, he will get out sooner or later, so it's best to do the entire house.
Potential threats include:
Electric cables, especially when attached to heavy things (e.g., kettles, irons, etc) or if they are dangling in their path.
Bleach, pesticide and other chemicals Small cracks, holes and gaps which your bunny may get stuck in.
They can get into surprisingly small spaces and are drawn to dark hideaways.
Remember that they are burrowing PREY species.
Put it out of reach (preferably somewhere high up, rather than simply in a cupboard) cover it up with something your rabbit cannot chew through, or get rid of it all together.
If none of these are possible, keep the room strictly off-bounds for the rabbit until you have a solution.
Electric wires and cables are dangerous; unplug and store them, or cover them with plastic sleeves.
Don't choose cord covers/protectors that are scented, or have spaces in them. , You probably have furniture or items made from wood, metal, plastic, and stuff that your bunny can chew on that is not edible but may seem attractive to the rabbit.
To avoid letting your bunny chew on these things is to put a pen or some kind of crate around it.
This way he/she can't get through to it., Something as innocent as a piece of string can potentially kill your rabbit if he finds it lying on the floor.
Remember, rabbits are curious and love to chew. , You are essentially rabbit-proofing your family as well.
Make children in particular aware of the rules.
Make sure these are included:
Do not feed junk food to the rabbit Do not feed too much fruit to the rabbit Do not pick up the rabbit without warning Do not squeeze, hit, poke or shout at the rabbit Do not leave chemicals, junk food, rubbish or string/yarn lying in the rabbit's reach.
This is especially true for chocolate, which is very appealing to them and is poisonous for bunnies. , These can be used to possibly distract the bunny from chewing things., Bunnies do not litter train like cats do, but you can put a litter box where they have had a pee and they will use it, especially if you wipe the inside bottom of the pan with the paper towel you just wiped the pee up with (clean the original spot with an enzyme odor-removing cleaner).
They key off of both scent and location.
Once they are using the box regularly, it can be gradually moved to a more convenient nearby location, if necessary.
Some bunnies can be trained to poop only in their litter box but others cannot.
This is not usually a problem, since their pellets are usually dry and easily swept up.
Do not use clumping clay litter for bunnies.
It can cause digestive problems. , Some bunnies can be trained to the "come" command.
If they can, do so, since this makes them much easier to find/ catch/ remove from behind the washing machine...
Be sure to always reward a bunny well for responding promptly and enthusiastically to this command, since it can be a life saver.
About the Author
James Mitchell
Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in crafts and beyond.
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