rabbit problem?

Question

my rabbit has a sudden problem. he likes to chew on the sides of his cage.. and eat it i guess. I don't know why, he has food, water, and i clean his cage regularly. i don't know how to make him stop either.

any help?

hes got things to chew on. i bought some wooden blocks at a local pet store, and hes got some chunks of wood that i also bought

Also, is it safe for him to eat the plastic from the cage.. I am a little worried..

Answer 1

ok, over time just like beavers, rabbits teeth grow and they need to cut them down by chewing on something, i would suggest getting an apple tree limb or you can buy little wooden chews for rabbits at pet stores.

Answer 2

Vet, immediately (call, right now, tonight, get it to an emergency clinic) Any time a rabbit does not eat for 12 hours or more, it's an emergency! The rabbit is in Gastrointestinal Stasis, which can have a variety of root causes and is fatal if not resolved. Rabbits need observant owners, by the time a rabbit seems very ill, it can be too late to do anything. It is very important that a rabbit is treated at the first sign of illness. Add: Rabbits live 8-10 years or longer (I have a 13 year old). It's not old age at all.

Answer 3

This is normal behavior for a rabbit and won't hurt him. It may be hard on the cage, though.
Even if you bought chew toys for him, it's hard to explain to a rabbit that you don't want him chewing the cage.
You could get some Bitter Apple or Bitter End, stuff at the pet store, and put it on the plastic; that will probably stop him chewing it. If not, you may need a metal cage eventually!

Answer 4

It's fine. Buy all the chew toys you want and you won't stop it. It's the way they wear their teeth down and your rabbit is going to chew what it is going to chew. The plastic or wood won't hurt it. I just recommend that if you built the pen, that you don't build any in the future out of treated wood where they can get to and chew on the treated wood. Even if they chew on treated wood in the cage, it's not like it is going to kill them. Some of my rabbit hutches had treated wood in them and it never really seemed to hurt them. They will chew on the treated wood less.

My only suggestion is that you keep an eye on how far your rabbit chews through in certain areas. I doubt that it'd chew so much as to get out, but that can possibly happen eventually depending on how the hutch is built. Just every 2-3 years or so you'll want to thoroughly check and repair.

As far as plastic, just don't let your rabbit chew any sheet plastic like plastic bags. If they swallow something like that it could block up their intestines. If they are just chewing on their bowl, don't worry about it.

As far as as chew toys, you can make your own. Go to a lumber store and buy some plaster lathes and cut them up into about 8" pieces. That workes good. Or get some 1x3 inch boards for hanging cieling tile or some wood door or window shims. All of those can make good chew toys. And they are a lot less expensive than going to the pet store. Stick to non-treated pine wood. It is easier for them to chew.

And don't give your rabbit ear of corn to chew on. The ears of corn seem to cause them to break their teeth for some reason and the corn during the summer can cause them to get too hot. Also, the excess energy from corn can cause them to molt.

Answer 5

He is trying to wear his teeth down. IT's natural and they do it in the wild, too. A rabbit's teeth grow throughout its life, and if he doesn't wear them down chewing on hard things, they can cross and prevent him from eating, or grow right into his lips.

THe best thing is to get him a safe chewing block. Pet stores sell them. While you are there, get some handouts or books about rabbits that will tell you all about their needs.

Answer 6

They need to chew. Food, water and a clean cage is great- but they need chew toys too.

their teeth are constantly growing- and if not kept in check they can over grow causing serious health problems.

A good chew toy would be a cardboard box, an old, thick phone book, an UNtreated wicker basket full of timothy hay...

but he needs chew treats.

If you notice the teeth look longer than normal, you may need to take him into a vet to have them clipped down.

(Normal rabbit teeth) http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20001102162054/www.peteducation.com/images/articles/10130rabbit_teeth.jpg

(overgrown teeth) http://www.villageandarnsidevets.com/images/rabbit_debur.jpg

generally they won't "Eat" the plastic, they just tear it apart.

however- it isn't the best thing if he does ingest it.

The best thing to do, make sure he's getting enough play time, make sure he's playing with his chew toys (Sometimes they don't like to play with them if there's no reward- which is why I opt for UNtreated wicker baskets filled with timothy hay)

and check his teeth. if they look overgrown or if the gums look inflamed, you will want to speak to your vet.

Answer 7

Rabbits need to keep their teeth at a certain length in order to eat properly so they like to chew on wood to keep them in shape.
Any wood that you place in the cage needs to be fixed solidly to the cage so he/she can chew at it without rolling about. The wood needs to be free of poisons so source it from a reputable pet store or park.

Answer 8

Your rabbit is showing signs of stress. Do you give him free time out of his cage daily? Do you visit with him and talk to him? When a rabbit chews, it's his way of saying "I'm bored" or "Give me some attention." My rabbit is litter trained and living freely in my house. Last year, I went away on vacation for 10 days and my neighbor took care of him. He was sooooo stressed by my absence, that he chewed 7-9 whole in my cement wall. Your bunny is doing the same thing for your attention. He just wants some love. One other thing....if he is a male, he might be in heat. My rabbit went NUTS at 8 months. I finally got him fixed because he was suffering so much. Now he is a calm, happy bunny. Good luck!

Answer 9

Rabbits chew, and they need to. Do you have toys in his cage for him to gnaw on? Even if you do get toys, he may still decide to chew the sides of the cage, mine does.

Pet stores sell wood toys for rabbits to destroy, try buying some of those.

Answer 10

Give him more things to chew and play with.