Rabbit Proofing Your Home - Don't Worry It's Easy!

Having a rabbit as a pet is a lot like having a child, you need to feed them, care for them, and show them love and attention. You'll also find yourself worrying about whether or not your home is safe enough for them to roam about without keeping directly within eyesight. Rabbit’s are naturally curious and love to chew so it’s necessary for you to change some things around your house for their safety and to keep your things from getting ruined!

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Getting started rabbit-proofing home

Not only is chewing a natural instinct for rabbits, but they need to chew in order to keep their teeth healthy. While some breeds chew more often than others when it comes to certain objects, every rabbit will use their teeth to chew anything they find interesting. That's why knowing how to rabbit proof your home along with how to take care of them is necessary. It's important to keep rabbit approved chew toys around the house so that they always have something available to chew on.

This will keep them preoccupied (hopefully) and will spare your shoes, the couch feet, and electrical wires from being ruined. Wishful thinking! Of course, a lot of time the toys you purposely buy your rabbit, much like a child, are not the ones they like. They prefer the regular household items, of course. So in this case it’s important to bunny proof your home just in case.

We found a great article that we think will be really helpful for all of you bun parents out there. It comes from another bun parent who has experience in dealing with chewing bunnies! It’s great hearing some tricks of the trade from actual rabbit owners who have found what works and what doesn’t work. Plus, she includes the pictures of how she rabbit proofs her home! Score!

We advise that you particularly pay attention to how to rabbit proof your electrical cords and various wires. Not doing so can potentially be deadly to your rabbit, so knowing these rabbit proofing tactics are important!

Rabbit Proofing

Posted by: Bunny Mama

This is a very important issue. Rabbits require and deserve run time out of their cage or pen area. They need to stretch their legs and get some exercise. The more time and attention you put into rabbit proofing your house the better off you and you bun will be for it.

Buns like to nip, bite or chew on items that are hard and have a sharp corner to them. They tend to seek out sharp edged items whether it be a dresser leg, table leg, table edge, floor trim, a wooden entertainment center, whatever...if they can find or reach a hard, sharp-edged item they will give it a nip or two or three or more. So be prepared.

Cords!

Electric cords, phone cords, extension cords, computer cords, television and cable cords -these all pose a huge risk to bunnies and to your safety as well. The entire room(s) where your bunny will be able to roam free must be checked carefully for exposure to these life-threatening cords. Rabbits can receive shocks, electrocution or ignite a fire from biting or nipping on an exposed electric cord.

Don't Worry

Don't worry - this is not as daunting a task as you may think. First you must check every wall and outlet for any thing plugged into the outlet. I recommend that you get some plastic tubing from your local hardware store. Slit the tubing open with scissors or a box cutter and then slip it over the electric cord. Make sure that the tubing covers all of the electric cord so that no exposed cord is available for your rabbit to nip or chew or bite. Get the cord up off the ground too if possible. Gather up any length of cord lying on the floor within reach of your rabbit and secure it up high some how. Now I use lamps, statues, vases and other items on my tabletops, dressers and end tables to secure the cords up high as much as possible. Remember the bun can reach up from their hind legs and nip at dangling wires too. So make sure it's as high as possible. If you can gather the wire up high off the ground from their reach and use a 3M temporary hook that attaches and releases from your wall without damaging the wall or paint surface.

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The next steps

Rabbit-proofing home isn't too difficult, you just need to get started and make sure your home is safe for them as well! Like any new parent (whether to children or pets) knowing the basics of what to except is extremely helpful. That's why we created a Rabbit Starter Kit to help new parents know things like common rabbit terms, the importance of hay, and what to get on hand in your rabbit first aid kit! Download it now and start the rewarding adventure of being a rabbit owner.