# Stop my bun nibbling my clothes!



## Emoore3990 (Jun 7, 2018)

Hey,

I got 2 rabbits last week (about 10-12 weeks old). One of them is already super confident and has no Fear! However, he seems to have a thing about nibbling clothes. I can't deter him and he keeps coming back or finding a new bit to nibble. He doesn't seem to actually be biting right through though as there are no holes (yet!).
Does anyone have any idea why he might do this or how to try and stop this wee habit?

He has lots of wooden toys to chew and gets fed nuggets and ad lib hay so I wouldn't expect him to have any teeth problems at his age.


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## Ekaf (Jun 9, 2018)

Chewing, digging, and biting at the ground while digging are natural bun behaviours. My bun is allowed to dig, bite, and chew on anything within her "area" or pen. But she knows not to do this to the carpet or (most) of my clothes. 
Training them to respect your space takes time. Spray bottles and a good voice will be your best friends. As well as some healthy mass treats if your buns are food motivated. 
Healthy mass treats are treats that can be fed in mass amounts and be okay. This would be tiny pieces of rabbit friendly herbs (dill, mint, basil, etc), small leaves of parsley or cilantro, a small piece of lettuce, or one pellet if your rabbit loves pellets. I wouldn't use fruits, store bought treats, or carrots as these are high in sugar and can't be fed in mass amounts.

The next thing is use the spray bottle or clap your hands or say "ey!" Loudly whenever your bun does something you don't want him to do. My bun would freeze then go right back to eating the carpet so I'd do it again. When she stopped going right back to eating the carpet I gave her a treat. 

Spray bottles work great because usually they start grooming where you sprayed them. This stops their behaviour immediately. 

If your bun hard bites you or your clothes you can scream sharply. This is how rabbits react when they are hurt in the wild and they may not realize they are hurting you. I allow mine to soft bite my clothes. She does this when she's frustrated that they are in the way of her grooming my skin.

NEVER bite, pinch, or otherwise hurt a bunny. A rabbit can turn aggressive towards humans, and it is difficult if not impossible to get them to be sweet again. 

This will take time, vigilance, and patience. Keep at it and you'll have a well behaved bun!


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## Emoore3990 (Jun 7, 2018)

Ekaf said:


> Chewing, digging, and biting at the ground while digging are natural bun behaviours. My bun is allowed to dig, bite, and chew on anything within her "area" or pen. But she knows not to do this to the carpet or (most) of my clothes.
> Training them to respect your space takes time. Spray bottles and a good voice will be your best friends. As well as some healthy mass treats if your buns are food motivated.
> Healthy mass treats are treats that can be fed in mass amounts and be okay. This would be tiny pieces of rabbit friendly herbs (dill, mint, basil, etc), small leaves of parsley or cilantro, a small piece of lettuce, or one pellet if your rabbit loves pellets. I wouldn't use fruits, store bought treats, or carrots as these are high in sugar and can't be fed in mass amounts.
> 
> ...


Thanks Ekaf,

I don't really like using water on bunnies but might give a try as he doesn't seem to mind getting wet (enjoys jumping into the dogs water bowl!). I've tried 'thumping ' when he does it but the wee monster just goes right back to it! I'm also trying to get a balance between noises to deter him but not too loud so I don't scare the other boy as he is very shy and I'm working on raising his confidence.
They are both still babies though, so hopefully with perseverance he will grow out of the habit.


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## Ekaf (Jun 9, 2018)

Emoore3990 said:


> Thanks Ekaf,
> 
> I don't really like using water on bunnies but might give a try as he doesn't seem to mind getting wet (enjoys jumping into the dogs water bowl!). I've tried 'thumping ' when he does it but the wee monster just goes right back to it! I'm also trying to get a balance between noises to deter him but not too loud so I don't scare the other boy as he is very shy and I'm working on raising his confidence.
> They are both still babies though, so hopefully with perseverance he will grow out of the habit.


My bunny was trained entirely without the use of water. I thumped, clapped, and used my voice. However I trained her by herself, without any other buns in the area. This is the best way to do it for a few reasons: less distractions, you can keep your eye on one bun at a time, and you're less likely to scare your other buns.

However I've had great success with a spray bottle with rabbits at the rescue I work for. I only spray their bodies though. Not faces


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