9 things to watch out for at home
- maceechen
- Mar 19, 2023
- 3 min read
Bunnies love to chew on things. It’s part of their natural behavior. It’s healthy for them to chew. Chewing prevents their teeth from over growing, which is why having a healthy hay eating habit is important. However, that also means that bunnies can crunch on other types of things at home. Here are a few things to watch out for.
*below is written from the perspective of free-roaming bunnies that live in a condo.
1. Walls. Nugget loves chewing on walls. He really loves it, particularly corners. It is important to immediately stop the bunny whenever they do this to prevent them from forming bad habits that deteriorate the home. Even if you don’t mind your walls being eaten up, the paint may contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to your bunny.
2. Rubber. Nugget loves chewing on rubber. He made a dent to my silicone phone case. Perhaps it’s kind of fun and addicting… like bubblegum to humans. Watch out for such behaviors as large amounts of rubber could cause blockage in their digestive systems. Remember that bunnies are incapable of vomiting like cats, so if it goes in one way, it’s got to come out of the other!
3. Wires and Cords. Neither Nugget nor Tutu has chewed on wires or cords before, so we personally don’t have stories on consequences. We can’t imagine some metal or plastic debris or electric shock to be good for them anyway!
4. House plants. There is actually a handful of house plants that can be harmful to bunnies. For example, birds of paradise and monstera are two common ones (and we own) that could be harmful. Be mindful if the plants are potted and on the ground, it is still possible for the bunnies to jump up. Ultimately, they’re bunnies so don’t underestimate their hopping potential! One good solution that’s worked for us is encasing the potted plants with a high enough basket to prevent their chewing temptation. You may also want to regularly check for browning or falling leaves to prevent the bunnies from nibbling the fallen ones.
5. Foods. If your bunny is free-roaming in a condo or apartment like Nugget and Tutu, chances are they may roam past the kitchen and find some yummy “leftovers” on the ground to nibble on. Crummy food that we love, like chocolates and coffee grounds should never be a part of a bunny’s diet. They are toxic and can be harmful to them.
6. Household appliances. We added this onto our list because we’ve had a scare before, thinking we washed our bunny in the laundry or drum of the washer by accident (which you’ll be relieved to know it didn’t happen). If you’ve got stackable washers and dryers that sit on the floor or throw your trash in the chute, you’ll want to check (then check again) that you haven’t accidentally washed or thrown your bunny away! Believe it or not, sadly this happens.
7. Balconies. If you live even just one floor up, make sure your balconies are blocked to prevent your little fur baby from exploring too far. Most balcony railings are not fully enclosed to the ground, so you don’t want the bunny to accidentally fall through the cracks. We guarded the entry to the balcony with a pet fence.
8. RHDV vaccine. Lastly, if you’re thinking about taking your bunnies out to the park, you might want to consider getting them vaccinated for RHDV. Both Nugget and Tutu received two doses.
