Why do rabbits gnaw wooden cages, what to do, how to wean the animal from this activity? Such a question has repeatedly baffled both experienced farmers and owners of ornamental breeds.
Why do rabbits bite wooden cages
Modern cages and pens for rodents very often contain a lot of wooden parts. The floor, corners, and sometimes the entire rabbit house is made of organic material. Despite all the advantages of wooden cages, there is an extremely serious problem that most eared owners face. Rabbits begin to grind their teeth on the wooden parts of their home.
Why do rabbits bite wooden cages
I immediately want to note that such a behavior of a rodent when a rabbit gnaws at a cage is natural and normal.
There are many reasons why pussies gnaw on a cage. The most common - the animal itches his teeth. It is no secret that eared pet incisors grow throughout life, especially actively at an early age. If the pet does not have to grind its teeth, he will have to look for a way out of this situation himself. The solution will be ordinary logs, sticks and twigs. The main thing is to change the grinding wood in time, and then the question of how to wean a rabbit to gnaw at a cage will not arise. A thin twig of fluff for one tooth, so it is important to try to prepare the wood in advance.
The list of trees whose branches can be given to the rabbit:
- acacia;
- Rowan;
- maple;
- grapes;
- an Apple.
The wood in the pet's diet can be either fresh or harvested from the summer. Cutting branches is best in June. In no case should you give fluffy elderberry, it is also important to be careful with fruit trees: some of them can spoil your pet’s teeth, others can cause serious poisoning.
Another reason rabbits gnaw at a cage is hunger. Fuzzy must be provided with a constant supply of feed. The diet should include cereals, corn, dried peas, seeds and fresh herbs. If the animal’s feeder is empty, it may begin to gnaw at the wooden parts of the aviary to attract attention.
The reason is vitamin deficiency
Water deserves special attention. Hunger is not as dangerous for an animal as thirst. If the rabbit is restless, rushing about in the aviary and actively nibbles everything that he comes across, you should check the drinker.
Sometimes in the body of a rodent there are not enough mineral salts, and this is another reason why a rabbit gnaws on a cage.
You should take a closer look: if the fluffy gnaws at the place of the cell where it goes to the toilet, in this way it tries to replenish the salt in its body. Mineral-salt stone, which is sold in any pet store, can help in this animal. The same goes for vitamins. Check to see if the pet has fresh hay. You can add a couple of drops of lemon to the water: perhaps the animal lacks vitamin C and is trying to get it from the tree.
Sometimes the problem lies in puberty. What to do in this case? The animal organism very often depends on primary instincts. If the rabbit is still young and constantly nibbles not only the wooden parts, but the iron bars of the cage, this may be a signal of readiness to mate. If you are not going to breed rabbits, then you need to distract him during this period with delicious food or wooden toys.
The reason is the state of the aviary
If everything is in order with the food and health of the pet, then most likely the problem is in the cage itself. First of all, the brood owner needs to carefully clean it. Very often, the rabbit simply does not like to sit in a dirty cage. If this does not help, then probably the pet does not like the location of his house or the cage is simply small for him. If possible, it is worth trying to rearrange the rodent's home in another place.
The last, and most banal, reason is that the pet is just bored. Do not forget that rabbits are quite active animals. Their daily rate of movement is higher than that of dogs or cats. You need to caress the animal, pick it up or let it out for a walk around the apartment. If possible, it is necessary to bring the pet into the light on the street. But it should be remembered that a rabbit can walk outside the house only after all vaccinations. If you have a private house, then you can make a rabbit an aviary in which he can walk freely.
How to wean a rabbit to nibble a cage
Many rabbit owners do not complain about damage to wooden parts, but about the noise level at night.
If the rabbit’s cage is completely in order, he’s healthy, but continues to gnaw at the bars of the cage, most likely, he has become a bad habit. The decorative rabbit is a nocturnal animal, and its peak reaches 3-4 hours in the morning. Naturally, the sounds that an animal makes when it gnaws at a cage make it difficult for the whole household to sleep. How to make sure that rabbits do not gnaw at the cage at this time?
Ways to solve the problem are very simple:
- Fill the feeder and drinker for the animal at night.
- Ensure that there is a fresh log or grindstone in the cage.
- Increase the amount of cereals, corn, and dried legumes in the rabbit's diet.
- To accustom the rodent to the schedule: let him go for a walk in the evening and put him in a cage just before bedtime.
- Introduce chalk, salt and bone meal into the rabbit's feed to replenish the necessary minerals.
If all these methods are powerless, the pet continues to spoil the cage, then it is advisable to use a folk remedy - grease the wooden parts with an onion or malt paste. The rabbit does not like the onion taste, and this will help to stop the pet from biting its house.
As a conclusion, it can be noted that gnawing at the wooden parts of the cage is a natural and inherent occupation for a rabbit. You can wean a beast from a similar one only by giving it an equivalent replacement. In emergency cases, the rods of the cell can be greased with onions, but this does not always help, and the animal can experience stress. The rabbit itself stops biting the cage when nothing bothers him.
Conclusion
The best way to solve the problem is to regularly supply wood and solid feed. Alternatively, you can treat the rabbit with grain sticks. If you hang a treat for the night in a cage, then, most likely, the rodent will be busy and will not interfere with sleep. Also, do not forget about minerals, green food and gentle treatment. In an extreme case, if after eliminating all the reasons, the rabbit continues to gnaw at the cage and worry, you should contact a veterinarian. Your pet may have problems with teeth or gums.
