Rabbits: His girlfriend is a nutter!

elivsvonchiaing

My girlfriend and I adopted a rabbit almost a year ago. (Male dwarf + ?)
He was initially quite shy but soon came to accept human company, wanting to be petted regulartly.
Eventually we gave him free reign of our apartment.
This continued for three months or so until he started
a) eating the carpet
b) pissing on the sofa
a) was okay as the plan was to replace the carpet anyhow
b) was okay as its leather and wipes clean
Reading up on bunnies we concluded he needed a mate and had to wait 2 months before the vet was comfortable about 'snipping' him (he's a dwarf variety).
After 'snipping' we got him a girlfriend and she quickly proved to be the anti-rabbit!
She pissed wherever, made no attempt to toilet train and destructed what was in her path.
However, they did bond so completely that it made no sense to separate them.
That is why they are now confined to the balcony of our apartment (glazed).
They have 2 -3 hours a day full reign over the apartment.
All this now needs to be totally supervised as she has eaten every wire that she could- she started at 9v (phone charger, surround sound (not sure but think not more than 24v)) and finally graduated to 220v (the event that decided their fate on the balcony).

Since this 220v event (she still nibbles wires and has re-crippled more low voltage devices - (no idea that she's learnt her lesson and can sense voltage!!!)
In a nutshell we have to wait at least two more months before she can be snipped.
Does anyone know how to tame a pre-snip female rabbit?

Please help!

Sigma Force

Firstly a rabbit will be destructive, if having rabbits roaming freely in a room the room has to be bunny proofed. Exposed wires need to be covered or blocked off. You can use computer cable covers or mesh panels.
Even rabbits that aren't big into chewing will test cables etc if they are left about, bit like a puppy you need to basically keep everything out of their pathway, which can be tricky I know.

Has she got her own toys to chew on? Plenty of rabbit safe chew toys should be provided and if you know someone with unsprayed/untreated apple branches they will be a big hit. There are also other chew toys like cholla (dried cactus) and treat balls available from online pet shops.
If you could get some mesh panels or something like old play pen frames and divide up the room for the time being that may help.
She may calm down as she gets older and once she's been spayed at 6 months. There are anti chew sprays you can get but I don't know how effective they are and not sure what type of chemicals are in them.

Also give her plenty to do like brown paper bags stuffed with hay.
Once she is spayed the peeing should stop or at least improve, you may have to go back to basic toilet training again.

I'm afraid you might have to keep on supervising her for a bit longer, but it should improve.

Mabey some other toys as well to keep her amused like carboard boxes (make sure there's no sellotape etc on them) cutting holes in them and making little bunny houses is a cheap way of amusing them. You can fill some with hay as well.
Some rabbits like playing with toys they can throw like those fake edilble carrot things you can get in some shops now, there's also other toys online like the kabob or untreated willow baskets etc.
Also check out http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/rodents/accessories/cabins they have some fun cabin type houses although be careful on the measurements to make sure they will be big enough for the bunny as they grow.
Here's their toy section http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/rodents/accessories/toys
I've ordered a few things from them and they are good with delivery and have so far posted all the items I ordered.

Hope that helps.

elivsvonchiaing

Thanks for that. Just don't understand why one bunny can be such an angel and one such a devil.

Reckon it's rabbit proofing all cables so they can go unsupervised.

He had numerous toys - unfortunately she has destroyed all except a wooden block (indestructable).

What disturbed us most was that she now bullies him - she will eat food out of his mouth (not Lady and the Tramp style - a bit more aggressive tbh!)

I'll check out those websites for more indestructable toys. I still think the bottom line is; she is wearing the trousers and there's nothing we can do about it.

He seems happy enough though - so what the hell!

In two months she can be neutered so maybe this will improve the "bullying" situation.