Photo by Степан Галагаев
Rabbits are adorable and fun to have around the house. But when they're bored, they can get destructive—chewing on your furniture and even your phone charger cord!
Suppose you're considering getting a rabbit, bunny-proof your home before it arrives. This will ensure that everything is safe for your bunny and that you don't have to worry about damaging or chewing things it shouldn't.
What Does Bunny-proofing Mean?
Bunny-proofing means preparing a home for a bunny by covering dangerous things for the pet, keeping harmful products out of reach, and protecting furniture and some parts of the house to prevent damage. Adopting a rabbit needs a lot of preparation, especially in a home where it will live.
NOTE: Let's be realistic on this topic. We can't prevent damage in the house 100%, but we'll help you reduce it so you won't have to purchase new items every week or month.
Bunny-proofing Supplies
Here's what you will need to bunny-proof your home:
Electric outlet cover
Cord cover/flex tubes
Thick grid wires
Corner guards
Basket
plant/tree guard
Cable ties
Things to Bunny-proof
Now that you have the needed materials, here are the things you need to bunny-proof your home.
Cords/outlets
The flex tubing goes for phone chargers, computer cables, and anything with an exposed wire. You should cover all your wires with flex tubing, which you can get at a hardware store.
Cover up any exposed outlets with outlet covers. It is usual for people to leave outlets open until they use them again, but it is a different situation when you have a bunny.
If your rabbit has access to one, it will chew on it until it gets electrocuted—which is scary.
You can place wire extensions in a basket so your bunny will not reach them.
Flooring and Baseboards
If you have carpets at home, the edges are vulnerable for your bunny. The exposed corners or edges should be covered with a tile so your bunny can't access them or something that would lay perfectly flat on the floor without the edges lifting.
For your baseboards and wall corners, use baseboard and corner guards that you can buy from an online store or at a home depot. You can use two types of corner guards: the first one with adhesive and the second with nails.
Plants
The best thing to do on this one is to keep the house plants out of reach or use a plant platform. You can use a plant/tree guard for the plants on your veranda; the same is true with your garden.
Furniture
Bunny-proofing your furniture is essential to ensure that your bunny doesn't swallow something dangerous or get hurt climbing around on something unstable. Here are tips for ensuring that no part of your house poses a threat.
Some owners use thick grid wires to protect their couches from being chewed. Attach the grid wires with cable ties (make sure to cut the end). Grid wires prevent your bunny from hopping on it or chewing the four wooden legs.
If you want your bunny to access the couch, you can cover it with a thick clean blanket.
Household Cleaning Products/Insecticides
It's important to always keep all cleaning products and insecticides in a cabinet or closet and make sure the door is always closed. Bunnies love to chew on plastic, so they can easily get into these things.
Bed
If you choose to, how will you rabbit-proof your bed? The exact process of protecting furniture can be done.
Disclaimer: We are not professional veterinarians or medical doctors. We created this blog based on our experiences with pet rabbits, volunteered hours in the rabbit shelter, extensive pet product research, and experienced peers. The purpose of this blog is to provide information about properly taking care of rabbits. Please know that it is still best to visit the vet regularly. For medical emergencies, contact a rabbit-savvy vet. Always observe your rabbits around new products or environmental changes.
Final Thoughts on Bunny-proofing
Indeed, having a rabbit makes you innovative and creative, which you might not even notice! It makes you like a handyman who fixes everything in a house, except with a bunny!
We hope this blog will help you bunny-proof your home to make it a safe place for your rabbit!