Baby bunnies chewing hutch, help please.

[IvyLovesWales]

We're new to rabbit keeping, and we've had our beautiful Netherland Dwarf baby girls for two days, they have a huge hutch and are very active and seem happy.

They have the best food and the best of everything .. I think!

Is it normal for them to be chewing on their hutch though, is this normal rabbit behaviour, or are they bored or distressed.

We haven't given them any fresh veg yet as I was advised to let them settle, they have plenty of hay, water and Burgess pellets. Can anyone advise which is the best hay as we got ours from PAH and they don't seem that fussed on it.

This is the first time we've had rabbits and we want them to have a happy life, so any advice would be appreciated.

I'll post cute bunny photos later!

Perfectly normal I'm afraid, mine have huge bedroom doorways now, and we've had to repair the steps numerous times.

My one remaining rabbit who is 7, is on his 4th hutch.

It's not boredom as mine has the run of the garden from 7am - 11pm, plenty for him to do and eat, but still loves a good chew of his hutch, within hours of us building his new ones (he has 2 joined together) he'd chewed all along the front of the doors.

Try Haybox, you can subscribe, but I'd suggest ordering the sample box first, which is Timothy and Meadow hay, to see which they prefer.

Rabbits are rodents - they chew.

Have you given your rabbits anything to chew that you are happy for them to chew? Wooden chews, wooden toys, small branches (rabbit friendly), etc?

Rabbits have an in build need to gnaw at their teeth don't stop growing. Try getting some apple tree twigs and branches to see if you can wean them off of their house... My sister has litter trained house rabbits who are definitely not bored or space restricted and apple branch is their favourite

Timothy hay in a rack is best option. As for hutch chewing, you can line the inside with fine chicken wire and ensure it is well and safely secured so bunnies don't hurt themselves on tacks/screws etc.

However, I've never had to do this, this is only what I've been told before.

I've always found mine have always favored certain areas of their hutch for their chewing fest and whatever I've put there to try and stop them is promptly thrown to the side!

@DarkDisquiet

Rabbits are rodents - they chew.

Have you given your rabbits anything to chew that you are happy for them to chew? Wooden chews, wooden toys, small branches (rabbit friendly), etc?

Rabbits are not rodents, they're lagomorphs ;)

Most hutches aren't actually the right size for rabbits, they're just bedrooms at best. A lot of the flat pack store bought ones are also very thin wood and won't withstand rabbits.

Better rabbit housing is a shed/playhouse attached to a run/aviary. Bored rabbits are the most destructive and youngsters are the worst!

For size - if you wouldn't shut a cat in it, don't shut a rabbit in it! They need loads of space to play at all hours of the day, and night. They can be very active at 3-4-5am.

Some excellent housing suppliers here:
www.thebigrabbithutch.co.uk/outdoor-suppliers.html

And better outdoor housing ideas here:
www.thebigrabbithutch.co.uk/outdoor-ideas.html

My two have a custom made set up, it's a 6x4 shed with a 5x10 aviary. The shed has had some,um, customising inside now but nothing to destroy it as it's all very thick tongue&groove wood.

Oh and for hay, another vote for Hay Box over here!! My two LOVE it. It's more expensive but OMG the quality is worth it.
haybox.club/

I used to give mine some small apple tree branches to chew on. Keeps the teeth down.

*Darkdisquiet
*
I agree that rabbits like to chew etc

But they are not classed as rodents