A question for those who have free range indoor bunnies.

Maybe free range isn't exactly what I mean, but anyway...

Did your bun(s) always live in your home without a pen/cage/hutch/whatever, or did they need to be locked up until they wised up a bit?

I'm beginning to lose hope that I'm ever going to be able to leave Molly and Junior out of their pen unsupervised With the baby on the way, Molly and Junior are moving bedrooms (into the bedroom I've always wanted them in anyway ) and I hoped I would be able to just put them in there without the pen and shut the door, but they're too blimmin' destructive.

They chew the skirtings and the doors, left to their own devices, I wouldn't be surprised if I came home one day to find they'd chewed through the wall to another room!!

Should I just give the idea up?

I was soooo lucky with Thumper. She never chewed a skirting board or door in the almost 11 years I had her!

It really does depend on the bun.

Me, Jack and Layla are really very well-behaved apart from the odd wallpaper incident  and anything Hudad leaves on Layla's floor for too long (he's not yet learnt floor items = Layla's items).

Gizmo was an absolute nightmare. The time he broke us out of our pen for one afternoon, he destroyed three carpets and Humum has blocked out the memory of whatever else. When free-range under supervision he'd attack something then binky away in delight when he was told off  (before returning to continue, of course).

Roo was medium norty. She stripped a lot of wallpaper but left most everything else alone.


For Molly and Junior (well, let's face it, mostly Molly ) could you line the inside of the room with mesh panels or something so they can't get at the walls and woodwork? I'd suggest a babygate for the door, instead of shutting the door itself. Theo has had his bedroom door taken off - it opens inwards and you don't want to be opening it with a bun snoozing behind it, plus it's good to be able to peek in on them on the way past. For Theo we've also laid cheap lino over the carpet, not because he digs or chews the carpet but because of the odd stray wee. He has carpet sample mats and blankies over the lino which can easily be changed and washed. Cleaning his room is a doddle.

Molly and Junior might calm down as they get older. I wouldn't hold your breath though

Thanks for your thoughts, Sparky

How norty is gizmo?! He makes Molly and Junior look reasonably well behaved!!

Believe it or not, Junior is actually more chewy than Molly. Molly is more of a digger

Your suggestions are along the lines of what I was thinking Tbh I think I'd be as well just extend the pen if I was to go down the route of more panels. The baby gate was part of my original plan too but Molly Moo, Merry Mischief Maker would be right over the top of it

I think it's a lost cause tbh I hoped I was missing an obvious solution

I think it depends on how precious you are about your fixtures and fittings! 

Bruce and Flo never chewed a skirting board until this house. But here they have chewed skirtings, doors, carpets, plasterboard and goodness knows what else in their own room. There is very little damage elsewhere.

If you are concerned about damage you could always board or plexiglass or even lino the bottom of the walls including the skirting boards. This would protect everything behind the boards.

Daisy has always been free range - and initially we went through some pain ...... Well for about three years actually.

He's fine now though ... We have the occasional incident but on the whole he is ok.

However I'd never leave him unsupervised in the front room!!!

I would love Lady Jane to be able to free range in my room, but she is a real destruct-o-bun! She chews anything in her way, strips wall paper, loves skirting boards, and digs at the carpet.

She has hours out each day, but her boudoir is 8 foot long and 2 foot 6" wide, with ledges in - so she's not cramped for space during the time she's in  

When she comes out she will see if there is anything new around to destroy   Under my bed I have had to block access to the walls with C&C grids, as she heads straight for the wallpaper and skirting boards, and other areas have to be blocked off too. I had a Christmas tree in my room last year with lights on - I left the room for one minute......she had chewed the cable on the lights! She is also rather good at chewing through the cable ties that hold the C&C grids together  

If I had a room that she could have all to herself I would still put the grids or puppy panels around the walls to protect them, and make sure the curtains were out of reach too, as she's rather good at lace making in any fabric she comes across  

And she looks like butter wouldn't melt !  

Our Dougal is only still young, he is almost 8 months old but after about a week we decided to let him free range in his own bedroom. He does have a cage just in case for any reason he would have to be put in it but have never had to, he just goes in it to his litter tray and that is it. He is a very good bun, he has the odd go at wallpaper and skirting borads but not often, he has free range of the house now until we go bed then he gets shut back into his bedroom. We do this mainly for safety has he has not tried going down the stairs yet and they are steep and I would not want him attempting that the first time when we are not around and he may chew things with being a different room.

When we first let him in our bedrooom as he has all upstairs atm til he braves the stairs apart from the bathrrom, he sis try and see what he could chew and what he could get way with but he is a fast learner and a good boy so he gives up and knowd better. He only tends to chew anyhting if he wants my attention on him or for the chase and fun of humum keep having to tell him no and pull him back from what he is getting    little monkey when he does that.

Like others have said it depends on the bun really. I would trus Dougal out on his own but would rather not at night just for safety we have a lot of electrics in the house and even though they are covered there's a big extension reel covered by a plant pot but just in case he got under it or anything we just do not want to. During the day he is out all day til we go bed, he is out wiht me now in the room as we speak. i have left him in here on his own all day and he did not do a thing.

the baby gate is a good idea, you can buy extra tall ones, it is great for you to see the buns as Amanda said and they can see you too. I would advise meshing the gate though as they get their heads in easily and could get stuck. if you have enough room you could keep a big cage in and if they where norty you could just shut them in when they are and they will qucikly learn that if they be bad they get put in there. This is another eason why we shut dougal in the bedrroom at night for oppositel, so he does not see it as a punishment but  a safe zone and his zone , so if we have a lot of giuest round and young kids in the family he wont get hurt or pestered. He hates being shut it in but he knows the dirll now after a few night of doing it, but little monkey he can be lead in his room chilled out and as soon as I got to shut his gate, well move the food box keeping it open he dives out   , I then have to go Dougal no, bed time and get him back in and in the morning when he hears my alarm and I decide I will stay in bed for another half hour I cant as he shakes his gate cos he has has heard the alarm and it means humum should be up and letting him out and giving him nommy pellets  .

I rambled there a but but in short I would see how they go and just portect what you can if it is what you want them to have.

All our buns have been completely free range love, they have always slept on my bed too.  Mr Snuffles was a little terror for chewing; curtains, skirting boards, furniture, anyting he could get his teeth on and the world "no" never worked.  Binky Boo however has had a little nibble at a couple of things but is no where near as bad.  Wish I could help more hun.

Hugs

JO xx

Grace use to be free range till late at night when she would be put back in her indoor cage and Skylark and Siskin are free range all day and go in their indoor cage at night. The ones that we do have free ranging all day we always like them in their indoor cages at night for warmth in the Winter and to make sure they are safe during the night.

Thanks guys. Sorry to take so long to reply, as mentioned briefly in another thread I've been feeling poop! I've had a never ending cold, been getting nose bleeds, I've got a blimmin heat rash, bla bla bla lol! But in happier news, this morning was the first time I've been sick in a week

Anyhoo, as you can imagine, the little monkeys haven't exactly been sympathetic and we've gone through a fair few hay tunnels recently - it's a small price to pay

I've been thinking about this thread though and I've decided for the foreseeable future they're just going to have to stay locked in the pen when I'm not around

I'm disappointed but I'm not going to beat myself up about it! It isn't like they dislike their pen, they readily head back there on command so they must be quite content. And it's big enough, and I could still extend it.

Thanks for your thoughts

I don't think Moonier have much to complain about  

Rory is the first bun I've had that is too destructive to leave out overnight.  Several took a couple of years but I think it was my lack of knowledge.  Rorysauris is 18 mo old and I'm beginning to loose hope.  He is again attacking the walls and woodwork with vengeance.  He's still using the living room as a litter box. but just against. the sofa....or on it..    

When the walls get fixed we will have C & C panels all along the wall.  Or, since I've done so much damage with my powered wheelchair we may have  manufactured dent & bun resistant panels.   Some day. I hope. Please, God.

I've seen where people have placed two child gates one above the other. That way they can lean in if need be but have the escape route cut off.

Good luck! !!