NO CHEW! Discontent rabbit?

Hey guys! I recently went out to check on my rabbits, to discover that my doe had been chewing (And eating!) her plastic nest box!!!!! :x She had chewed the rim at the bottom of the opening about an inch down!
The annoying thing is, she has a stick in her hutch she can chew on!
Why doesn't she chew on that? Any tips for discontent rabbits? Any good recommended toys?
I switched out her plastic nest box with a wooden crate thing, that is made for them to chew on, but it's not really big enough to be a nest box, and doesn't have a roof. And the really weird thing is that she's had that nest box in there for like 5 months, and I've never noticed her having a problem with chewing it before! She was also starting to chew on the cage before that.
I give her apple branches I get from my neighbor, but I can only get so much from them at a time, and by morning, the bark (Along with the leaves) are stripped completely away! She even eats most of the stick itself! (The tree I get the branches from is NOT sprayed, just so you know.) And she DOES get enough to eat! I feed her a half cup of pellets and a HUGE handful of timothy hay a day. (She's a mini rex/ Dutch cross, and weighs 4.4 pounds.) She just got dewormed about 3 weeks ago, so it shouldn't be the worms. I checked her and she is healthy hand clean. Lots of energy. I bought a harness for her, and take her for walks/runs in the grass. She likes those. I just don't have time to do it everyday! I don't understand! My buck is completely content! :roll: Any tips or suggestions?

Oops, MaggieJ could you switch this post to rabbit behavioral issues form? Sorry, didn't see that until now.

Sounds like a typical doe to me. My favorite doe would switch from "Pancake" to "Pancake the Destroyer" when pregnant. She would shred everything in her cage. Any straw bedding I gave her would be clipped into neat two inch lengths. It's not about hunger, it's just the urge to tear things apart.

When is your doe due?

There are metal nest boxes you can buy, if you prefer that to wood. And...giving her more things to destroy would help keep her happy. Pine cones are a favorite.

Sounds like a typical rabbit to me, Buck or Doe. Every time one of mine gets near plastic of any kind, specially and electrical cord or old plastic butter tub it's history.

Give them something you want them to chew on and forget it! "Can't make me, ain't going to do it". Pretty much anything plastic...Kind of like getting them to do the "Bunny Hurdles". Can't make me

:lol: Yep, pretty much... I have rabbits that will eat plastic anything. Never had problems as a result, but still... :x

Give her a cardboard box, or a twine ball. Some rabbits don't chew as much, others do all day. You can even get her one of those little cat-balls, whatever they're called. Also sounds like you need more wood for her. Will she chew on other wood? Can you collect some by your house and just give her new pieces in the morning?

You can also buy toys like parrot toys that they'll play with. It just hooks to the top of the cage. Or get chew toys in general for them. Of course if you don't feel like buying toys I'd just recommend giving her more wood, and a cardboard box. You can also get little things of hay that are compressed they'll chew on.

Edit: just some links. You can usually find these at local pet stores. I chose petco just randomly because it was the first site that came up, but...


http://t.petco.com/product/121597/WARE- ... w-Toy.aspx these are a hit. This is what I meant by 'twine ball' haha.

http://t.petco.com/product/121937/WARE- ... e-Pee.aspx this ones kinda pricey but it lasts a while. There's other styles too

http://t.petco.com/product/122494/WARE- ... imals.aspx things like this should last longer

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/ ... o-ball-toy this site in in the UK but this type of treat hanger you can stick hay in or some sort of treat. Entertaining

You can also take paper towel rolls or toilet rolls and they enjoy chewing on those.

It's not about hunger, it's just the urge to tear things apart. When is your doe due?
There are metal nest boxes you can buy, if you prefer that to wood. And...giving her more things to destroy would help keep her happy. Pine cones are a favorite.

Click to expand...

She was due the 21st. But I palpated, and only felt dropping sized balls. So I don't think she's prego.

Pine cones? Aren't they too sharp and poky, and sappy?
The pine cones I have, have small spikes at the end, like the picture.

Any other toys you use? Do you use toilet and towel cardboard rolls? Is cardboard ok?

Sounds like a typical rabbit to me, Buck or Doe. Every time one of mine gets near plastic of any kind, specially and electrical cord or old plastic butter tub it's history.

Give them something you want them to chew on and forget it! "Can't make me, ain't going to do it". Pretty much anything plastic...Kind of like getting them to do the "Bunny Hurdles". Can't make me

Image

Click to expand...

HAHAHAHHAHAHAH! LOVE the video! That is GREAT Homer!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

Give her a cardboard box, or a twine ball. Some rabbits don't chew as much, others do all day. You can even get her one of those little cat-balls, whatever they're called. Also sounds like you need more wood for her. Will she chew on other wood? Can you collect some by your house and just give her new pieces in the morning?
You can also buy toys like parrot toys that they'll play with. It just hooks to the top of the cage. Or get chew toys in general for them. Of course if you don't feel like buying toys I'd just recommend giving her more wood, and a cardboard box. You can also get little things of hay that are compressed they'll chew on.

Click to expand...

Any hand carved toy ideas?
Is cardboard ok for them? Would plastic balls with holes in them be ok? like in the picture?
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What woods are ok for them to chew on? All I know of is apple. <br /><br /> -- Thu Oct 30, 2014 9:50 am -- <br /><br /> I put some pinecones in her cage. No melon. Almost a two days and she hadn't even touched them. :roll:
Haha.

I give mine pine cones (like the ones in your photo) all the time - and as pokey I find them the rabbits don't mind at all. They shred them to 'cobs' in no time! I wish yours liked them!