Rabbits are long-domesticated animals of the Zaitsev family. Previously, these animals were kept by people exclusively for consumer purposes, using their fur and eating meat. Nowadays, quite often the rabbit can be seen as a decorative pet.
Why does a rabbit gnaw a cage
Often, the owners of rabbits pay attention to such a detail - the pet begins to gnaw the cage, and this circumstance is more worried about the owners of decorative animals. This is not surprising: the owners usually pay a lot of attention to such animals, surrounding them with concern and worrying about every occasion.
Important! A two-kilogram rabbit is able to drink the same amount of liquid as a dog weighing 10 kg. So fresh water in sufficient quantities is simply necessary for the animal, both agricultural and decorative.Indeed, this problem is very common, and there are several of the most likely reasons for its occurrence.
Lack of solid feed intake
One of the most common reasons that a rabbit can chew a cage is the lack of a solid feed ration. The animal thus tries to fill the feeling of an empty stomach.
Lack of nutrients in the body
Another typical reason is a deficiency of vitamins and minerals. If the animal is deficient in salt, it will chew on the cage, especially paying attention to places with traces of urine. Thus, he is trying to restore the salt balance.
It will be useful for you to read about how to determine the sex of a rabbit, what affects the lifespan of rabbits, when and how to stigmatize rabbits, why rabbits grow poorly and do not gain weight, and also find out what causes aggression from a rabbit and calming methods.
Puberty
The sexual abilities of these animals have become the talk of the town. Their maturation occurs very quickly, for example, rabbits of medium-sized breeds are ready for mating at the age of 14-15 weeks. In their natural habitat, animals independently find the nutrients they need, while at home they are forced to eat only what the host gives. Sometimes it's not about the quantity of feed, but in its quality indicators. Perhaps it is not enough for him only the carbohydrates that you give him in excess, he needs protein food.
Did you know? If rabbits are not restricted in reproduction, then after 90 years, 1 rabbit would live on every square meter of our planet.
Grow teeth
Although the rabbit belongs to the Zaitsev family, it is essentially a rodent. The animal is the owner of 28 teeth and is capable of making 2 chewing movements every second, moreover, the incisors grow throughout his life. That is, the constant work of the teeth - for him the norm.
Growing incisors require grinding, otherwise their uncontrolled growth may threaten the health of the animal. So, quite possibly, the animal simply grinds off its front teeth. Although usually, if there is enough solid food in the diet, this problem should not arise, since such food is a natural abrasive.
Boredom
It may happen that a rabbit, especially an ornamental pet, who sits in a cage all day, is simply bored. In this case, it means that he needs to nibble something, but there is nothing at hand, more precisely under the teeth.
Wants to walk
An important factor in your pet's life is walks. If you are the owner of a decorative animal, give it plenty to rush around the house, and perhaps this will be enough to feel at ease in the evening.
Learn how to make a cage, a shed, a barn, a house, a water bottle, a feeding trough and a canopy for rabbits
How to wean the rabbit gnaw cage
Try a few simple guidelines to help your pet stop nibbling the cage:
- Put a few green tree branches of various species into the animal's cage. They need to be changed regularly. In the cold season, you can be satisfied with dry branches, but it is desirable that these were branches of fruit trees.
- Enter the solid feed in the menu.
- Try putting some small stones in the cage.
- Use more fresh food in your diet. In the cold season, give food, enriched with vitamins, or just vitamins.
- Try to sometimes devote time to your pet so that he does not get bored, if possible let him run around the house.
- Periodically arrange a rabbit for street walks, it is quite possible that he himself will find among the grass exactly the one he needs.