Sofas and armchairs

Bunny proofing a sofa. How to stop a house rabbit chewing and damaging your sofa. Make sure your sofa is safe for a house rabbit to play around

Rabbits like most pets like to compete for a place on the sofa with you. Where they do differ from other pets is in the type of damage they can do and the dangers they can be exposed to. Bunny proof you sofa is necessary so you can be certain you rabbit cant get trapped behind or under the sofa or worse crawling inside and getting and hurt itself trying to escaping.

What problem can occur

A rabbit can easily chew a hole in a sofa and then crawl inside which can be dangerous.
The stretched martial cover of a wooden framed sofa can be badly damaged from chewing behaviour which can lead ripping and even holes developing. If a rabbit manages to get inside then it can not only be frustrating for you to have to tempt it out it can also be tremendously dangerous as they often contain sharp metal pieces that can hurt a rabbit.

Reasons for behaviour

Rabbits like to hide under or behind things stay out of the way of danger.
As well as jumping on to the sofa to take advantage of this position in the room rabbits also like crawl in the space behind as well as under the sofa so they can move around the room and stay out of sight. The soft wood that makes up the frame and the material coverings in these typically unexposed places can be very tempting for a rabbit to chew on to sharpen its teeth or for digestive fibre.

Bunny proofing solutions

There are a few problems you have to guard against when bunny proofing a sofa.
Unfortunately it’s impractical to block access to your sofa and still have practical access yourself. The best option to ensuring your sofa dose not become damaged and make it safe is to use a range of bunny proofing solutions to keep the problem in check where it developers.

Benefits of good design

Some sofas can also have features that lend themselves to being bunny proofing.
If you are choosing a new sofa picking one with bunny proofing in mind can help avoid many of the problems and dangers. Try and find a sofa that has an exposed metal frame rather then material stretched over a wooden frame with no moving parts as this will avoid many of the problems.

Reclining mechanisms

Sofas and chairs that have reclining mechanisms are dangerous.
Avoid sofas and chairs that have reclining mechanisms or that fold into beds as these can offer tempting crawl spaces that can lead to your rabbit to getting trapped inside. You may also unwittingly trap you rabbit in these mechanisms and hurt them.

Blocking off gaps

Don’t create any spaces that a rabbit could be temped to crawl into.
Pay close attention to the tempting crawl spaces which can form between your sofa and the wall as this can be extremely dangerous if your rabbit gets stuck exploring it or the sofa moves with them behind it. Either push the sofa up against the wall or move it a good distance away. If this is not possible then any spaces can be blocked of using another piece of furniture or some plywood sheeting or wooden blocks. Avoid using cardboard as this will not provide a permanent solution and may only prove more of a temptation.

Block the underside

The underside of a sofa is increasable dangerous and should be blocked off.
Bunnies have a natural tendency to want to chew and tug at loose edges and the thin layer of material covering the underside of a sofa can be shredded in seconds and a serious problem can occur if you rabbit gets inside. Not only are you going to have to literally take your sofa apart to get you rabbit out your bunny is also likely to really hurt itself in the process of trying to escape. Always block of access to this space. Either turn your sofa over and cover this surface with some solid sheeting or better still block the temptation off by filling the space in down to the floor.

Chewing alternatives

Provide alternatives such as willow, chew toys and cardboard eat and sharpen teeth on.
Damage caused by your bunny to your sofa by chewing, digging and shredding can be hard to stop and can leave your sofa looking worn and tatty. Always provide some save and assessable alternatives to act as a distraction and keeping swopping them around to stop them becoming boring. Regular objects such as cardboard tubes boxes can be used just as effective as bought toys and are a lot cheaper to replace on a regular bases. If you don’t mind the look, using some throws can also cut down on the damage done directly to the surface of your sofa.

Safety and falling

Make sure your bunny rabbit can get on and off your sofa safely without slipping.
Always make sure you don't leave anything on the seats that could be dangerous such as a plate of hot food or sharp objects and make sure that anything you don’t want chewed is removed such as your TV remote control, magazines, bags, cloths or your phone. If you do have a rabbit that dose likes to jump on and off your sofa make sure its as safe as possible for them by removing loose objects like cushions that can cause them to slip if they miss judged the landing. If you have a high sofa on a hard surface you may want to soften the landing by pulling a rug along side as your rabbit can hurt itself if it misjudges jumping down or slips and falls off.