Veterinarians Best Bitter Cherry Spray

Question
Is this product safe for rabbits?  I want to spray it on wooden furniture legs and the bottom of my couch to prevent my rabbit from chewing on them.  I've tried soap and it did not work.  Someone recommended bitter apple and bitter barrier, but I could not find either.  Thanks!

Answer
Dear Wendy,

I've never found *any* spray or product that will keep a determined rabbit from chewing wooden furniture.  The only thing that does seem to work is distractions.

If your bunny is female and not spayed, then spaying will help curb this natural burrowing behavior.  Neutering a male will help, too, but it's the females who are most adamant about these "projects."

Providing bunny with cardboard boxes with entrance/exit holes cut in can make a big difference, as most buns will love to spend hours excavating and altering such a box (no tape or staples!  Glue the box into its shape.) and not pay attention to other things.

I can't see your couch or furniture to make suggestions about how to protect it.  But there are ways to create a physical barrier, such as tacking on plastic edging, or wrapping the table legs in soft plastic tubing--or even in chewable grass placemats from Pier One.  These can be removed when company comes over, and replaced when they get too ratty.

I've never used or heard of Bitter Cherry Spray, and none of the web sites where I found it list the ingredients.  But I doubt it would be toxic or harmful if it's essentially designed to be tasted (and then avoided).  Still, I've never heard of anyone having much luck with these products, which are designed for the dog/cat palate.  Rabbits often actually *like* bitter tastes, so don't hope for any miracles with that.

Hope this will help a bit!

Dana