Getting a lazy rabbit to play?

[HenryMouse]

My male, Henry, is the laziest rabbit on planet earth and I’m worried that he’s not getting enough exercise or mental stimulation.  While Mouse is busy running around like a maniac and investigating everything, all he ever does is sit in his litter box, unless he has to eat, drink, or nap (or occasionally ask Mouse to groom him).  He is perfectly healthy and seems very content with his life, but I’d love to see him actually move and show some interest in something other than food.  He’s not really a chewer, either.  Has anyone had success in getting their lazy rabbit to play with toys?  What toys do they like?

[BubblesJo]

If your bunny is food oriented you can make food oriented toys too! It can be something simple like carboard tubes stuffed with hay and treats, hiding small treats in a dig box or more complex a treat ball the bunny needs to push around to get food or a “teach and treat”

[Bam]

I have one very lazy bunny. If I take him to my mother’s house, he explores the living-room a bit, then seems content to lie about. It’s hilarious to see him watch tv with my mother’s hubby, hubby in a chair and Bam on a rug beside him. They can watch snooker for hours on end =) I don’t think Bam is under-stimulated, I think he actually prefers leisurely lounging. I’ve tried treat-balls, hay in toilet-paper rolls, stuffed toys and balls with or without bells in them, hidey-houses and stacks of old newspaper and a dig-box with peat in it, but Bam is always utterly unimpressed. Sometimes he will run through his tunnel, though or jump up into a chair and have a look out over the living-room, like a general surveing a prospective battle-field.

Sorry I’m not of much help. But some pets just are more laid-back than others and it doesn’t necessarily have to mean they’re unhappy =)

[Deleted User]

How cool! We have another Henry! My boy spends a lot of his day/night lounging – I’m sure the most exercise he gets is thinking/deciding where he wants to lay/lounge for the day????? Lol! My Henry is still under a year old and has his moments of madness usually around 4/5 in the morning and will play with his cardboard, mostly the toilet rolls if he has a burst of energy through the day. You didn’t mention your Henry’s age? is he older? If not, I still wouldn’t worry – that’s exactly how I picture my boy in a couple of years? But yer, try the treat toys mentioned above – you never know? Cheers Henry’s mum – from Henry’s mum! ha ha ha ha hah…..

[HenryMouse]

Love the name. I think he’s about one. He is occasionally interested in food related toys, but he would much prefer if the treat were just handed to him. If I give him a treat and he accidentally drops it, he will just leave it there unless it’s in his direct line of vision. He’s not too bright, the poor thing.

[Eepster]

When we first got Porky, he spent most of his exercise just hanging out and relaxing in his condo. Then at my bed time, when I was giving him his pellets he would suddenly want to come out and play.

I created a spacious porch for him. Now, he can play on his own schedule. During the day, instead of exercise time, we have some cuddles and he can relax in his condo, and then he can play when he wants to in the evening and early morning. He doesn’t try to come out when I’m giving him pellets now, he just noshes a few pellets then heads to his porch to play.

For Porky, it was just about timing.

[LBJ10]

Is he a lop? Because he sounds a lot like Leopold. Although Leopold does play with toys that contain treats and the occasional tossing toy, he does spend a lot of his time lying around. He’s a very smart boy, but sometimes he needs food to motivate him. So I do try to challenge him. Did you see my thread in this section about his Toys R Us toy meant for dogs? It went over VERY well.

[Zombie-Sue]

After bonding my very lazy Tank to his friends, he got a little more active. Maybe after a little time he’ll learn from his friend.

[BunnyLady1989]

Lulu is a Holland Lop and she’s a loafer too. She will lay under the footstool (or any other cave-like area) for hours napping and watching tv. She does get random bursts of energy and will binky all over the place or play with her toys, but most of the time she is a bunny loaf. Some animals, regardless of what kind, are like that.

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