Change in environment=depressed??

[Chunk's Mommy]

My bunny used to have a medium sized cage and a 6×4 foot pen area covered in carpet to play in. I just got him a bigger cage and he loves it but I changed his play area to a really soft tile instead of carpet. He rarely comes out to play in the few days we have had it.  He used to run laps around the pen and play and now he really doesn’t do anything.  Is he depressed or just getting used to it? should I change it back to carpet? 

[Azerane]

Some rabbits don’t like or are even scared of different flooring surfaces. Especially so for slippery surfaces. You can try feeding meals and treats in the play area to get some positive association to the new flooring. But if he doesn’t have as much traction as before he might not feel safe to do laps and binkys without slipping.

[Bam]

I agree that a floor that provides good traction is very important for a bunny. I’d think soft tile would provide sufficient traction though, have you seen him walk/hop on it? If it’s slippery he won’t want to use it, because a bun always needs to feel it can get away quickly if a threat appears.
Bunnies are also often reluctant to try new things in general, being prey animals they like their world to be familiar and predictable. That doesn’t mean they can’t adapt to new surroundings, just that they might need some time.

As always, keep an eye on appetite and poop – amount, size, color.

[Author]

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