bringing Bunny home: suggestions for the first few weeks?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 7sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 9 months ago by RabbitPam.

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- 05/08/2009 at 7:52 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Hi all! I’m about to adopt my first bunny tomorrow!!! I’ve been reading and reading about care, but so far have only found pretty general suggestions for what to do in the bunny’s first week or two at home, in terms of play/exercise time. It sounds like you want to start small, for litter training and so that the bunny doesn’t get overwhelmed, but I’m not sure of the specifics, or how to balance this against their need for plenty of daily exercise. Do you have any suggestions?
  
  I suppose it will also depend on which bunny I get: the (spayed) 9-month-old who’s been living in a small cage in a shelter (in which case her new condo will be at least three times as big as what she’s been used to), or the (also spayed) 2-year-old who’s been living in foster care.
  
  In any case, here are my options: the bunny condo is 2x3x4 NIC cubes (4 cubes being the height), with a number of levels, making for about 18-20 square feet. I also have an 8-panel exercise pen and a 3-panel extension I’ll add once she gets used to the 8. The pen can also be attached directly to the condo. Once she gets used to the pen, I’d like to let her have free hop of the (small) apartment at times, but that’s for later on.
  
  So I guess what I’m wondering is what to do in the first week or so as far as how much time she should have in the exercise pen. What does “starting small” and “going slowly” at the beginning translate to in practice?
  
  Thank you so much!!
- 05/08/2009 at 8:05 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Is the exercise pen an 8 panel pen (4 feet x 4 feet)? If so I would skip the condo and go with the pen. You could use the extensions eventually too.
  
  Also what is the height of you pen?
- 05/08/2009 at 9:17 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  Yes, the pen is 4×4, but it is only 29″ high, and the 2-year-old is quite a jumper/climber, and can climb to the top of these (although she gets down when told). I did get a cover, but wouldn’t count on its containing her, so I think that the condo will be both more secure and more stimulating for this adventurous bunny. I have already built the condo, and since my apartment is truly tiny, I don’t have room to have the exercise pen out around the clock. It seems like having the condo as a home base (which would give her 20 sq. feet instead of just 16) and then having the exercise pen to play in for a number of hours every day would give her the most room.
  
  But my real question is about timing – should I introduce the exercise pen right away, or wait a little bit, and do I need to gradually work her up to the 4 hours a day of exercise time? If so, what would you suggest as specific guidelines?
  
  thanks so much,
  
  Meg
- 05/08/2009 at 9:21 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Well, since you’ve already built the condo :~) then I know your bunny will love that.
  
  I think I would wait just a few days, not too many so that she doesn’t go into sensory overload. Let her explore her condo and learn to climb up and down the various levels and use her litter box before you bring her out in the pen for playtime.
  
  As many hours a day as you can manage would be good – the more the better is the guideline.
- 05/08/2009 at 9:47 AM
  Meg
  Participant
  560 posts
  OK, thanks, that’s helpful. I’m definitely planning to give her as many hours a day in the x-pen as possible once she’s settled in… I guess my question was how to go about working up to that. (e.g., should I start with an hour? two? thirty minutes?) How quickly do you increase it? Does anyone else have suggestions?
  
  thank you so much!
- 05/08/2009 at 10:03 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I think for the exercise pen you can go ahead and leave her in for as many hours as you want. If you have her free roam the house then you want to start small and work up.
- 05/08/2009 at 2:19 PM
  JennyS
  Participant
  6 posts
  I’d start small for the first few days, either the condo and even using a baby gate to create a small area of the room. I’d make sure whatever you use has some type of cover, so the bunny can feel safe in an enclosed area.
- 05/08/2009 at 3:06 PM
  RabbitPam
  Moderator
  11002 posts
  I have tried acclimating my new bunny to my work routine, which was what my previous bunny got used to. I leave for work in the morning so I get up at least an hour and a half before I need to leave to get ready. I usually greet her and let her out while I prepare her breakfast foods and start my own. I would suggest confining her to her x-pen while you do this, and eventually start a routine where she learns what time to go back in her cage before you leave for the day. Give yourself a half hour to get her back inside. So I guess my Sammy gets about an hour of out time each morning.
  
  Bunnies learn routines, actually prefer them, very quickly. So if you feed her around the same time, or say treat and give her a little one when she goes back in for the day, she’ll learn to do it regularly. They will sleep and nibble throughout the day so will be ready for more play after you get home in the early evening. That’s when you can let her out for a couple of hours if you want, but not very far so she can explore gradually at her own pace. Try lying down or sitting on the floor with her in the pen and let her come over to explore you. Reading a book or watching TV will allow her to approach and get used to you without feeling chased by you. Give her little head pets when she’s close, and let her hang out with you to start bonding. If she doesn’t want to go back in for the night, lure her again with a little treat. (Raisins or bunny healthy snacks are good for that.)
  
  You will take your cues from her as to her timing. It will only be a few weeks before she is ready to play a lot. Watch for her to do binkies to indicate that she’s relaxed and happy!
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