No, you do not need to worry. You have to quit worrying and remember that he is a rabbit and he doesn’t think like you. He obviously is aware of you and wants to know you are around which is why he comes to the living room for a quick hop and back to the office.

My rabbits are alone all day long and I don’t worry they are lonely. They are absolutely fine.

You know some people like some rabbits are happy to just hang out and be alone – nothing wrong with that. There are introverts and there are extroverts, there are the needy rabbits and the rabbits fine along. He’s obviously happy just hanging out.

You just need to remember that what you worry about is not what your rabbit worries about – I think you need to try not to project your feelings on him and just enjoy him the way he is. You’ll be happier not worrying so much about him and just enjoying him the way he is.

No, you don’t need to worry – he’s probably just relaxing or sleeping – they do that a whole lot.

Mine would spend most of the day and sometimes most of the night under the bed. They’d come out to munch, go potty, get a drink and back under the bed they went. Eddie came out more often cause he had to see what I was up to. But it’s normal that they find a favorite spot and hang out there a lot.

I wouldn’t worry – buns are social animals but they still sometimes like to be alone. My buns spend more time in a different room to me than with me and they do so by choice, and it’s also worth noting that they spend quite a lot of time mooching about separately despite adoring each other. Probably the best things we ever did was give them a two storey home so they could be apart as well as together.

That’s not to say that I don’t find it frustrating when all I want to do is lay on the rug with them and all they want to do is hide behind the sofa ignoring me. I just try and remind myself that if they didn’t spend so much time pretending I didn’t exist it probably wouldn’t feel so great when they come over to see me, but I usually call them a pair of anti-social buggers and have a little sulk anyway!

My bunnies choose to spend most of their time away from us – even when they’re in the same room they’re ignoring us 😛 They might hop up on the couch for a few seconds, or as long as we have food, but then they’re off and away. In the mornings Hannah will run into the living room for a lap or two, but then she’s back out into their cage area. Your bunny is acting perfectly normally – I think you should stop worrying about him and just let him be. You’ll learn his personality over time and what is normal for him. If he’s relaxed in your house, then he’s a happy guy.

I’m sure he likes the carpet better and that could be the main source of your issue – my rabbits will not spend any time in hardwood rooms. Hannah will cross them, but not stay. Otto won’t even cross the hardwood floors 95% of the time and acts like they are covered in lava. Maybe getting an area rug for the living room would make him want to stay?

I know how the old dog thing goes!

I didn’t realize your living room was bare hardwood – that would even be the sole reason he won’t hang out there. Most bunnies really dislike it, and they can’t get enough traction to run around much. Bed Bath & Beyond has some really cheap neutral area rugs (5x7s are only $30; 8x10s are $40 I think) – you might be able to put one down for him and if the dogs mess it up it’s not a big deal.

It’s true, the larger the rabbit the harder it is for them to maneuver on hard floors – they cannot get traction because unlike cats or dogs they don’t have the paw pads, just fur. The little ones don’t seem to have the same problem – they may not like it either but they are light and just hop more easily on the smooth floors.

Hugo definitely likes the carpet better. You can also go to Menards and get remnants of carpet that they have bound for pretty cheap. They are really nice. I find that Hugo likes to nap under a bed, under the table or in the corner of the room. He comes to play for a very short time and goes to lay down again.
I find that if I miss him or haven’t seen him in a while I’ll go lay down on the floor by him. About a foot in front of his face. After a few minutes he usually lowers his head down for some rubs. They I go back to what I was doing. Sometimes he even follows me out.

Yup, free bits of leftover carpet are good. I left my rabbits alone for a few minutes earlier and I now have a large whole in the middle of my rug – just thought I’d come warn you!

Posted By Sarita on 09/16/2010 10:32 AM
It’s true, the larger the rabbit the harder it is for them to maneuver on hard floors – they cannot get traction because unlike cats or dogs they don’t have the paw pads, just fur. The little ones don’t seem to have the same problem – they may not like it either but they are light and just hop more easily on the smooth floors.

Can you come to my house and explain that to Otto? He’s only 4lbs but he acts like it’s the hardest thing in the world. Whenever he actually does cross the floor he slips and slides and scrambles around like he can’t keep his feet under him He’s such a baby.

Posted By grumpybun on 09/16/2010 12:45 PM
Yup, free bits of leftover carpet are good. I left my rabbits alone for a few minutes earlier and I now have a large whole in the middle of my rug – just thought I’d come warn you!

We got the $30 BB&B rug for our bunny pen and they’ve had it for a few months now without a single hole! I’ve probably only found a few fibers total ripped up, and I think those get ripped up when there is a piece of paper on the floor, and Hannah will grab carpet at the same time as the paper and yank (I’ve watched her do it) – so she means to bite the paper, but gets some carpet in there too. Some bunnies can do very well with carpet