I’m clueless. Panda and Fernando love their own cardboard hidey boxes – so much so that the ones on the upstairs level of their condo usually get well and thoroughly chewed up inside of two months after being set up. For some unaccountable reason, though, the big one in their playpen has never sustained more than modest nibbling. ???

Maybe they’re afraid you’ll throw them out, since we all know how much buns love carboard boxes

But seriously, shape PLUS colour might be the reason. Buns don’t perceive the spectrum the same way we do…

Posted By Q8bunny on 10/01/2018 7:25 AM

Maybe they’re afraid you’ll throw them out, since we all know how much buns love carboard boxes

But seriously, shape PLUS colour might be the reason. Buns don’t perceive the spectrum the same way we do…

If I remember right, rabbits’ color spectrum is skewed toward blue/green, which makes it a lot easier for them to see their food sources (i.e., green plants). If the boxes aren’t in a color they can see easily, like red, they might not much care for it. This makes our own situation rather peculiar, though, since the big box I mentioned is a Sejoyia coconut-cashew cookie box that I got from Costco some time ago, basically bright orange-red with three openings in it that are the perfect size for bun entry/exit points. P&F have never objected to it, though its color may be the reason they haven’t chewed much on it, now that I consider the question.

Maybe it’s a big unknown shadow looming over them, rabbits get scared of things “flying” over. I think it’s instinct.
For my hobby I sometimes need a bright light to photograph costumes, and direct light can do strange things to shadows. When something casts a shadow on Breintje you can see him stiffening and getting ready to bolt.
Cardboard boxes standing on the floor are toy #1 for him: he loves to chew holes in it and hide.

That was always the case with Icey. Loved exploring, chewing, destroying, and sleeping in boxes. But they were on the ground stationary and familiar. When walking through the house as ourselves, item free, it was “Oh look, it’s just Gordon (or Janice). I wonder what they are doing?” But carrying a bag, small shoebox, large box, anything out of the ordinary and it was like, “WHAT THE ??…..EVERYONE!….RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! I too read somewhere it has to do with their vision in particular and shape recognition. I used to always try to carry stuff with my body between the item and her line of sight. Usually worked. Same thing with unfamiliar sounds….panic mode.

And now thinking about it more, it was most often the boxes that got her. The other items were hit and miss on excitability.

It could be because you are holding something large and while you are holding the box, it may appear over them and that can seem scary to them. I have seen this a bit with BunBun, even if I’m just carry an empty big plastic bag, if she doesn’t quite know what it is and it’s large, it’s scary and she sees it coming… if I don’t pause and lower it down or fold it, or do something to either make it smaller, appear smaller or lower her fear, such as tell her it’s ok, she will be ready to run.