Anti-Social buns?

[AbbyGirl]

I wasn’t sure where to post this one. 

Bonnie and Clyde seem to be very unsocial.  Their room is open for 16 hours a day but they are only out for about an hour total in a day.  They do explore, run and binky when they’re actually out.  They love to be pet if you sit in there with them.  I just feel like they should be getting more movement.  They like to sit under their hidey house for the most part.  The only things they have in there when the gate is down if their litterbox, food, hay, water and house.  All their toys and play houses are out in the livining room. 

As we know, they were left in the basement at their previous home.  They were not completely isolated but weren’t really exposed to family life and the normal activities that go on day to day.  I emailed the shelter to see if this was normal for them and she said they were in her basement as well.  Thank is where she keeps her some of her fosters that need extra room.  They were not isolated from her by any means but did not have constant exporuse to people and activities.  She did say however that when ever she was down there, no matter how long, that they were begging for her attention and always on her heels.

So, how can I go about working on this with them?  I know they haven’t been here long and are still adjusting.  I just think they need to get more exercise than this.  Is there anything I can do that might make them come out and play more?  Any help is appreciated.  I’ve never experienced this with Rhine or Hugo. 

[Otti]

Hmm i don’t think it’s that abnormal. I’ve noticed that if Sammy is in his pen all day, when I come back from work he’s very energetic for 3 or 4 hours. However, when he’s allowed to be out all day, like on the weekends, he’ll be active for maybe an hour or
two in the morning and maybe another hour or so at night, but
most of the day he just sleeps in his pen or sits in different spots in the apartment.

If you want to entice them to come out more, you could use treats or create treat based toys like stuffed paper
bags, and give them to the bunnies in the more social areas of the house.

[mrmac]

My bunnies Davey and Delilah just enjoy sitting in their house most if not all day sometimes. They don’t really seek out attention from us but really enjoy us going in to their pen and petting them. I feel like they should have more exercise too but they just don’t. Could you bring their house or a house in general out to their ‘play’ area and block off their ‘home’ area to get them to be out with everyone more?

[AbbyGirl]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have a paper garbage bag of hay out here. They seem to like to eat hay that way. I also have to cardboard houses out for them. I could bring out the house in their room though. I also have willow wood baskets, grapevine wreath and 2 different tunnels. I’m not sure how I feel about blocking off their room. I don’t want to make them uncomfortable and that’s where their litterbox and water are. Maybe it would be ok for very short periods of time?

[Beka27]

Yeah, I wouldn’t block off their home base, esp. with children around, they need a “safe zone” they can return to. I don’t think they are anti-social. I agree that part of it is they are getting used to new surroundings and part of it is because they are a bonded pair. They might not feel they need additional interaction with humans because they have each other. This can also be an issue with having rabbits in a dedicated “bunny room” or a basement, removed from the family. They become comfortable in their space and if you don’t make a point to hang out in theirs, you might not see them.

[AbbyGirl]

I think I didn’t title my thread well enough for what I was really getting at. I wasn’t really concerned with interacting with them. I know that comes with time. I have no problem petting them in their area since that’s what they are more comfortable with. I was more concerned that they don’t get enough playtime, stimulation and exercise for themselves. The area they have is about 3’x5′ in front of our washer and dryer which you can see from the majority of our house.  I wanted to make sure they would not be isolated from the family.  It’s not a lot of room for the 2 of them though.  Especially once you add a huge litterbox and house, food dishes and toys. That’s why I take their toys out in the morning.
I know they are still adjusting and that they have to get use to being with a family 24-7 since they have never done this before. Is there anyway to help them with this? Anything I should do or not do?

[AbbyGirl]

Just had to update.
I have been home by myself this morning. My husband and girls went to church without me today. We had a lazy week and I had no clean clothes! lol So I started some laundry. The buns don’t mind the machines. They actually lay against them while they run. =) They came out about 20 minutes after they left and played for a while. Then laid down in different places. They have only been back to their area to eat, drink or use the box for a few minutes in the last hour and a half. Nothing different is going on today. I’ve been walking past them the whole time cleaning and what not.

Could this be because the girls aren’t here? I’ve noticed that they never come out during the day but about an hour after my girls go to bed is when they come out to play and lay on the living room floor. Maybe the children in their last home didn’t treat them well?….

Just thinking out load. Thanks for listening. Any opinions are always appreciated! =)

[Beka27]

That’s a thought. It really could be anything.

[ScooterandAnnette]

Do the girls tend to run in the house? Not RUN run, but walk quickly run? I know that adults tend to have a slower pace walking through the house than children do – could it be that the buns are still just a little cautious about little feet dashing about?
– Annette

[AbbyGirl]

Oh, my girls are definitely runners. They are also very loud. You would think I had little boys! I’ve been working on that for 5 years! lol
I did find out that the kids at their last home were much younger than mine who are now 7 and 5 1/2.
The shelter told me to have the girls keep working with them so they know that all little hands aren’t grabby and can be good things too. She said to have them do all the food and treats as well.
I also think they just don’t know what it’s like to live on the same floor as a family since they never have before. Hopefully, I can work on these things with them. It’s just a matter of figuring out how.
Thanks for all your thoughts! It helps me process through it. =)

[Michelle&Lolli]

When Eddie was alive, my two lived under the bed for the majority of the day and sometimes most of the night. It’s just where they preferred to be. Probably cause I couldn’t get to them. lol But Eddie was a bit weird and had to make circuits of the apartment every couple of hours. He’d hop out into the living room, look around, munch some, hop some more, check me out, then go back under the bed. That’s just the way he was and he got more exercises because of it. Now Lolli, on the other hand, has always parked her butt somewhere and that’s it. lol She finds a spot and stays there for most of the day, hanging out and sleeping. She has never been really active. But early in the morning and late at night she does start hopping around more and sometimes does the racing a bit.

Some bunnies are active and others aren’t. Also you have to take into account their ages as well. Older bunnies are not going to be as active. It could be that they feel really safe where they are and don’t have any need to venture out into the big unknown of the house. lol

By the way, I have always worried about mine not being active. Especially Lolli but there’s not much you can do about it. I guess I could try to clicker train lolli but she’d probably just sit there and laugh at me.

[AbbyGirl]

Thanks you. I’m glad to know it’s not just me! =) Hopefully with some time they will adjust to being with a family.

[AbbyGirl]

Oh my goodness!!!! Bonnie and Clyde have been out playing in the living room while my girls are awake! =) They are watching a movie but they are still talking and moving around. I’m SO happy.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Yay! They just needed some time!

[Author]

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