bunnies and stairs?

[SnuggleBunny]

today is a big day for bonnie! its her first exploration outside of my bedroom and she’s doing great! she’s binkying and running up and down the hallway and having a grand ol’ time… but… what about my stairs? can she climb them? does she know they’re there? is her depth perception going to tell her to stay away or should i consider investing in one of those doggie doorway blocker thingies?  i’m on the second floor and they’re literally directily outside of my door, so i’m a little weary…

[Binkles]

Eee, I personally shy away from stairs because bunnies have bad depth perception..

BUT. Occasionally I take Little-Bit and let her run UP the stairs while I’m watching her -she loves it!

[ScooterandAnnette]

Our bunnies haven’t done the stairs (that we’ve seen) in our new house, but in our old one Aeryn in particular seemed to delight in sneaking down the basement and hiding there. A few times I’d be in my office (in the basement) and hear a quiet little hop hop hop and turn around to find her peeking into the office. Then I’d say “get upstairs young lady!” and she’s turn around and head up the stairs.
– Annette

[BunnyMuffin]

My bunny does well on the stairs. Her first time was this summer at my Mom’s house. I started her at the bottom and put her front feet up onto the first step for her, then she automatically brought her back feet up to follow. That way she got a good idea of how high the rise of the stairs was. After that she’d go up and down all on her own. Now that I’m back at my apartment, when I take her out on her leash to hop about, she loves racing up and down the stairs because the rise here is a lot lower than at my Mom’s house, so she can really zoom! So I think it will be okay as long as you teach her how high it is by letting her go up first so she doesn’t accidentally tumble down. (I’m also assuming the stairs have carpet or something else to provide good traction for her.)

[hooty22]

Ummm… Felony loves the stairs. He’s plays on them all the time. He likes to jump up to the second or third stair and then jump off and binky around the floor… He is also crazy.

[Binkles]

You just need to watch out particularly if you have an open balcony that they could confuse with being a flight of stairs. =x

[skunklionshow]

Jessi LOVES the stairs.  She runs up/down like a race horse…hmmm race horse on stairs????  Leo won’t go on the stairs.  I put him on a step once thinking he’d watch Jessi and try it out.  He sat there for about an hour…poor thing.

[DallasDelight]

Hmm, I wouldn’t be too worried if she stays away from them. Watch her and see if she goes up to them and looks down, then leaves. Dallas has never had a problem with my stairs(I am on the 2nd floor as well), even through all his binkying and zooming around like a bun on speed! He goes up to them every time he comes out, leans far forward to look and then hops away quickly..he has 100% no interest in going down them, but I am sure it differs bun to bun, as each is their own individual!

[SnuggleBunny]

ahhh so it depends on the bun i see… well i’ll just keep an eye on her and see if i need to block them off. the reason i’m actually really worried is becuase we don’t have a carpet or a stair runner, just hardwood… so no traction and i’m worried about a mach 5 bun speed wipeout or tumble. =| but i’m definately going to take her downstairs and give her the option of playing on them and climbing up a little, that sounds adorable!

thanks everyone!!

[ScooterandAnnette]

The stairs in our last place were just linoleum covered and Aeryn managed just fine. She learned to be a little slower than she’d normally go, but then again that could be because she was trying to use “stealth mode” so we wouldn’t notice her sneaking down the basement.
– Annette

[Beka27]

i would take her to the bottom of the staircase and let her climb a few steps at the bottom, with you watching. that way if she misses, she’s very close to the ground and you are right there.

be aware tho, that if she knows how to do it, there’s nothing stopping her from running up and down, whether or not you want her to. if you’re only allowed to have her in a certian part of the house, you could get a baby gate and block the stairs. if she’s allowed up and down, BOTH floors need to be thoroughly bunny proofed.

[Moonlight_Wolf]

I only let fern go up and down a little staircase that has only three stairs, She is not very good at going down…. going up she loves though! I would be wary of stairs, Especially wooden or any other material besides carpet.

[SnuggleBunny]

hmmm well i’m not exactly sure if she’s allowed in the whole house, good point, i haven’t even asked my parents ! ha! but i’ll definately test her out on her stair ability, and keep close watch when she first tries them out, i’m always very cautious with her, and then i’ll see how she goes about it… and of course do some intense bunny proofing!!

[Beka27]

if you are not allowed to have her downstairs, i wouldn’t even show her the stairs at all. just get a baby gate she cannot jump over for the hallway.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

The first time Kokanee saw stairs she got really angry and growled at them!! I’m sure she thought we made the floor do that to bug her!!

I don’t have stairs at my place but my friend’s bunny absolutely LOVES to streak up and down the stairs -very cute!

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