Bunnies don’t want come out of the pen!

[Kate Monster]

Before Christmas, both Kate and Spence liked to get out of their pen and romp around my apartment.  It took them a little while to stray very far, but eventually they were so happy that it got difficult to get them back in the pen when it was bed time and I had to stop letting them out in the mornings or they’d make me miss my bus with their hiding behind things! Then I took them to my parents for Christmas, for about two weeks, and because my parents have dogs they had to live in the basement, which was pretty impossible to bunny proof so they had to spend those two weeks in the pen.  Certainly not ideal, but unfortunately it was the best option available. Ever since coming home, they’ve been really hesitant about coming out of the pen.  The first day back, I managed to get them both out and they ran around for a bit, pretty much like before we left if a bit more hesitant, but I expected that.  But now they almost act like they’re scared!  They come halfway out and run back inside.  Spence has sore hock as some may have heard in another thread, so maybe he doesn’t like the feel of the floors outside the pen on his foot? Kate will come out, but not for nearly as long and she stays in a much smaller range than she used to. Maybe Kate won’t run around as much because Spence won’t come with her? Neither has suffered any injuries to traumatize them.  The pen isn’t exactly small, but they need more exercize then that.  Does anyone have any thoughts as to what might be going on in their bunny heads?  And if you think it could have been the trip to my parents and their confinement making them wary, what can I do next time to make the situation better? Sadly, being a student pretty much everyone else I know are also students which means they tend to leave the area the same times I do. I just feel so bad that they won’t come out and I miss the silly bunny antics!

[Kate Monster]

Update:

Yesterday I put a smallish grass mat infront of their pen and Spencer immediately hopped out.  They both ran around a bit, although still stayed closer to the pen then they used to.  Is it possible that he doesn’t like my floors (wood) and the mat made it more attractive to come further out? Maybe the floors are colder now that it’s winter? Did that mat just make him curious?  If it’s the floors there’s not a lot I can do, I can’t really carpet my rented apartment but next time I move I could try to aim for carpet or get a bound carpet square for the area in front of their pen if I end up staying here awhile longer.  Of course it’s also possible that his foot is feeling better and the mat just looked like fun. Any experiences or thoughts would be helpful! 

[Elrohwen]

There are lots of bunnies who don’t like wood floors, so I think that’s a likely cause. Otto is terrified of them and very rarely crosses (we usually carry him from cage to living room using his maze haven). He won’t cross hardwood at all in a new place – when we visited my parents he stayed in the living room with no barriers because he was afraid to leave the area rug. Hannah is unfazed by them, but she never hangs out in hardwood areas either and only uses them to cross from one carpeted area to another.

You can get cheap area rugs online or at places like Bed Bath and Beyond. I got a 6×9 rug for the bunny pen for only $30.

[Kate Monster]

Thanks! I think that is in fact the issue. I laid a blanket down in front of the pen and they both came right out. Kate even did binkies up and down, groomed my shirt, nose bumped me, and stood on my leg! She never does any of those things! I was just excited to Spencer leave the pen which he hasn’t done much lately, even though he mostly just hid in his self created hidey hole behind the DVD case. I shall definitely be buying a big area rug or two for the bunny monsters!

[Elrohwen]

Yay! They sound so happy with the blanket

[jerseygirl]

How completely contrary they are! So the flooring was not an issue previously, only after you came back from your parents? lol
Did they have carpet or mats to run on there?

I read your initial post the other day but was mystified as to what could be the problem. Happy to hear you may have sorted it out.

[Kate Monster]

They are incredibly contrary little monsters! They weren’t allowed out at my parents. I’ve decided that before they were just so curious that they put up with walking on floors they didn’t like. But now that they’ve seen it all they don’t want to subject themselves to skittering around. What can you do, they’re bunnies! But they are thrilled with their blanket for now, and I have a 5×7 carpet on the way, so they should be scampering around on that in no time!

[jerseygirl]

I have noticed after mine had been confined to a room (litter retraining) that when I did allow them access back to the rest of the house, they would venture out but tended tp gravitate back to the area where they’d been confined. They’d stay there more by choice.  After a few days they’d then go and stay in other rooms more.

[Kate Monster]

Update: They have a nice rug now that they are incredibly happy with. Spencer binkies all over the place on it and Kate chases invisible dragons. She got going so fast earlier today that she almost ran into a table! Neither of them is very willing to go back to the pen at bedtime. There’s a solid chance that I might be moving in August, if so I will definitely get a place that’s completely carpeted. If I stay, then I will buy some more rugs! Thanks for the help!

[Author]

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