bunny doesnt like playing in the yard…

[Cookie's Mom, Sandra]

Hi, all! i have several questions that have been answered by reading posts, but i still have a few. For now…do bunnies typically like to play in the grassy yard? We try and take our 3 month Holland Lop out in the yard (I have two kids, 4 and 1.5), even when my girls are NOT outside playing side by side with her (they on cement slab with toys/dolls and her in the grass and trees), the bunny runs around the grass and trees for a while and before i know it she has hopped indoors and gone into her cage. Again, even when my girls are not outside and i take her out to roam freely.

I wish she would play outside a bit more but she seems to have little interest. She likes hanging out in her indoor condo a lot (we keep cage open). I just want her to be happy and feel that she is given a lot of freedom.

[jerseygirl]

It’s probably that she’s just overwhelmed. Being a prey animal, their senses go into overdrive when outdoors if they’re not used to it. That she likes her cage is great. She obviously feels secure there. A bunny that feels secure and has people about for company is a happy bunny. So I wouldn’t worry too much if she hasn’t taken to the great outdoors.

[Sarita]

None of my rabbits like the outside. It’s also pretty risky letting a rabbit outside to play. Especially a very small rabbit. It’s so risky because she could escape or get fleas or just so many things that are a risk outside. I say keep her inside where she’s happy and safe.

[MooBunnay]

My bunnies do not go outside either. Mainly because we have a pest guy that comes and sprays around the house, and then we fertilize the lawn, and I’m quite sure my rabbits don’t have much of a clue of what to eat and what not too (I have one who actually thinks that cardboard is a staple of his diet…).

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I just wouldn’t take her outside-with two young kids it is next to impossible to keep a good eye on her. We’ve had a member who’s rabbit was caught by a bird of prey before her eyes-it can happen. So with your two little ones already keeping you busy-I wouldn’t take her outside at all. And it sounds like she’s either not interested or scared to boot-so really no reason at all to take her outside

[Cookie's Mom, Sandra]

ok thank you! for some reason i just thought bunnies would be happy to get play time in the great outdoors/nature but i guess not how funny! As for chemicals… soon as we got her, we instructed our gardener not to fertilize and told him why. I also do watch her whenever she is outside and block off any escape routes, its work! But i thought anything to keep the bunny happy. Wow a member had her bunny taken in front of her by a bird! that is just scary and sad.

~sandra

[Monkeybun]

Yes it is, thus why it isnt recommended to keep bunnies outside. Once I get my house, I’ll be building a bunny safe enclosure for them to play in outside, one open to the fresh air, but with a roof, and walls so no predators can get in. I’ll probably do a wire mesh with folding doors on it so I can close it off when its icky out. I definitely dont want any of the flying predators to get my babies.

[wendyzski]

Some buns like it, and some don’t.  My bun isn’t afraid of ANYTHING but just isn’t really that interested in going outside.  If your bun doesn;t like it, then I wou;dn’t push things – maybe try again in a few months?

[Karla]

Posted By Cookie’s Mom, Sandra on 01/24/2010 03:17 PM

Hi, all! i have several questions that have been answered by reading posts, but i still have a few. For now…do bunnies typically like to play in the grassy yard? We try and take our 3 month Holland Lop out in the yard (I have two kids, 4 and 1.5), even when my girls are NOT outside playing side by side with her (they on cement slab with toys/dolls and her in the grass and trees), the bunny runs around the grass and trees for a while and before i know it she has hopped indoors and gone into her cage. Again, even when my girls are not outside and i take her out to roam freely.

I wish she would play outside a bit more but she seems to have little interest. She likes hanging out in her indoor condo a lot (we keep cage open). I just want her to be happy and feel that she is given a lot of freedom.

 

My childhood bunnies were free roaming outside, and the ones I have now have access to a garden as well. And they enjoy it tremendously. Only thing is that they have to feel secure and feel that they can hide if a predator suddenly appears (you might know that the garden is fenced and it is safe, but the bunny doesn’t). So make sure that they have bushes to hide under, some cardboard boxes to hide inside on the lawn, et.c. And throw some treats out on the grass; that way the bunny gets to have some fun and relax.

And also, let them get out in the garden at their own pace. Karl would freak out as well the first 2-3 times when I carried him out in the garden, but after that, he would go out on his own and spend the whole day and be practically impossible to get in again.

[BinkyBunny]

In our old place we had a fenced in small area that my bunnies really enjoyed exploring and so I think each situation is unique, but after the shocking incident that one of our members had, if we ever get to a place where we can permanently call “home”. I would build a backyard run that is covered. I will still supervise though.

I think the hawk incident ended okay though —if I am remembering correctly. The members bunny was out on their patio with opened patio doors to house, and the owner was actually keeping an eye on her bunny, but had to do something for a quick second, and 30 seconds later, her bunny was screaming and racing into the house WITH the hawk attached. The hawk let go, and though the bunny had cuts from the hawks claws, he ended up okay. But it could have easily turned out badly. I think that shocked many of us as I also would have thought a bunny would be at least a little bit safer on a personal patio.

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