getting winston back in his cage!

[lizf]

Winston is about 10 months old, and he’s always been easy to handle but lately he just doesn’t want to keep to my schedule in the morning – I usually let him have free range (he learned a few months ago how to jump over baby gates confining him in the kitchen) and usually he either gets back in his ‘house’ by the time i have to go to work on his own or lets me pick him up and put him back.  Lately, however I have found myself  trying to either trick him with food (now he’s running when he sees me put food in his cage) or actually just chasing him which is not productive and probably damaging his trust in me. can someone please help? any suggestions? he usually spends at least four or five hours a day  outisde his cage, and while my apartment is as bunny-proof as I can get it there’s too much opportunity for mischief to just let him be free all day. And his ability to hop over any barriers has eliminated the possibilty of one of the critter pens, too.

[Beka27]

welcome here!

what kinda cage does he have now? could you babygate him… actually “double babygate” him, one on the bottom, one right on top of it so there are two in the door way? or build a condo that is fully enclosed that would still allow him to have more room, but be safe?

[lizf]

thank you for responding! I’m fearful of the baby gates, because despite his small size, he’s not only jumped over them but also managed to unlock them and pull them out from the bottom so he can get through. My apartment is also a very old building, with a lot of unfinished wood and cheap linoleum that’s not so safe to leave him by himself for very long. but what kind of condo are you refering to? do you think more space would stop him from fighting with me?

[Beka27]

it’s possible. many of us make large condos out of NIC grids (wire shelving units) that have multiple levels. you can either build up or out, and they are very versatile. you can also do a roof on top so the bun is completely enclosed. we have a photo gallery on this site that has different housing things that folks have come up with… check out the cool habitats page and click on cubes for some ideas… https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/CoolHabitats/tabid/71/Default.aspx

what kinds of things does he have to keep him occupied in his cage, toys, tunnels, boxes?

[lizf]

Thank you for the tips. He has cardboard rolls and a spool, a stuffed apple that he loves, some apple wood chunks and I try to keep him with a varied diet – rolled oats, fresh greens to go with his hay and pellets, as well as a towel that he marked as his so i gave it to him. I try to find a balance between stuff to do and over-stimulation so he can relax too. the thing is, while i’m getting ready for work he’ll go in and out of the cage on his own, just when i’m ready to leave he decides he doesn’t want anything to do with it. Do you think it’s just too small a cage, that if the cage or house were bigger he wouldn’t mind anymore?

[kralspace]

I got to where I held off on their breakfast until time for me to leave so they would run inside on their own to eat (finally…lol).

Bribery….works for me!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Another solution would be no run time in the morning? You could just let him have evenings for now-he will be mad though Then try him in the mornings again-if he goes back in the cage then he can have morning playtime. They’re very smart-but naughty and I’m sure he’s just pushing the limits to see if he can stay out all day

[lizf]

all very good ideas, thanks all! i’ve thought of not putting any food until right before i leave, but so far that only signals to him that i am leaving and he runs as soon as he sees his food come out….i may have to try just keeping him in his cage in the mornings, but i’m thinking i’m gonna be riddled with guilt over it. hopefully that might make him more cooperative until I can get him a bigger house.

[kralspace]

ah efallon, you might as well get used to the guilt, the little stinkers make us feel guilty about EVERYTHING!!

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