How should I know when to put my rabbit back in his cage?

[OliverTheBunny2]

I adopted my rabbit Oliver about a week ago and he is now comfortable with me. When I let him run around my room he is always back in his cage within 15 minutes in the flop position. Is he done with playtime or not? I let him out before and after school. I will say his cage is 3 foot by 6 foot. Also, he is only 1 and a half years old. He does have a history of neglect. He was found by a dumpster in a small cage.

[Sofia]

Normally the bun decides she’s playtime is over? if he goes back into his own cage. That’s great, he’s probably tired out if he’s been intensely running all over the place. Do make sure that he’s not breathing out of his mouth or anything. Since you mentioned that you got him a week ago, did you find him a rabbit savvy vet?

[Sofia]

Normally the bun decides she’s playtime is over? if he goes back into his own cage. That’s great, he’s probably tired out if he’s been intensely running all over the place. Do make sure that he’s not breathing out of his mouth or anything. Since you mentioned that you got him a week ago, did you find him a rabbit savvy vet?

[sarahthegemini]

I wouldn’t shut him in the cage after just 15 minutes. Even if he goes back in himself. He probably sees his cage as his safe space so that’s why he flops in there after running. It’s important that he can come out when he feels like it. I’d only put him in the cage when you absolutely have too.

[OliverTheBunny2]

Thanks! I usully let him out around 30 minutes in the morning and in the evenings an hour is that ok? I would let him out more but he is so intrested in chewing at the carpet when I am not looking?.

[OliverTheBunny2]

Thanks! I usully let him out around 30 minutes in the morning and in the evenings an hour is that ok? I would let him out more but he is so intrested in chewing at the carpet when I am not looking?.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By OliverTheBunny2 on 8/14/2018 10:52 AM

Thanks! I usully let him out around 30 minutes in the morning and in the evenings an hour is that ok? I would let him out more but he is so intrested in chewing at the carpet when I am not looking?.

Hmm, bunnies definitely need more time out than that. Are you able to attach a large pen to his cage? That way you don’t have to be supervising him and he can spend more time in the pen having a run around. You could always then let him out of the pen when you can supervise Also, perhaps not a great solution to begin with but placing tiles over the spots where he likes to chew could deter him and he might eventually lose interest in carpet chewing! Not a guarantee but might be worth trying? 

[OliverTheBunny2]

My room is kinda small but I do have a playpen on my enclosed porch. I live in FL so it is kinda hot outside still!

[Sofia]

You can even put the playpen in the living room and let him run around for a couple of hours. Sorry about my earlier post, I didn’t understand that you shut the cage up when he goes back in..

[Nichole]

If the cage is 3ft x 6ft, I would say that’s enough time. Not ideal, but enough. Most play pens are not much bigger than that anyway. Can you let him out longer on the weekends when you’re not as busy? Then you could take him out on the porch when the weather cools down.

[kurottabun]

3 x 6 ft isn’t very big for any breed of rabbit if they’re spending most of the day in there, and if Oliver is a bigger breed then it’s even less spacious for him. He is probably going back there after 15 minutes of playtime because he still isn’t used to having that much space (since you mentioned he was neglected in a small cage previously). Once he’s comfortable with the environment I can almost guarantee that he would hate going back in there.

People who attach a pen to the cage usually leave the cage door open so the bunny can freely run in and out of it, which means that the area would be double what it was, even if the pen is about the same size as the cage.

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