How to entice nervous bunnies to venture into a new room?

[Meg]

Hey everyone!  I have a specific, funny question, so I thought I’d ask for help with it here.  

My two bunnies and I recently moved to a new apartment, and sadly this one has hardwood floors, which they will not even set foot on.  I’m concerned that they don’t have enough space to exercise and explore.  A month ago or so I got this blue rug (see photo) to expand their play area, and put a cardboard hidey house on it, but they only venture there occasionally.  I also have a runner leading into another room, but they haven’t even gotten on the runner, let alone tried out the new room.  I put more hidey boxes, and tried putting treats there, but to no avail.  In this other room is a table and chair that they used to love to hang out under/around in the old apartment, and I just know they’d be happier if they found this territory.  But I can’t get them to try it!!  What can I do??

I would have thought, just give it time, but no!  A couple years ago, in another apartment that also had hardwood, there was a runner and several other small rugs leading across the living room, where their condo was, to another large rug (and nice hiding spots under furniture).  But during the whole year we lived there, not once did they venture over to the other rug!  So I need some tricks.  (:  Any thoughts??

Thanks so much!

 

p.s. If this doesn’t work, I’m considering trying to find a way to put temporary carpeting down.  I rent, so I can’t mark up the floors at all, but maybe there’s a way.  Anyone have experience with this?

 

Here is a photo of what I’m talking about, taken from the new room they won’t try.  In the background you can see their wooden bunny condo. 

[mia]

You can just lift them up and put them in the new room. Or, set up a temporary cage/x-pen area in the new room so they get a little more comfortable in the new room and eventually remove it.

[Meg]

Thanks! But wouldn’t that make them associate the new room with fear? They hate being picked up more than anything, and chasing them into there would probably have a similar effect.

Has anyone had success with anything that makes your buns *want* to explore a new spot?

[Stickerbunny]

Craisins are a good way to get Stickers to come into a room she doesn’t want to go into on her own. She hates non-carpeted rooms too. I actually put blankets down for her instead of carpet as a “it’s ok to walk on” since she is used to her blankies. Also, if you can maybe put something next to the wall – Stickers will ONLY come out if she can scoot along the wall with no obstacles in her way, maybe your two would be more comfy doing it that way too.

Be careful with buns and hardwood though with renting. One pee accident can stain it black if you don’t get to clean it up in time. We have hardwood in one area and I didn’t notice some pee had gotten UNDER the litterbox (and under the towel and plastic mat under the litter box that was meant to protect the floor) and yeah… black floor now. :s

[Meg]

Thanks!  Same thing happened to me.  I had some success with baking soda and vinegar, but it was limited.  Good luck!

I’ve tried treats, but the bunnies are still too wary.  (Apparently they think it’s a trick.)  Any thoughts?  

 

 

[manic_muncher]

I think it’s a trick too! Wish I could help… mine still won’t leave his crate! lol

[mia]

Sometimes you have to do tough love. If I didn’t pick up my buns to make them explore, they’d still be sitting on the first floor of their condo in a corner. They pretty much sat in the same place for weeks, nearly a month, till I got tired and forced them to other levels and outside the condo. Of course, I made the other levels and outside inviting by giving them a place to hide, a litter box, hay, and treats in the new area. They gently explored the new area making their way back home and then it clicked, they can go from point A to point B and back! To keep the encouragement, I’d keep leaving hay and treats till they were comfortable. I still leave some treats around in random places.
Somebuns are food motivated; one of mine is definitely not food motivated and will refuse all food and treats when she gets mad so I leave her chew “toys” like toilet paper roll and willow.

[Annabel93]

I left trails of pellets out my room and left them to it. They were wary at first but now they love binkying through the hallway and into the bathroom as well as my room. All the floors they go on are hardwood and they have no problem with it at all so I’m sure that won’t be an issue for yours after they;ve spent some more time with it.

[justwildbeat]

I can sympathize with this problem. Even though you don’t want to force them outside by picking them up. It is something to consider and I’m sure they’ll get over it in the excitement of exploring a new apartment.

As for my bun I had to do several things in order for my bun to leave the cage and into a connected play/exercise area:

-Covered an area of my hardwood floors with outdoor fabric from a craft/fabric store for traction
-My bun is a bit of coward, but I learned that he’s braver and explores more whenever I sit near him. For awhile I sat outside of his cage everyday for 30 – 60 mins, reading or fiddling with my phone.
-I also used food and treats during this time. However on the day that he finally left his cage I didn’t feed him anything. Just sat outside in the play area as usual.

[Author]

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