moving!

[sr2011]

Ok so I keep posting on here because everyone is SO helpful! I have yet another bunny question.  I have had my lop for several weeks over my Christmas break from college.  She seems adjusted in her cage and xpen which is great.  I am going back to my apartment this week since school is starting…so I’m wondering what to expect.  Will I be at square one with her again?  She’ll obviously have her same cage, pen, litterbox, me, etc.  I know it depends on the rabbit but I’m just wondering to expect since her cage will be in a different location and she’ll be going on a 30 minute car ride to her new home.  Probably wasn’t the best idea to get her before I went back to my apartment, but I wanted several weeks with a lot of time on my hands to spend with her. 

P.S. I know everyone here feels the same way….but I seriously LOVE this rabbit.  They are amazing animals and she was definately a good decision on a pet!

Thanks

[KatnipCrzy]

I think since you are moving with all of her stuff that she is used to- cage, xpen, litterbox- that she will take the move quite well.  SInce her environment will be familiar to her, I think she will enjoy the adventure and will just assume that she is now the princess of both households.

Julie

[jerseygirl]

I agree with Julie. Put her straight in with familiar things after the car ride and let her settle quietly. Maybe don’t let her have access to the whole apartment at once. When you do let her have access to more area, be prepared for some territorial pooping!!
Very HAPPY that you LOVE your bunny – totally understand!

[MooBunnay]

I recently moved my bunnies, and all of them did very well with the move. I didn’t notice any serious changes in their behavior. One thing that you may experience is some territorial marking, so I would recommend putting down a rug or something just in case your bunny pees or poops on the floor to mark the new area.

[dlscanne]

Sounds like I’ve been in almost the exact same position as you! My bunnies go with me on 6 hour car rides on my breaks to visit my parents with me. My two rabbits are very different personality wise. One rabbit is super relaxed and loves new environments and people (I think she forgets she is a rabbit sometimes). She’s done the back and forth many times and never seems scared. The one time she needed time to adjust was the first time she moved to my current apartment…the street noises were much louder than she was used to, but she adjusted very quickly.

My other rabbit is extremely timid. He did the drive fine, but I left him in his pen for two days (as this was his first location change and I wanted to give him time in a familiar place). He was very nervous the first time I let him out, and kept running back to the cage. The next day however, he was begging to be let out!

I’m sure you’ll do fine, just consider leaving your rabbit in her cage for a bit if she is a nervous gal. With lots of head scratches of course.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yup should be no problem at all, especially since all the stuff (cage etc) will be familiar! I know how you feel-rabbits are fantastic, enjoyable and dynamic pets

[hooty22]

Felony is quite the travel bunny. I got him over Thanksgiving while I was visiting my aunt, and my parents, and he was only 4 weeks old. He was all over the state of West Virginia and then the long trip back to Pennsylvania. Your bunny should be just fine. I know Felony is usually pretty pooped and seems super happy to be home once we get back to our apartment. It might take her a little while to get settled in since this is a new place for her and she doesn’t realize that this is actually her home. I would keep her confined in a smaller area for a little while just to enforce litter habits, but once she is using the litter, then she can have her complete freedom back.

[sr2011]

Ok, well we’re all moved in! So far it’s not going as smoothly as hoped but it’s probably what I should have expected. She’s thumping a lot and kind of ignoring me. I kept her in her xpen and she didn’t use her litter box when she peed, which she had been doing since I got her. She also has droppings ALL around her xpen. Hopefully this is all just a territorial marking thing? She just seems so unhappy right now. Any advice or will it just take time?

[BinkyBunny]

Actually this is normal. I would expect that even though the pen is the same, everything else is different, especially the smell of a new place. So don’t despair. Just keep her in her xpen for a bit until she feel secure enough again to stop marking it. Once she settles in, she should go back to normal. Be sure to clean up her pee, and put her territorial poops in her litterbox. They have a special coating on them that make them “territorial”. Now if cleaning up after her only makes her worse, then you might leave a few out so she can feel like she has successfully “claimed” the place – because at that point, once she’s confident, she should back off  on the poop explosion.  (unless she’s not spayed and reaching sexual maturity).

How old is she? 

[sr2011]

Good to know! She is 2 years old and spayed. And I did realize I can’t leave her in her xpen because she JUMPS over it! She’s never done this for the 3 weeks I’ve had her but she did tonight. SO I need a new home which will probably make her even more nervous. I’m not sure whether or not to make some sort of roof for the xpen or go ahead and build a NIC condo.

[BinkyBunny]

Funny, I just responded to someone asking about the top for an xpen. I’ll try to find the post, but there actually is one, or you can put a sheet over it. Cut it or fold it and fasten it with clips to the top.

[Author]

Messages