My rabbits won’t leave the bathroom

[Ozi&Shakira]

Hi! I have a query about my rabbits’ behaviours, as I’d like to understand them better.

 

I have 2 rabbits, Osiris and Shakira, and they have been free roaming for about 6 months. Two months ago, I upgraded to a larger apartment, and was really excited upon the move as I thought they would love all of the extra space. In the new place I have my own bathroom, and I leave the door open permanently in order to give them as many areas to explore as possible.

After the move, it didn’t take them long to claim the bathroom as their little burrow, and they spend a most of – if not all of – the day in there despite the door being open. Some days, they will explore the main room for a couple of minutes, before retreating back to the bathroom. I went with it at first and placed a litter box in there, toys, a hideyhouse, and their food and water. But recently, I’ve been moving them into the main room for a couple of hours a day and closing the bathroom door, so that they don’t go back in.

Living in a residential area, it’s very peaceful, and when I move them to the main room, they don’t seem to be scared. In fact, when I move them, they’ll try to open the bathroom door first, then, when they realise they can’t go back in, they’ll spend the whole time binkying, running around, exploring, and then resting on my bed…

The bathroom radiator is broken, and doesn’t turn off, so it’s quite warm in there, maybe they enjoy the warmth, the fact that it’s isolated?

I’d love to encourage them to explore the main room of their own free will, as it has many toys, a large rug so they can binky to their heart’s content without slipping, lots of places to hide, etc.

 

Is this behaviour normal ? If not, do you have an idea as to why they spend so much time in the bathroom, and do you have any tips on how I can encourage them to explore my apartment voluntarily ?

[DanaNM]

Hmmmmmm, well it might make sense to just move all their stuff into the main room, and prevent them from going in there while they get set up in their new home base. I’m guessing they do just feel nice and safe in there?

Do they come out and explore during times of day when they are active? My buns will spend a lot of the day sleeping in their favorite spots, but will run around in the evening. You could also try feeding them their evening salad or pellets in the main room to coax them to come out more.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Author]

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