Not enough excercise time for rabbit?

[Bosco_Da_Bunny]

Hi guys, 

I have a Holland Lop boy who just turned 2 years old April 30th. Lately, I’ve noticed his energy slowly deteriorating. Well, not exactly deteriorating, but depleting. He resides in a large laundry room with a long, knitted hay rug for him to gain traction. We close the door at night and during school hours on weekdays. All other times his door is open so he can come out and hang out with us in the family room. On average, the door is open from 3:00 to 10:00. The old Bosco would have used that time down to the last second to hang out with the family, and he used to just bound out immedietly after us opening the door. Now, however, he just flops on the rug in his room most of the day, and only come out around 8:30. I think he’s bored in his room, but he won’t come out and play. He’s eating, pooping, drinking just fine, and like usual. No unusual behavior like when he had G.I Statis. Any ideas?

[Sirius&Luna]

It could be boredom, it could be due to the weather if it’s recently got hotter where you are, or it could still be an underlying health issue. Even if he’s eating and pooping, something could still be making him more lethargic, so it’s definitely something worth keeping an eye on. How does he behave if you go into his room to interact with him?

[Bosco_Da_Bunny]

When I go into his room, he jumps up from his flop position and greets me at the door. He honks a lot when I walk in, because he associates me with treats and pets. He always seems really happy to see me in the morning and afternoon. When I get closer to the treats cabinet he circles me and honks even more.

[Bosco_Da_Bunny]

When I go into his room, he jumps up from his flop position and greets me at the door. He honks a lot when I walk in, because he associates me with treats and pets. He always seems really happy to see me in the morning and afternoon. When I get closer to the treats cabinet he circles me and honks even more.

[Bosco_Da_Bunny]

Any ideas for boredom busters?

[Sirius&Luna]

Perhaps you just need to spend a bit more time in his room with him then, rather than waiting for him to come out. It could well also be related to the weather/seasonal changes.

Good boredom buster toys are:
Tunnels and piles of boxes with holes cut in them, for the bunny to explore, chew, hide in, jump on, rearrange. Boxes are my bunnies favourite toys.

A digging box – fill a large box with shredded paper (or soil or sand or any other digging material – paper is just the least messy!), and hide a few pellets or treats in it that he has to dig for.

Fold toilet roll tubes or paper bags with small treats or his bits of his veg portion in it that he has to tear at/open to eat

Willow or apple twigs and tubes

Hide veg/pellets around the room

You could also try teaching him little tricks, like spin, answering to his name, high fiving, standing on hind legs etc, as a way to interact with him and stimulate him a bit more.

[Daisy]

I suppose he is bored, lonely or both. A bunny friend for your bunny may help out. My two bunnies were single bunnies at the shelter but they both were so miserable they bonded them. Some bunnies also like to cuddle with and wash a plush.

[Author]

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