Rabbits and hardwood stairs?

[Sally]

I am new to the forum and also fairly new to house rabbits- we adopted a pair a couple of months ago.  We have a raised ranch and have been keeping them in the family room downstairs for some separation from our dog who lived upstairs.  Now that our dog has passed on we are considering occasionally bringing the rabbits upstairs to explore (their favorite activity), but still keeping their pen, food, etc. downstairs.  The problem is they don’t like to be picked up and they can’t hop up and down the stairs on their own because they are hardwood.  We are not interested in installing a carpet runner on the stairs so our only option is to carry them up and down.

They don’t mind being picked up to sit in a lap if we are sitting on the floor but they definitely try to get away if we pick them up when standing or to sit up on a chair.  We have just avoided picking them up because they don’t seem to like it.  Should we pick them up more until they are more comfortable?  If they struggle, should we let them go or hold them until they are calm, like you would if you were training a dog?  Should I try carrying them up the stairs in their box or a basket that might feel more secure?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Wick & Fable]

Exposure to the pick-up sensation is helpful to assimilate rabbits to being handled, because push comes to shove, it may not be something they enjoy to any degree, but you need to do it sometimes for health and safety reasons (i.e. making sure Wick doesn’t hop into the oven for example… gee whiz).

Although the upstairs entice them, it seems like staying on the ground level is best, and trips can be reserved via basket/carrier transportation so there’s no risk of them falling. Additionally, I’d say put a gate of some sort by the stairs. Zoomies can easily lead to a slip down the stairs. Additionally, the more often they go upstairs, the less exciting it will be for them because it becomes more regular.

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.

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