Staying in cage

[nutmeg183]

Recently, my rabbit Nibbles has been staying in her bilevel cage.  I leave the door open all the time but she doesn’t seem to want to come out.  I don’t want to force her, but is there a reason shes staying in her house?

Shes about 6 mo old and "fixed".

Thanks

[poopy]

How long have you had her? Did she used to always come out?

[MooBunnay]

Hello Nutmeg, Welcome to Binky Bunny!

How long has it been that your bunny has been hanging out in the cage?  Sometimes bunnies like to just "chill out" in their homes and be comfy and sleep.  Also, bunnies are "crepuscular" which means that they are most active at dawn and in the evenings – is her cage open all the time? Or only at certain times?  If its only at certain times – try making sure its open in the early evening when she’s most likely to be active.

It could also be something medical related – is your bunny eating and pooping normally?  This is one of the primary things to look out for when checking to make sure your bunny is healthy – that your bunny is eating, and that the poops are looking nice and normal.

Also, sometimes bunnies take awhile to get used to change, has there been any changes in your house recently? She could be a little shy from that, and to help her out you can try sitting by her cage, just petting her, talking to her, or reading a book or watching TV so that she starts to feel more comfortable!  Also, hand feeding her some small treats from time to time will help her feel more comfortable – then maybe she’ll hop out of the cage to hunt you down for some more treats!

How long have you had Nibbles for?  Have you noticed any other changes in her behavior other than staying in the cage?

Again, welcome!

[nutmeg183]

I’ve had Nibbles since she was 8 weeks old, and she would be in her cage at night while i was asleep.  She always loved to come out of her cage and run around and play.  I built her a new and bigger bilevel cage back in May, and she loves it. 

The only change in my apt is that I rearranged the furniture in the living room.  She is eating/drinking and pooping normally.

Maybe she’s just a little depressed, would getting another bunny  help her? (obviously properly bonding them tho)

Thanks.

 

[Hedi]

Maybe she just loves her cage? Rabbits sleep most of the day and are most active in the morning and evening.

My rabbits have tri-level condos and most of the time they dont even come to see us-they would rather play in their condos or in the rooms upstairs.

 

[Gravehearted]

my Hareiette often enjoys flopping in her cage for more time that she comes out. It may well be that she does indeed love her house, but it is important for her to run arounds too. It may be also due to the recent furniture changes too.

You might be able to coax her out by shaking the treat bag or with some very exciting things to entertain her – like the boredom buster box you can find instructions on how to make on this site. Also, as Hedi pointed out, it may be the time of day you’re letting her out. My kids snooze most of the day and get much more active after 9 pm.

In regards to a friend, many bunnies are happier and healthier if they have a bonded friend. 😀

[skunklionshow]

I built Jessica a 5 level super cage on Memorial day and she definately prefers her cage to the house.  Her bedroom is located on the top shelf and she loves laying up there and keeping a "bunny eye" on everything.  Her preference was to roam during early evening.  At first I was nervous b/c she prefered her cage…but I realize now that its b/c she’s happy to have a super domain. 

She just got spayed last week and is now on cage rest.  I had to modify her cage so she stays at one level.  She was a little miffed initially and tried to get up to the upper levels.  I think your bun just loves her cage!

[BinkyBunny]

I’m rather late in answering this one, and so things could be back to normal now for her, but when you mentioned that you had rearranged the furniture, that really could have been it (unless she’s dealing with some sort of illness) So as long as your bunny is eating and pooping normally, then she may just be feeling a bit insecure with her new surroundings. Some rabbits have a hard time with change, especially within their own environment, because they rely on knowing their enviroment so they can escape quickly if need be. That’s just wired in to their prey behavior.

Some rabbits quickly explore the new enviroment so they can figure it out, while others need to feel safe for awhile at their homebase pen or cage before venturing out into the new surroundings.

[Author]

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