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Forum THE LOUNGE Otto Went Outside Today

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    • Elrohwen
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        For the first time! We have a small deck, about 8’x5′, and the xpen was the perfect size to extend around the railings to make it bunny safe. I wasn’t too sure about taking him out, but DH convinced me since the weather was so beautiful (50 degrees and very sunny). He wouldn’t come out on his own, so I carried him out using his maze (a standard mode of transportation for Otto). He was willing to go to the lower level of the maze and sit on the deck, but still wouldn’t come out on his own. Finally, we just took the maze away from him and put it inside (the door was open, so he could go in if he wanted) and he finally explored a little. He wasn’t thrilled with it, and at one point he crawled into DH’s lap for comfort (which he never ever does). When he got back off we noticed he had peed on DH a little bit  I wish I had been fast enough to get a lap picture.

        We’re lucky that no one ever uses the backyard area, so there was nothing in particular to startle him (though of course we didn’t leave him out there alone). I don’t think he liked having wide open sky above him. He spent most of the time sitting under one of the chairs, but he did hop around a bit. I think he mostly didn’t like how bright the sun was, but it’s a bit chilly to go out once the sun is down. I’ll try taking him out a few more times and see if he starts to like it, but if not I won’t force him. When we got home from the grocery store I did catch him staring longingly out the sliding glass door! He’s zonked out now though – it was a much more exciting day than he usually has.

        Here are some pictures!


      • bunnytowne
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          what a nice place for him to play


        • wiseleyd
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            I think I love Otto. His little face reminds me so much of mellow! He is totally disapproving in the picture under the table! And a little pee! heee heee.


          • lashkay
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              That looks like the perfect setup for Otto. Thanks for the pictures. I’m sure Otto will develop an affintiy for being outside in the pen once he gets used to it and knows no harm can come to him. It can’t, can it? Congratulations, looks like the perfect set-up, I’m a little jealous that I can’t have something like that for Buddie.


            • Beka27
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                As I was clicking on the thread, I was thinking… “better be pics, better be pics, better be pics!”

                YAY PICS!!! He is so adorable! I really wish I had a little patio that I could let the buns out on. If you’re going to be doing this more frequently, you might consider getting some chicken wire and attaching it. That would be easier than carrying the xpen out everytime. Another thing I thought is if you could get a large sheet and clothespin it across to make a safe, shady area. He’d probably like that.


              • Elrohwen
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                  Beka, those are great ideas. We originally thought of using NIC panels or chicken wire to make it permanent, but I wasn’t sure I wanted him outside at all. I was glad that the xpen was such a great temporary solution. We’ll definitely get something more permanent if he ends up liking it.

                  And he does need a shady area. He spent most of his time in his maze haven, being careful to avoid the sun streaming in. Haha. He might like it better once the sun goes behind the other houses and it’s not so bright and exposed, but yesterday was too chilly to stay out after the sun was gone.


                • Beka27
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                    I know personally, I would feel better if my buns were not in direct sight from above. Just in case. My mind always wanders to the “just in case” b/c we’ve all heard such nasty stories of what can happen. Once he gets used to the sights and sounds, I bet he’ll enjoy being out there.


                  • Elrohwen
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                      Beka, I was definitely nervous! I can’t say I’ve seen a hawk here, but I know they’re around. We were always sitting within a few feet of him when he was outside of his maze. It’s actually nice that the porch is so small because he can’t get too far away from us. He did like hiding under the chairs and little table, so those offer a nice shady spot for him. I’m gonna head down to our basement and see if there’s anything else that would provide a nice shelter. It’s tricky to attach a sheet or something because there’s the door on one side, railings on two sides, and a wall on the fourth side (that blocks us off from the neighbor’s porch). But maybe I have some thing free standing that will provide shade.

                      My biggest hope is that he’ll like it enough to come out on his own through the door. If he never comes out on his own, I’ll just leave him inside where he’s comfortable. At least he figured out how to go back in on his own yesterday.


                    • corpathina
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                        awww! so cute! he’s adorable. i’m glad he got to go outside, even if he wasn’t thrilled. maybe once he explores a little more and realizes that he has a safe place to escape to he’ll like it more.

                        thanks for the pics! =)


                      • Deleted User
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                          I would love to use a more rigid structure than chicken wire on my deck. It just looks so bad and it gives me a hard time when I have to push snow off the deck. I am often thinkinig of a better way to fence in my deck, something that would open in one spot so I can push the snow off. I would buy zinc plated pens to use the panels from but I would need so many.

                          Yes, but Otto looks so beautiful outside! For protection from birds I feel that adding objects into the rabbit’s area that create narrow spaces really helps.


                        • Elrohwen
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                            So I set the pen up on the deck again and left the door open for Otto. I’m sitting back and waiting to see if he decides to check things out for himself (he can’t really see me in the living room, but I have a clear view of his cage and the door). I think it makes him nervous when I sit outside and stare in at him waiting for him to come out. Haha. So far he’s just sitting in his maze twitching his nose at the breeze, but hasn’t moved or gone anywhere near the door. I’ll give him and hour and if he doesn’t even attempt to go near the door, I’ll just pick up his maze and put him back out again I guess. It’s funny that he loooves going over by the door when it’s closed, because it makes a nice hidey spot behind his cage. But when it’s open, he wants nothing to do with it. He’s clearly not a very brave little guy.

                            But I do love this nice weather! It’s 50 out, but very sunny and it’s so nice to be able to open the door and get some fresh air in. We spent a few hours outside yesterday reading and having a nice afternoon beer.


                          • Elrohwen
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                              So the back door has been open for over an hour now. Once, for about 10 seconds, Otto wandered over and checked it out (still about 2ft from the actual door) but thought better of it and retreated into his maze. Silly bun. At least there aren’t any bugs yet so I can leave the screen open all afternoon without being swarmed by flies.


                            • Monkeybun
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                                I might try bunny proofing my balcony this year, get some screening to block off the open parts that birds can swoop in from, and block off any monkey sized holes… Moose is always staring out the door, so he might enjoy some fresh air now and then.


                              • Deleted User
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                                  Posted By Monkeybun on 03/08/2010 12:33 PM
                                  I might try bunny proofing my balcony this year (…) and block off any monkey sized holes…

                                  Moose is always staring out the door, so he might enjoy some fresh air now and then.

                                   

                                  wow. they have monkeys in Oregon that want to enter people’s balconies? –you should really call the wildlife department.

                                  …yes, moose do enjoy fresh air… in Canada that’s just common knowledge… moose don’t particularly take to indoor living. 

                                  OK. I’m going to be honest here: with monkeys and some moose present on your balcony I really don’t see it as safe for bunnies.


                                • Monkeybun
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                                    hehehe Petzy, the miraculous part is that its a second floor balcony.. Moose try really hard to get to it! lol


                                  • Sage Cat
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                                      Note to self – get an e-pen.
                                      I think it was first time nerves. He will grow to love it!


                                    • Deleted User
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                                        Elrohwen, in the last photo it seems more like he’s hesitant to go back inside. LOL.


                                      • Elrohwen
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                                          Haha, he was hesitant to go back inside! There’s a strip of metal where the tracks for the doors are and it made him nervous. He’s a goof. He really wanted to go back in, but he’s so cautious that he had to think about it for about 5 minutes.


                                        • Deleted User
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                                            Uncharted territory… with metal tracks…. Otto: the pioneer bunny.


                                          • Elrohwen
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                                              It’s funny that he’s so cautious, yet he’s fine going to new homes. We took him to my parents’ place and he was out of his carrier like a shot exploring the room. He wouldn’t leave the rug to go on the hardwood floors ::eye roll:: but I was proud of him for exploring. Once he’s used to things he’s generally fine, but he freaks himself out about new things sometimes and pretends they don’t exist. Avoidance is his favorite way to deal with things. Haha.


                                            • MirBear
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                                                try putting his maze outside… without him, he seems quite attached to it.

                                                 or if he has a stuffed animal or something you could try that to, whenever my buns are to scdared to go anywhere i drag one of the cats over and they realise that its not going to kill them (they both love my cats, when i “attempted”  a bond with hershey and twix one of the cats was always locked in the room with them  i think it helped quite a bit and thats probably why they didnt fight…. silly bunnies.


                                              • Elrohwen
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                                                  He is extremely attached to his maze. I’ll often put it across the dining room to tempt him to walk out across the wood floors. The first thing we tried was putting his maze out there without him. Instead of coming outside to his maze, he actually started across the dining room in the other direction. I have no idea why! Haha. I guess hardwood floors are the lesser of two evils.

                                                  He did the same thing today – he was inside (with his maze) and I was outside trying to coax him out. All of a sudden he starts running across the dining room. What a weirdo!

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                                              Forum THE LOUNGE Otto Went Outside Today