Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A What does your bun do with it’s free range time?

Viewing 23 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • bunnnnnnie!
      Participant
      1491 posts Send Private Message

        We all know there’s the recommended time your bun should be out of cage daily.  But is there a recommended time for actually socializing and being with your bun(s)?  Recommended time of actually being active for the bun?

        If your bun is in a very large x-pen, or free range, you don’t really have to worry about out of cage time.  So how much time do you spend just being with your bun, and do they actively interact with you that entire time?

        I was just thinking about it.  Zeus has a very large cage, and he also gets usually 5 or 6 hours of out of cage time daily (more on weekends).  However, a large portion of that time he either spends hanging out in his cage (with the door open), or lounging in his favorite spots.  Not much of it is spent socializing with me, or even really being that active at all.  He’s a lazy, loves-to-flop kinda guy. .

        I’m still a total advocate for as much out of cage time as possible, I just think it’s interesting that he really doesn’t act much different in cage or out of cage.


      • FrankieFlash
        Participant
        1710 posts Send Private Message

          Right now out of cage time with bunjamin is most of the day but he’s been acting so naughty lately it’s made me contemplate shorter free time. He’s chewing everything and getting into everything we bunny proofed. I kinda miss the way it was before where he was only naughty every once in a while not everyday all the time. I’m still going to give it time since it hasn’t been a month since his neuter.


        • bunnnnnnie!
          Participant
          1491 posts Send Private Message

            Sounds like he’s got the whole post-neuter hormone spike going on. I love his “bunny puddle” pics in your sig!


          • FrankieFlash
            Participant
            1710 posts Send Private Message

              I hope it’s just a spike. And in regards to your original question, he still enjoys when I single out pet-time that I try to do for about 20 mins a day if I have time. And Zeus does a pretty good puddle too


            • Silly Sungura
              Participant
              451 posts Send Private Message

                Hodari is out of her cage for about six hours a day. I am always with her when she’s out. We have a regular routine we follow, she and I; her out of cage time is not all in one chunk; it’s split throughout the day, in hour and a half to two hour sessions. When I let her out in the morning at 7 o’clock she likes to spend most of her time cuddling with me and giving me kisses. The next time I let her out, at ten thirty a.m., she plays with her toys and naps some. In the afternoon, after she has eaten her first of two salads, she usually naps in the bathroom by the garbage can. Then at six p.m. when I let her out again, she takes another nap, but this time she usually likes to nap beside her cage while I read a book and cuddle with her. Her late night session begins at nine or ten p.m., when she gets her second salad; after she’s done eating she runs around and plays with her toys and does binkies. It’s her most active time by far. But, yeah, I interact with her the whole time. I’ve found that if I don’t say a few words to her even during her naps, she’ll wind up going back into her cage; besides, I really like to snuggle with her anyway.


              • SuperCheesetastic
                Participant
                197 posts Send Private Message

                  My bun likes to jump on top of us while we’re reading/daydreaming/doing something important.
                  I interact with Penelope whenever I pass her cage in the kitchen (which is many times a day).
                  I take her outdoors and back indoors so she can roam around. The longest i’ve had her outside was… Maybe one and a half to two hours?
                  When inside, she can spend as long as 4 hours out of her cage.
                  She’s usually lounging in some corner or under a chair or running around like crazy.

                  Cuddle time is only when she feels like it (she’s just like our cat in this way).
                  She’ll jump in my lap and i’ll pet her for a few minutes.
                  Then, she’ll get bored with the petting and hop away.
                  An hour later, she’ll hop back for a moment of petting and hop away agan.


                • Hunny's Momma
                  Participant
                  123 posts Send Private Message

                    Hunny’s day –
                    5:30am to 8:30am – Wake up, breakfast, crazy laps around the apartment (Well the 2 rooms she’s allowed in right now), Chases my kids around for a bit, some digging in one of her hidey boxes (I swear she gets enjoyment watching me sweep up all that shredded cardboard), morning snack then pen time while I’m at work. Somedays my bf is home during the day so her pen is left open but she still pretty much just chills in there till I get home. Once I’m home (2:45ish) she’ll come out, stretch a bit then off she goes to her quiet place (bottom shelf of the dvd rack). She pretty much chills there till supper time (6:00pm). After dinner she just loafs about… randomly chasing behind me or the kids as we go about the rest of our day or galloping at me every time I walk out the kitchen (she knows that’s where the yummy stuff comes from). BUT once 9/9:30 comes around it’s “Mom! Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Momma! Momma! Momma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mom! Mommy! Mommy! Momma! Momma! Momma!” Lmao! But seriously tho… we play, snuggle, give loves then… she’s spent! Off to her quiet place she goes. Bedtime’s about 11/11:30, she gets her bedtime snack then she heads right in her pen, I lock up & we do it all again the next day. Weekends I’m home but the routine is pretty much the same.


                  • LBJ10
                    Moderator
                    16869 posts Send Private Message

                      Mine could really care less if I’m in the room or not. All I’m good for is food and naners. That’s it. They do let me pet them and they do play with their teach n treat when I put stuff in it. Most of the time they are just lying around or eating or doing something naughty.


                    • Freyja
                      Participant
                      159 posts Send Private Message

                        I have blocked off all the cables under my bed with boxes full of books so Parsleys daily misson for the past few weeks is to rip the boxes to shreds..and the books, in order to get to the ‘forbidden zone’. if not that then his other hobby is to knock plants down from my windowsill :/


                      • BinkyBunny
                        Moderator
                        8776 posts Send Private Message

                          My bunny is a senior and as so she is not as active, but she still comes out of the bunny room every night to spend the evenings in the living room and foyer area. Though I pet her in the morning and am lucky enough to give her little pets throughout the day, I spend the most time with her in the evenings. Usually I set up tunnels and things for her to explore on the living floor before she ever ventures out. And then when I settle down to hang out the living room, watch TV, mess around on my tablet, read, whatever, soon I will hear the little pitter patter of her feet and it’s fun to watch her check out what’s new in the living room. This is when I just hang out and do my thing but watch her explore, then I’ll get down on the floor and pet her for awhile before she goes back to exploring, and then I’ll go back to doing my thing, and then repeat. If she doesn’t come out, which is rare, I will usually go in to the bunny room to check on her and then I’ll spend 15 minutes petting her, and leave, and usually soon after she’ll head out to the living room. She has about 8 -10 hours of free range time but she usually chooses to be out of the bunny room (or back and forth) for about 4 – 6 hours. But even then she explores for a few minutes, then just hangs out and listens, then explores, then lays down, and then that too is repeated. I know that bunnies may look like they are doing nothing but sitting, but many bunnies just listen and that is a real activity for prey animals.


                        • RabbitPam
                          Moderator
                          11002 posts Send Private Message

                            Since Sammy now will not leave her xpen, it’s cut into her activity time when she went off on her own. She clearly likes having company in the room with her in the am and pm, and is also listening. In the evening, she stays out from under her basket (where she goes to rest or nap) and stretches out closer to me when I am on the couch watching tv. It puts her kind of next to me (or my mother). Her xpen door is open for hours at those times, but she won’t set foot on the tile floor.
                            She comes to the door and pushes my hand for pets, and puddles until she’s had enough, so she gets my hands on attention. I don’t like this as much as when we lived in carpeted rooms so she got exercise, but it can’t be helped at the moment.

                            I think your answer would be that Zeus selects when he wants company, when he wants pets, and when he wants to be alone. As long as you have a kind of routine, he can count on your being there if he wants to play or cuddle.


                          • LittlePuffyTail
                            Moderator
                            18092 posts Send Private Message

                              Most days, my buns come out an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening, sometimes longer or shorter depending on my day. Olivia comes out for an hour (ladies first) and then the boys come out together. They dont live together but they get along well enough to have combined run time, which gives all the buns more out-time. They usually have run time in the living room. Sometimes for a change of scenery I will bunny-proof the bedroom.

                              They are usually much more active in the morning. Olivia spends most of her time chinning stuff, running around, and, lately, trying to dig at anything made of material. She likes to make holes in the arm of the couch.  My boys in the morning are usually full of beans and do binkies, run around and Stormys famous crazy couch zooms. In the morning, I usually spend time on the computer and they come up on the loveseat when they want to be with me. Stormy loves to sit on the top of the loveseat.

                              In the evening, its more of a lazy outing. Lots of Bindi Loo bear rugs. I usually sit on the floor and watch TV, read or do embroidery so they get lots of one-on-one time with me. I put toys out (rattles, stacking cups, stuffed bunnies, etc) and their big tunnel. I always have a basket of hay in the living room and they spend a good amount of time eating. Hay is much tastier in the living room, apparently.

                              I truly wish all my bunnies could be free-range. I just love spending time with them. Having 3 unbonded bunnies makes that impossible. Most days I wish I had more time with them, but I know they still have it pretty good. 


                            • KytKattin
                              Participant
                              1195 posts Send Private Message

                                Hmm… When Nova was free range in my dorm she was only active for about 2-4 hours. About 1 hour in the morning and 1-3 hours in the evening before I went to bed. Idk what she did after I went to bed, but she was typically sleeping in a loaf when I went to bed. As for actual interaction, I give her pets a few times a day. Sometimes I try training her, but really, I kind of view bunnies as hands off pets. I will pet them sometimes, but I don’t want to get in their face either. Now that she is caged again I try to pet her more, and generally give her more attention. Mostly my efforts go into finding things for her to do, like more home made toys!


                              • Monkeybun
                                Participant
                                10479 posts Send Private Message

                                  Monkey plays on the xbox, of course.

                                   


                                • LittlePuffyTail
                                  Moderator
                                  18092 posts Send Private Message

                                    Haha! Love it, Monkey!


                                  • Roberta
                                    Participant
                                    4355 posts Send Private Message

                                      Where’s Nermal Nomnom?… Funny she was here a minute ago!

                                      http:www.viddler.com/v/5ffe04d6


                                    • RabbitPam
                                      Moderator
                                      11002 posts Send Private Message

                                        LOL @ MB. Haven’t seen a new pix of Monkey lately. Still so cute!


                                      • Monkeybun
                                        Participant
                                        10479 posts Send Private Message

                                          Thats an older pic, I haven’t taken any new ones lately. But I will, soon


                                        • RabbitPam
                                          Moderator
                                          11002 posts Send Private Message

                                            *MB adds pix of Monkey lounging with cigarette and cocktail in paws. Too old for those kiddie games anymore.*


                                          • JustBun
                                            Participant
                                            24 posts Send Private Message

                                              It sounds like every bun is different with how much interaction they require. JB is let out in the morning while I eat breakfast. I usually sit on the floor with him and eat while he lies next to me to get his pets then he zooms around the apartment for about 30 minutes. After work, I get him out again in the evening, usually for 3-5 hours. I would say 3/4 of the time I am interacting with him. We play with toys, hide and seek, follow the leader, zoom around and pet the bun. If I’m not playing enough, he will start ripping up carpet or chewing on the couch. So he can pretty much make it so he has my attention. He usually runs around for a bit and then lays down to be petted and the cycle continues. On the weekends he’ll be out with me all day if I’m home, but I’ve never seen him find a place to just lay down for more than 3 minutes. Also, I don’t think I ever catch him sleeping. It baffles me to read about buns that will take naps or go back to their cages to rest. How do you know when your bun is sleeping?


                                            • angelicvampyre
                                              Participant
                                              754 posts Send Private Message

                                                For Rufus he is 24/7 out of his hutch and at the moment his hutch has a foster bun in it so he is even more. He has his litter tray in the living room but most of the time he will jump up and make a dash for the dog door and then come back if and re flop, he gets upset when the dog door is closed at night (to keep them all in) as then he has to use his litter tray. He will follow me around if he wants something and normally an ear wigggle and a treat and he is happy. Only place he is not allowed is on the couch as he gets so excited that he pees! However he can sleep on the bed at night if he wants. i am lucky die to his teeth he does not chew so a very basic bunny proof and we are fine.

                                                Bugz and Anya have their pen/run in the study, if I am home and not working on paperwork (which always ends up on the floor) they are out. i have bunny proofed this room for them. On nice days Rufus gets locked in their room and they can go outside if they want, Bugz loves it but Anya will stick with me and she just worked out the dog door so normally it is hello world and inside and under the couch.


                                              • LoveChaCha
                                                Participant
                                                6634 posts Send Private Message

                                                  Chacha la diva is free range. She spends it: looking like a dictator (PET ME), sleeping, and eating. I lay on the floor a lot, and she usually nose bumps me for pets or to say ‘hello’ or ‘get out of my face.’ She gets angry if my bedroom door is closed.


                                                • Elrohwen
                                                  Participant
                                                  7318 posts Send Private Message

                                                    In the morning, mine get about 30min of time with their cage open. Some of this they spend eating breakfast in the cage, but they do come out for about 20min. Most of that time is spent doing a couple binkies and then lounging in the living room.

                                                    At night they are usually allowed 4-5 hours, but they spend a good portion of that sleeping in their cage anyway. I typically spend 2-3 hours nearby, watching tv or eating dinner and we’re usually chatting with them all the time. During those times they can approach us and come up on the couch if they want, and we spend some of that time on the floor with them. Otto spends almost all of this time lounging around the living room, while Hannah splits the time in half – half to lounge and half to explore or race around.

                                                    It depends on the bunny. Otto doesn’t really like much interaction unless I’m giving him treats – he doesn’t want to be petted or hang out near me. Hannah does look to us for activity and really likes to interact with people, so she needs more time or she looks for trouble. She’s also very active and uses her out of cage time to blow off steam, so when she’s been locked up for longer periods (like if we’re out of town and somebody just stops by to feed them and check on them) she does get destructive in the cage and really wants to come out. I don’t think Otto would notice or care if he was locked in the cage 24/7 as long as it was large and comfortable.


                                                  • Stickerbunny
                                                    Participant
                                                    4128 posts Send Private Message

                                                      My buns atm have their own room (no cage) but I leave the door open throughout the day for them when I can watch them – Stickers is destructive (extremely) so they can’t have full run, plus since they are bonded I have had serious issues with their litter habits.

                                                      Stickers uses her out time to either get in trouble (chewing, digging, wrecking the carpet even though she has toys all over specifically for her use for those instincts) or to run around like a crazy thing. She takes “cat naps” – she’ll lay down for 2 minutes and rest, then get up to destroy something, then rest, then get up to destroy something… MAJOR bunny proofing required for that one. lol Only time she’s not looking for something to destroy is when she is eating, which she does anytime she can get her mouth on something edible (or not, I have to watch her).

                                                      Powder uses his out of cage time to loaf, or do a few zoomies and binkies. He’s happy just lounging around, he rarely gets into trouble. He loves to be pet and last night he collapsed onto my foot and “held” me in place to pet him. He jumps onto my boyfriends back when he lays in the floor with them.

                                                  Viewing 23 reply threads
                                                  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                                                  Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A What does your bun do with it’s free range time?