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 BEHAVIOR No more binkies for a free roam?

Viewing 8 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Nora
      Participant
      291 posts Send Private Message

        Hi, guys!

        I’ve had my little guy, Pippin, for about 3 weeks now. I got him from a local shelter at 9 months old, he was relinquished when his previous owners moved.

        Even at the shelter, he was quite friendly in the room with me. As soon as I brought him home I was very impressed. He has a bunny condo and I started letting him out into the hallway with a baby gate up and all the doors shut. He never tried to chew on anything (not even the chew toys!), so I started letting him into the living room. While he tried to get behind the TV, I think that was just because he likes spaces like that, not for the wires. I blocked it off just in case. There are a couple speaker wires that run along the wall and while he has sniffed them, he has never shown any interest in chewing them. He is pretty good about his litter training, although there are always little stray poops and I’ve had to clean up a couple spots of pee.

        So I started letting him into my bedroom as well, and he was fine there too. He went under the bed but there was nothing dangerous under there so I let him. This was around when he started to get really happy. He would do crazy bunny 500s from the living room, down the hallway, under the bed, back down the hall, and around the ottoman in the living room. He would binky sometimes too, either as part of the 500 or just a little hop skip.

        So now I pretty much let him free roam when I’m home (which is almost all the time as I am unemployed right now). The only places he can’t get are the 2nd bathroom and the 2nd bedroom and the computer room. I even let him stay out all night and there were no problems. But the thing is he just stays under my bed all the time. He barely came out at all. He hasn’t run a bunny 500 or binkied in days. It seems like the more comfortable he gets, the less excited/happy he gets.

        I thought maybe I introduced him to too much space, so I had him sleep in his cage last night and today I tried shutting the door to the bedroom. He seemed a bit more active, and I even saw him play with a toy for the first time since I got him. So I guess it almost feels better NOT to have him free roam. Or am I just being selfish cause the bunny 500 and binkies are so cute? I know he can be a happy bunny without doing them, but the fact that he WAS doing it and then stopped is weird to me. I feel like he should be getting happier and more comfortable the longer he is here, not less.

        Thoughts?

        (Wow, sorry for the LONG post!!)


      • Deleted User
        Participant
        22064 posts Send Private Message

          Hey Nora! Everything you described sounds perfectly ‘normal’ to me! My Henry is free roam 24/7 throughout the house except for the lounge (that we don’t use) and my son’s room. Just a warning, don’t let Pippin fool you with the ‘I’m just sniffing the WIRE’S mum’, cause he will eventually chew! How do I know this? Henry tricked me into thinking he was a well behaved bunny too, till I came across every thing that was wired up to something in the lounge room chewed! (why he is no longer allowed in there) Lol!
          Henry sleeps under my bed every night. Some nights if I’m on BB to late (naughty me) Henry will take himself off to bed. Actually Henry takes most of his naps under my bed, taking himself off to bed every time (I’m sure he thinks it’s HIS bedroom?), ha ha ha…..
          And sadly, I can’t remember the last time I saw Henry do a binky – I’m sure he still does, but being free roam, I’m sure I just miss seeing it. But also, he has taken his life for granted – being free roam, not much to get excited about when you get the run of the house, so he no longer jumps for joy, lol!
          As much as I miss seeing Henry binky, knowing he is free to roam is more important to me. And the best part??? When I do catch a Henry binky ‘I’ get so excited, like he just did it for the first time, LOL! And I can assure you, a bunny doesn’t need to binky to show he’s happy. I love knowing that Henry is happy, super comfortable and feels secure in his home – he doesn’t need to show it to me (though a ‘thank you’ would be nice – shame he can’t talk, ha ha ha!). Your a very lucky Pippin mummy, enjoy! Cheers.


        • JackRabbit
          Participant
          5451 posts Send Private Message

            AH, you should be glad Henry can’t talk! He’d be saying “Why’d ya move the Coke?” and “I promise I won’t eat the dog food. now just put the bowls back down on the floor.”

            Seriously though, I can’t even imagine sitting at the table, sipping my coffee, and it be normal to look up and see a bunny hopping down the hallway on his merry way to bed! I wish I could have it that way but the dog would never allow it. I’m jealous of all the free roam bunny homes!


          • manic_muncher
            Participant
            1061 posts Send Private Message

              I will agree about everything said! I caught Bumpy in a binky yesterday and was so excited! Then I learned it was because the hubby had given him some banana.

              Bumpy is locked away for about 4-6 hrs a day generally. And during those times he’s sleeping. When he’s out he sleeps under the recliner (this used to totally freak me out), or the rug or wherever. But on rare days he’s locked up for 8 or 12 hrs even, he’s super happy to be let out. Hopping in and out over the xpen threshold, over and over, following me around, I admit it is fun to watch. But even then, he binkies much less than what I remember. He’s about the same age as yours now and I’m wondering if some of it (aside from being mostly free-roam) is that he has matured and just having less antics. Like comparing a cat to a kitten, ya know?


            • Lita
              Participant
              28 posts Send Private Message

                We have buns in a variety of ages and the younger ones binky a lot more then the older ones. They arn’t free roam, they are in various pens and such till everyone is fixed and hopefully bonded. But even when we let them out its usually the younger buns who binky. And even then its not all the time. I havnt had rabbits long but I always assumed Binkys are like a guinea pigs popcorn. More of a childish thing that most grow out of.


              • Deleted User
                Participant
                22064 posts Send Private Message

                  That was sooo funny manic – banana binky! Ha ha ha ha……

                  Oh JR, when I’m at my desk (BB time, lol!), it’s nothing to turn around and see Henry sitting/laying on the door mat behind me. I’ll be in bed drinking my cuppa tea in the morning and Henry jumps up onto the bed. Or I’ll be in the laundry and quickly turn around to leave and I almost step on him.
                  He’s just – EVERYWHERE! ha ha ha ha…..
                  The hubby will ask ‘where’s Henry?’, I reply ‘I saw him heading towards the bedroom, so I’m guessing he’s in bed?’. I just realised what a strange conversation to have about a bunny!!! LOL!


                • Nora
                  Participant
                  291 posts Send Private Message

                    Thanks for advice! Sounds like he is just going to be a bit more sedate if I let him free roam. As long as he is a happy bun I guess that is for the best. Although once I start work again he’ll be back in the condo for that time (right now I am home all day so he is out all day). Maybe then he’ll get a little more pep in his step!

                    I kept the bedroom door closed all day today, and then 20 minutes ago he started to get a little frisky so I decided to open it to give him some room to run…he immediately went in and flopped under the bed. Dork. 


                  • Sarita
                    Participant
                    18851 posts Send Private Message

                      My rabbit is free roam and he binky’s alot – you probably just don’t witness all his binkies because he is out and about. Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean he isn’t binkying.


                    • lemmie
                      Participant
                      3 posts Send Private Message

                        My bunnies went through the same transition, used to do sprints and binkies around the house, then just trotted around leisurely after awhile. I think they’re just like people and just get bored with the same ole same ole. Its not new and exciting anymore. I think you’ll see binkies again once you aren’t with him all day.

                        Now what I do is similar to what you did, restrict access to my bedroom for most of the day. Then, in the mornings and evenings, when I’m getting ready for the day or for bed, I let them into the bedroom and there is always the inevitable bunny 500, especially in the evenings. They used to hole up under the bed as well and I didn’t like it because they would chew the boxspring and it was hard to get them out when I needed to leave… or sleep! I ended up getting a lot of underbed storage containers to make it less welcoming. It took a long time, but they eventually got bored and spent less and less time there.

                        They also binky and get excited when I rearrange their furniture. It’s a pain, but worth the effort to see them really excited every once in a while. Its great exercise too!

                    Viewing 8 reply threads
                    • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                    Forum BEHAVIOR No more binkies for a free roam?