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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.

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Forum DIET & CARE Bunny confined to cage – Ideas to keep him happy?

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    • BumblesBounce
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        Our 5 month old bun, Fella, broke his foot a week and a half ago. He is in a soft cast/splint and is confined to his pen for two more weeks. He’s in a 2’x4′ ex pen right now–usually 4’x4′, but cut down until he heals. A full half of the pen is a 3 sided litter box that he won’t catch his cast on.

        He has been getting more anxious by the day and has lots of pent up energy. He has started almost obsessively scratching and grooming, and is less interested in sitting still for pets, where he normally loves his snuggles. He also races in a circle around the pen now and then, which is not ideal.

        I called the vet hoping for some ideas, and they told me to put him in a carrier for the next two weeks! Am I right to be shocked by this? I called for ways to decrease his stress and they gave me a great way to make his mental state worse, never mind that he would be sitting in pee while we were at work! This is only the next thing in a line of things they have done that I have been less than thrilled with during this whole debacle.

        I spend every minute I’m home with him. I lay on the floor in front of his open pen and play with toys with him, brush him, hand feed his veggies.. Anything to engage him, but he’s still getting more and more itchy and unhappy.

        What would you do? I wonder if letting him out in a small space filled with things to investigate, and not a lot of “runnable” space would engage his mind without any additional stress on the foot? Any ideas are welcome, I’m desperate for my sweet boy to be happy again!


      • TheInsaneHyena
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          I would recommend buying him some toys, Toys that jingle, Or crinkle when he chews on it, or throws it, My bunny has a cat toy, A nut knot nibbler, And a Carrot-shaped hay bundle. If he is a bad chewer then i would not get toys, But maybe you will just have to wait it out… Let me know how it goes!


        • TheInsaneHyena
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            I would recommend buying him some toys, Toys that jingle, Or crinkle when he chews on it, or throws it, My bunny has a cat toy, A nut knot nibbler, And a Carrot-shaped hay bundle. If he is a bad chewer then i would not get toys, But maybe you will just have to wait it out… Let me know how it goes!


          • Eepster
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              If he would actually relax and lie still more in a larger space, then the plan to confine him to a smaller space isn’t working.

              I have noticed a general human tendency to not let go of things that aren’t working, instead the response tends be to do more of whatever isn’t working. Your vet seems to be of this mind set. Personally I have never understood why people believe that if a little of something makes matters worse more of the same thing should make things better.

              I would think the main idea of keeping him more confined is to slow him down and keep him from doing thing like hopping on and off stuff and binkying. Is there a way you can set up his pen that makes him feel less claustrophobic, but still encourages him to live a mostly horizontal life? Alternatively, can you get him a mild sedative?


            • JackRabbit
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                Maybe some willow chews and willow toys.


              • Flopsie
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                  What if you have a ton of stuff in your xpen such as tunnels and boxes and hidey houses that allow him to explore but not a lot of room to run. So this way he can maneuver around the boxes and chew but not actually move fast ?


                • BumblesBounce
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                    The 4 x 4 ex pen was too tempting for him to run about in.. he definitely zoomed too much in that, but it was just happy baby bunny stuff. Still, I can’t say that he would lie still in a larger pen– he probably wouldn’t. That said, I refuse to limit his space further. I was so mad I was nearly in tears when they suggested the carrier. This is not a small bunny we’re talking about, either.. he’s 11lbs at five months! He literally would not even be able to stand up straight on all fours, or stretch out in a carrier.. and that’s without a food bowl, or hay pile. I’m equally frustrated because the vet I go to is apparently “the best” in my area for rabbits.. yet they wanted to fast him for his neuter, and did not take multiple x-rays of his broken foot.. they only discovered the second broken bone AFTER the splint was put on, and the x-ray to make sure it was on properly was taken.

                    Anyhow, I took both pieces of advice and bought him a bunch of new toys, as well as some Rescue Remedy. I’d heard a lot of positive things about it when used for cats/dogs/horses, but hadn’t thought of it for buns until Eepster mentioned the mild sedative. I found a few threads about it here on BB, and many happy people using it for their rabbits. The Bach’s website ok’s it for use on buns as well. I took a page from another BB user, and put two drops on a treat for him.

                    As the rescue remedy was kicking in, I loaded up his pen with his new toys– some jangly bird toys made of wood and sisal, a squeaky plush carrot, a little wooden carrot on wheels, and an oversized tennis ball. I bought a few wooden bird perches to hang the dangling toys from, to make them optimal nose-bonk targets. So far so good! He pushed his toys around, gave them some nibbles and licks, then threw himself down into a giant flop, which he hasn’t done for a couple of nights. He has also been very interested in coming over and settling down for pets. Cross your fingers for me that it really is the toys and rescue remedy working!


                  • TheInsaneHyena
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                      Eepster, Funny seeing you here


                    • BumblesBounce
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                        Flopsie, that’s what I was thinking! I think I’ll try that, too.


                      • Beka27
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                          Poor baby… That’s got to be frustrating for both of you! Hopefully those suggestions help.

                          My rabbit only runs crazy for a minute or two after being let out, then she settles down and just wants to lounge the rest of the day. Of course, she isn’t an energetic baby though.


                        • BumblesBounce
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                            Pleased to report that the rescue remedy has been working wonders! He’s much more settled, and his only little excited bursts have been when one of us comes home. He is so happy to see us, sweet little thing! He throws a little “ear wing” or a half bink in on his way over, then sticks his nose through the bars so that he can prop his chin on them while we rub his forehead. It really has taken all of the anxious, pent-up energy away with just two drops on a treat every 12 hours. 

                            I have also been re-arranging his dangling toys every day, hanging them in different places, higher, lower, etc. to give him a “new” setup to explore while I’m at work.. and of course, spending lots of time with him when I get home.

                            His vet has cleared him to go to the rescue to meet his girlfriend-hopeful (the pretty lady-bun in my profile picture) on Sunday! As long as they don’t mind each other, she will be coming home with us, and they will be in nearby pens, so that should help to alleviate his boredom. They won’t be close enough to touch or bite for the next two weeks, but definitely close enough to start to get to know each other and “talk”.


                          • BumblesBounce
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                              Good lord, I may not survive the next three days. Fella just will. not. sit. still. He’s wired for sound, and just wants to race and bink! I hope to god the cast can come off Friday, we’re all going out of our gourds.

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                          Forum DIET & CARE Bunny confined to cage – Ideas to keep him happy?