New and in need of help!

[Maddy]

Hi,

Hoping you can help me. New to the site, but been using almost on a daily basis for the past 3 weeks since getting Louis, my little bunny.

He is 9 weeks old, currently on his own, but seeing how things go and looking to introduce an older rabbit when he is older and neutered also. 

He is an outdoor bunny, so has a big 2 tiered hutch (website said big enough for 4 small rabbits) which can open out into a protected run so masses of space, and he loves his house, can go in and out, and doesn’t run to get out when you open the door. 

In the evenings every night we have the same routine, I get home from work and he comes to me for cuddles, then when I lean back on the sofa, he is free to start roaming free in the living / dining room. Big old stable, so lots of space, fully bunny proofed and he is trained, so very clean and tidy in the house. 

He is happy as anything, shows all the signs of a happy, relaxed bunny. He has his blanket with toys and boredom breakers and he has his daily kale and dandelion salad with 1 – 2 treats per night when he is good. 

He comes up onto the sofa and snuggles with me and my partner and is very friendly and funny and mischievous. He will then bunny flop and chill out without a care and doesn’t get scared of us moving around at all anymore (obviously he was for first week or so), but now he just follows us around for petting and sometimes begging for more treats! 

Now, it all might sound ideal, but the only glitch we have with Louis is bedtime. I understand no one would want to go from indoors with cuddles and warmth and treats, to a hutch outside. I am pretty sure Louis knows when it is getting near bedtime. He will stop coming up on the sofa around 9pm and won’t come asking for treats or cuddles anymore. 

Then it’s time to catch him. I sit on the floor and bribe with treats, but he doesn’t care, he will fly off and hide. It is so traumatic for him. We went through a stage of about a week where he was absolutely fine, I would pet him and he would come to my lap and let me stand up and take him to his hutch no problem. But the past few nights again he has ran away and hidden, then when I get him he is trying to squirm away, which I am scared he will get out of my arms putting him in his cage and have to catch him in the dark garden. Most of all, I hate seeing him upset and scared and just want to be able to put him to bed with no stress for him, no matter what I have to do. 

He is trained, and I use the base of his carrier (for vets etc.) as his ‘littler tray’ so it’s roomy and he recognizes it, maybe if I put the lid on and just leave the door open I can close the door near bedtime and carry him that way to his hutch? Any ideas would be great,m just can’t stand thinking I am hurting / upsetting him every night. 

Thank you,

Maddy & Louis!x

[Limit]

He’s gorgeous!

If he is clean and tidy is there no way he can be a free range house bunny as it is clearly what he prefers? I wouldn’t keep a bunny outside on their own, they are social animals. x

[Luna]

Hi! Louis is so cute! I agree with Limit that if a bun is going to live outside, he/she needs a buddy, and without one then I think the bun should be indoors with his/her human. I don’t think it is necessarily the outdoors that Louis dislikes, but rather the fact that he knows he is about to be alone.

[Maddy]

Thank you so much for the kind replies.

This makes me so sad he could be lonely. When looking for a bunny I did a lot of research, and the biggest thing about 2 bunnies (my original plan) was that they had to be separate for first 6-7 months, and due to space we just couldn’t facilitate that, so have been recommended to introduce another older rabbit once he has been neutered.

Will he be alright until then? What about a different animal instead which could arrive sooner?

Sorry to keep asking, just adore this little thing and want the best for him.

Maddy & Louis x

[BanditCamp]

Bonding bunnies is a long process, I’m trying to free range bandit eventually but I need to neuter him first. I personally wouldn’t have s pet outside for any reason by itself unless it’s absolutely necessary.

I have a pretty small apartment and bandit is very happy with his setup I made and I give him tons of house time and love and pets. I have pictures of my habitat on my cloudspace and it’s only 2ftx4ft with a 2ftx2ft second floor

[Limit]

He will not bond with a different animal the same way he will bond with another bunny.

Getting an already spayed female from a rescue works wonders. Costs less too and you’re giving a bun in need a home

[Author]

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