Bunny never leaves enclosure

[Tea]

I got Dargo 9 months ago from a rescue site. He was part of a bonded pair but the owners decided 2 bunnies were one to many. He was the more agressive one so they did not want to keep him. He is neutered and healthy. He is very temperamental but can be nice. He has a two story enclosure with toys and interactive play stuff. My problem is he won’t leave his enclosure. I have tried all the tricks on the site and he still prefers to stay in his enclosure. He seems happy and plays, jumps, nests, it doesn’t seem to bother him that he never leaves. Is it okay that he doesn’t come out?

[LittlePuffyTail]

Has he been this way for the whole 9 months he’s been with you?

[sarahthegemini]

That’s so cruel to split up a bonded pair He could very well be depressed. Poor little guy

[vanessa]

🙁

[Tea]

He pretty much been this way the whole time. I think he has come out a couple of times on his own. He does let my husband hold him. He likes it when my husband holds him and sings to him. He lets me groom him but only if he stays in the cage. His cage is a huge two story cage that we made for him. He was a little depressed when we got him because he was taken away from his mate which I was told of as I was getting him. Now he is a happy bunny but doesn’t like to leave his home.

[Boston's Mama]

It’s sad the last owners separated them but we do not have all the info – it could be that they we’re fighting or unhappy together and not properly bonded. There are many reasons why it can sometimes be nessassary to seperate.
I’m glad he has found a good indoor home with you where you are aware of his moods etc and knew when he was depressed. It sounds lovely that he enjoys your OT singing to him
I would say since you said he has never wanted out of his cage , and the fact you are aware of his behaviours and know he is no longer depressed , and it’s not a new thing ( which could indicate illness when it’s a sudden thing that has come on) – my guess is he is not feeling secure about it yet – maybe a pen attached to his hutch so it is still a enclosed area and semi small rather than the big wide world of a house to start with could help?
Then you could expand it very slowly over a period of time after a month of coming out to the pen

[Mel]

Is there a specific time you interact with him? I know I have sat in my living room with Dulce’s cage open from 8 AM to 10 pm and she’s come out for maybe a total of 4 minutes. It’s not until like 11 that she actually starts to explore the living room, and she’ll stay up until 2 or 3 am. She is also one that loves to have me pet her in her cage, but won’t come out to get love.

[vanessa]

Time of day is important. Guinevere only comes out of her room between 10pm and 8am.

[jerseygirl]

What type of flooring do you have? maybe trying some carpet mats might help? Or putting down something light coloured if the flooring is dark?

Another thing to try is pop a tunnel at the entrance leading out of his enclosure, with a cardboard hidey house at the other end. If he starts venturing further away, his confidence may grow. If he does take to that set up, it could tell you that he’s feeling more secure in smaller, enclosed places then open spaces.

[jerseygirl]

In a separate note, have you seen any aggression in him? I wonder what triggered that in his previous home…
If it was fear based, it may take some time before he feels comfortable enough to roam around out of the enclosure. Perhaps the previous owners had other pets and he’s still wary?

[Tea]

I interact with him all times of the day. He is really active at 6 am and the from about 8pm until 12 am and the various times through the day. He lets me pet him and groom him but he has to be in the cage.

[Tea]

We have hardwood but I put down an area rug outside his cage because I know my previous rabbit didn’t care for the hardwood ( he was a senior rabbit that I got from a rescue). I’ll try the tunnel that might help. I have given him boxes and a straw house and he never used them except to play by throwing them and chewing them. But i keep a box in there for him to play with.

[Tea]

Yes he can be very aggressive especially towards me. He seems to prefer males. His previous owner was a teenager and her mom. Funny thing is he likes my cat.

[Tea]

I think I’ll try the pen option and see what happens

[Vienna Blue in France]

If he has pellets, you could scatter these on the rug outside his area…. he’ll come and get them then…. (maybe when you’re not watching… lol)

[Author]

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