Rabbit hates play time?

[LittleThumper]

Hi everyone! Binkies!!

A quick (strange) question: my other rabbit, bunny, has been acting strangely. He’s neutured, 9-10 months’ old – the same bunny in my avatar/picture.

Whenever I put him outside his cage for play time, he would run back to his cage almost immediately! Any ideas why?

During the day I got him till the day he was neutured he was a cage bunny (due to being anxious to the new environment). No matter how far from his cage, he will smell and run back to his cage! Once back in his cage, he would just rest. He’s perfectly healthy, eating and drinking well. But he seems to have become lazy. Is this healthy or okay?

FYI, the rabbit’s cage houses 2 rabbits and it’s big enough for them to walk around. 

[bpash89]

it sounds like he’s just anxious of new environments. during play time I would suggest opening his cage and just leaving him be. let him come out into the room on his terms, in his own time. bunnies are curious by nature, eventually he’ll work up the courage to peek outside his cage.

[Bam]

I agree with bpash89. Bunnies like to do things in their own time. Do you have a cardboard house for him that he can hide in when he’s out of his cage? A cardboard box with 2 door-holes are often very much appreciated by a shy bun. If the floor outside his cage is slippery, he might feel very insecure there. Make sure there’s sth he can walk on that provides some traction, like rag rugs or even just plain newspaper.

Some bunnies need a long time before they warm up to people, and that’s normal. It doesn’t mean they’ll stay aloof forever.

[Luna]

Luna used to stay in her cage all the time when I first brought her to my house. I kept her cage door open and coaxed her out with food everyday, and eventually she became comfortable enough to come out on her own. If your bun is anxious, you can try to coax him out, but I wouldn’t physically/forcibly remove him from his cage until he is ready. In the meantime, just make sure he has plenty of toys/enrichment in his cage.

[LittleThumper]

Thanks everyone!

Ah yes, as bam pointed out… my living room’s floor is indeed slippery and sometimes I can see he can’t stand right. So that might be the cause too. I will have to find a way to create some traction for him.

I will also try to let him out by himself.

Thanks again everyone!

[Author]

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