Getting used to a new hutch.

Hi, need some thoughts. But let me explain the back story first.

I used to have two rabbits (Lilly and Doris). Sadly Lilly had to be put down after getting a spinal injury a couple of weeks ago from a fall which resulted in the near total loose of use of her rear legs - she could not hop, climb the hutch ramp (up or down) or really move. She was also near inconnient

So after this happened I made enquires with our local RSPCA resuce about getting another rabbit. They didn't have any so they put me in touch with a Cat and Rabbit rescue about 20 miles away who had suitable rabbits.

Now the main problem I then had was that my existing hutch would not meet their requirements due to the underside run not being big enough. So I have now bought a new hutch which should meet their needs. The advantage on the one I got was that you can bolt on extra run sections to extend the run in the direction you need and not just out the front as with a lot I saw. I have got the main hutch and two extenstions which will fit either side of the main hutch's underrun as I cannot extent out the front due to here the hutch has to be kept.

You can see the hutch here: Hutch and the extention bits here: Extenstion

This all arrived yesterday and I promptly built the the main hutch and under section. And moved Doris in. Tonight I will build and add on the other parts.

Doris undestandably seemed... confused as to where she was and why she was in there. Now this hutch is bigger than the old one and when the new runs are attached tonight it will be around 2.5 to 3 times bigger. So I left her in there for a few hours to see what happened. I noticed she had decided to tip out her toilet tray over the floor (in the hold hutch it was secured to the side to stop her doing this). So I tried to get her to climb the ramp so I could re-fix this again as before. Doris refused. So I ended up picking her out and putting her into the bedroom area while I did this. I left here there overnight hoping she would sniff around.

Today I went to give her food (a mixture of try mix and fresh veg). Normally she would be waiting downstairs for this. Not today. She was still in the bedroom area and refused to move. Even to the point of spreading her hind leg to stop her exiting to the living area though the exit!!!

I then tried to convince her to move to the ramp and she ended up running back into the bedroom area! So back out again, this time I tried again blocking the bedroom with my hand. After a about 20 seconds of gental nudging she moved to the ramp and a few nudges later down the ramp.

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Now I guess this behaviour is due to her not knowing the new hutch and being unsure of where she is and what is happening. Possibly also the smell as even I could smell this hutch was new. But is there anything I can do to over come her apparent aprehension/fear if her new home? The only change I made to the location of items in the hutch is the water bottle moving downstairs as there was no room to do this previously but I can on this one, and I also installed a hay rack as well. Otherwise she has the same toilet box, toys, hay and wood shavings in her toilet box.

At the weekend we should get a new rabibt, the rescue then have someone locally who will bond him to Doris and give them back to me - at which point they will end up in the hutch together. I would prefer Doris to be a little more comfortable with the hutch before this happens.

I would hate to have a rabbit who is scare of her home.

Any thoughts are really welcomed.

Just make sure she has water and hay upstairs and downstairs, and maybe a couple more litter trays (you will need more with another bunny anyway) - If you use a big underbed storage box they are less likely to tip it and they can snuggle down into the hay in it.

It takes rabbits about 2 weeks to get used to major changes, so she will eventually get used to it, but meantime you will have to put her food where she is, and maybe even lift her up and down stairs every day - I did with one of my bunnies (for 2 weeks - then she finally twigged what it was all about!) Also your new hutch is very exposed - if you don't cover it up at night she will feel very vulnerable if any cats or foxes come by - they can snap through that softwood in no time (I have a run and hutch by the same manufacturer) - you need to cover them at night for security, with rugs or something, and staple some clear pvc shower curtain over the mesh on the top hutch, so it's more sheltered.

You would be better off putting Doris back in her old hutch until she's bonded with the new rabbit, as they will fight on her territory - and the more familiar she is with the new hutch, the more it is 'her' territory, plus bonding is extremely stressful for rabbits anyway, never mind moving home - she might stop eating or drinking altogether.

they will need to go somewhere neutral for introductions, like your bathroom where you can supervise for a couple of days and nights, then if it works out put them in the new hutch together.

PS - make sure you put bolts on it too - a cat could easily open the existing twirl latches