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Indoor play for outdoor buns

susie bun

susie bun

Wise Old Thumper
It's becoming obvious (and still only October) that Spenser will not get any where near enough exercise unless he comes in for a while on wet days. I know it's important not to have the house too warm, but am wondering what else I can do to make his time indoors less stressful. Today he seemed happy at first. Apparently he did a binky but I was in the loo and missed it! :( The problem is, he seems frightened of us - runs away all the time and won't let us touch him. He was 'scanning' a lot today too. Getting him back to the hutch can be a nightmare - today it took over 30 minutes to manouevre him into the carry box.

Anyy suggestions welcome! :wave:
 
I think there are lots of small things you can do which when added together may help & improve the situation :)

I expect you will have lots of good suggestions but my first would be to try spending time with Spenser at his level i.e. lying & sitting on the floor with him and encouraging him to come to you. Make no attempt to approach him and reward him with a nose rub/treat when he makes contact :) Generally, the more you "chase" a bun the more wound up & stressy they become & so encouraging him to sit by you and be fussed is key.

No quick fixes and repetition is important. Don't give up after a couple of days, stick with it, be patient and enjoy the time you spend together :love: Eventually (fingers crossed) he'll associate you with nice things i.e. fuss & food :lol: and hopefully will be less inclined to run & hide!
 
Fluffers said:
I think there are lots of small things you can do which when added together may help & improve the situation :)

I expect you will have lots of good suggestions but my first would be to try spending time with Spenser at his level i.e. lying & sitting on the floor with him and encouraging him to come to you. Make no attempt to approach him and reward him with a nose rub/treat when he makes contact :) Generally, the more you "chase" a bun the more wound up & stressy they become & so encouraging him to sit by you and be fussed is key.

No quick fixes and repetition is important. Don't give up after a couple of days, stick with it, be patient and enjoy the time you spend together :love: Eventually (fingers crossed) he'll associate you with nice things i.e. fuss & food :lol: and hopefully will be less inclined to run & hide!
Click to expand...

Thanks. :) I fear I am behaving like an over-anxious first-time mother and Spenser is probably picking up on my nerves. :oops: I just want to give him the best life possible with what I know are not ideal circumstances. Yes, I spent £300 on a hutch but it doesn't have an attached run ... although I'm working on that. ;)
 
susie bun said:
Thanks. :) I fear I am behaving like an over-anxious first-time mother and Spenser is probably picking up on my nerves. :oops: I just want to give him the best life possible with what I know are not ideal circumstances. Yes, I spent £300 on a hutch but it doesn't have an attached run ... although I'm working on that. ;)
Click to expand...

Relax - Spenser is a very lucky bun and you are a great bunny mum :D
 
susie bun said:
Thanks. :) I fear I am behaving like an over-anxious first-time mother and Spenser is probably picking up on my nerves. :oops: I just want to give him the best life possible with what I know are not ideal circumstances. Yes, I spent £300 on a hutch but it doesn't have an attached run ... although I'm working on that. ;)
Click to expand...

You are doing the very best you can for Spenser and he is so much better off with you than he would have been if you hadn't got him!! What about just putting food in the carrier and waiting until he goes in himself? Then quietly close the door behind him?? :wave:
 
bensonlola said:
You are doing the very best you can for Spenser and he is so much better off with you than he would have been if you hadn't got him!! What about just putting food in the carrier and waiting until he goes in himself? Then quietly close the door behind him?? :wave:
Click to expand...

Will try that. :) I am home alone this weekend, and the weather is going to be foul, but not too cold. I worry about having him in for long if the inside/outside temperature difference is significant. I have his favourite food in stock too ... ;)
 
bensonlola said:
You are doing the very best you can for Spenser and he is so much better off with you than he would have been if you hadn't got him!! What about just putting food in the carrier and waiting until he goes in himself? Then quietly close the door behind him?? :wave:
Click to expand...

Yep - a fenugreek crunchie will entice him in :lol:

When my boys started coming in last winter I'd leave the carrier open for a 'base camp' for them - they could hop in and out as they pleased, and it made them much easier to catch at home time. They are still really good about hopping into the carrier now. :)
 
susie bun said:
Will try that. :) I am home alone this weekend, and the weather is going to be foul, but not too cold. I worry about having him in for long if the inside/outside temperature difference is significant. I have his favourite food in stock too ... ;)
Click to expand...

What about fencing round his hutch so you can exercise him outside? You could just open the door and let him hop out and in! I know what a pain it is trying to catch rabbits to put them out and in. I had to do that when I first got mine. Benson not too bad but Lola is a thinker!! She always senses what you're up to!! :lol:
 
bensonlola said:
You are doing the very best you can for Spenser and he is so much better off with you than he would have been if you hadn't got him!! What about just putting food in the carrier and waiting until he goes in himself? Then quietly close the door behind him?? :wave:
Click to expand...

I agree :wave: with Spenser being an REW maybe his sight isn't great? So he might startle easily. My bunnies still spook easily if they aren't expecting something so I don't think he is frightened of you personally. He just needs to get used to you and to being inside :)
 
bensonlola said:
What about fencing round his hutch so you can exercise him outside? You could just open the door and let him hop out and in! I know what a pain it is trying to catch rabbits to put them out and in. I had to do that when I first got mine. Benson not too bad but Lola is a thinker!! She always senses what you're up to!! :lol:
Click to expand...

We were talking about that earlier this evening. I'm going to take a photo of the area tomorrow (if the rain goes off!) and post it for comments. :wave:
 
susie bun said:
We were talking about that earlier this evening. I'm going to take a photo of the area tomorrow (if the rain goes off!) and post it for comments. :wave:
Click to expand...

It's wee things like this that let you stop worrying about how the heck you're gonna catch the bunny and let you just enjoy them! I know - I used to dread twice a day having to frighten them to get them into a case - took the joy out of them somewhat, if you know what I mean. You might find that Spenser becomes more relaxed and happy to be around you if he doesn't associate you with the hands that catch him and put him in his carrier!! When I want my two in now I just have to walk towards the shed door and say "dinner!" while rattling their food dish!! I def think, if you can make it a decent size it might work! You could be really REALLY clever and make it in such a way that he could run into the kitchen or conservatory from his run. In the winter, I let mine out and stand in the kitchen with the door open and they can run in and out as they please. But I don't know how your garden is layed out etc...
 
When Amber was outside the last few times I brought her in out of the rain ( she used to just sit on the grass and get soaked :roll: )
I used an empty laundry basket with a towel in it, one of those long ones about 2 and 1/2 foot long, put a few treats in the bottom
and when she hopped in I lifted it and put it gently upright so she slid to the bottom and reverced the process when she was inside.
It seemed to cause her very little distress and I just did the same thing to put her back holding the basket to the door of her hutch to get her back in.
I hope that made sense.:lol:
My basket is a bit like the tall one in this picture.
http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=901-3516
 
Not sure what Your layout is but could you not just open the back door plop him in. Then when it's hutch time open the door and his hutch - shaking some treats and calling him to follow you? Put some veg or a couple of pellets in his hutch. After a couple of weeks and you ushering him out the door at home time he should get the idea-this means food time-time to go to my hutch. Our outside bun does this, her boy died and I haven't got time to bond at the minute as i've got a lot on before my operation next week. She runs in sits on the rug, sniffs round then when I open the door for her she goes out good as gold :) being afraid is in my experience a new place, your territory where he doesn't feel confident. He's in such close proximity to you with no hutch comforts, and lots of stuff going on around him. Try lying on the floor or even ignoring him. He'll soon make it his home from home, poop, poop :)
 
jubob said:
When Amber was outside the last few times I brought her in out of the rain ( she used to just sit on the grass and get soaked :roll: )
I used an empty laundry basket with a towel in it, one of those long ones about 2 and 1/2 foot long, put a few treats in the bottom
and when she hopped in I lifted it and put it gently upright so she slid to the bottom and reverced the process when she was inside.
It seemed to cause her very little distress and I just did the same thing to put her back holding the basket to the door of her hutch to get her back in.
I hope that made sense.:lol:
My basket is a bit like the tall one in this picture.
http://direct.tesco.com/product/images/?R=901-3516
Click to expand...

Good idea. They do test our ingenuity, don't they? :roll::lol:
 
I expect you will have lots of good suggestions but my first would be to try spending time with Spenser at his level i.e. lying & sitting on the floor with him and encouraging him to come to you. Make no attempt to approach him and reward him with a nose rub/treat when he makes contact Generally, the more you "chase" a bun the more wound up & stressy they become & so encouraging him to sit by you and be fussed is key.
Click to expand...

thats what i have to do with reggie. He likes it when you are on his level, especially when he gets to sit on the sofa, he climbs all over me and pushes his face into mine!

I am a bit of a meanie though, i have no patience for waiting for a bunny to get into a carrier so i just pick them up. Reggie freezes when you stroke him so he is easy to just pick up (as long as i get him back to the hutch quickly as he hates being carried), ruby just begs to be carried so i don't use a carrier or other alternatives for either.
 
Hi Susie :wave: Just realised that Spenser isn't neutered. Are you anxious about having this done? I can understand if you are but....... I think it very likely that Spenser would be far more chilled, relaxed & easy to handle once he was "done". He's probably feeling very agitated and a bit cross a lot of the time which won't help his relationship with you. You might even find that his fussy eating habits improve :shock::lol:
 
Fluffers said:
Hi Susie :wave: Just realised that Spenser isn't neutered. Are you anxious about having this done? I can understand if you are but....... I think it very likely that Spenser would be far more chilled, relaxed & easy to handle once he was "done". He's probably feeling very agitated and a bit cross a lot of the time which won't help his relationship with you. You might even find that his fussy eating habits improve :shock::lol:
Click to expand...

I'm horribly anxious about it! :( Spenser has never done any of the classic hormonal things my rabbit nephew did when he was coming into his hormones - if he had that would have made it easier. I actually think he might be a bit undersexed, as his 'bits' look small compared to the manly parts of my much smaller (mini-lop) rabbit nephew.:? I asked about neutering when Spenser had his myxi booster last week, but his vet said it's a bit too late in the year for an outside bun to be done and I should wait until next spring.
 
susie bun said:
I'm horribly anxious about it! :( Spenser has never done any of the classic hormonal things my rabbit nephew did when he was coming into his hormones - if he had that would have made it easier. I actually think he might be a bit undersexed, as his 'bits' look small compared to the manly parts of my much smaller (mini-lop) rabbit nephew.:? I asked about neutering when Spenser had his myxi booster last week, but his vet said it's a bit too late in the year for an outside bun to be done and I should wait until next spring.
Click to expand...

Awww bless you.

Hmmm, not sure about that :? Rescues have to neuter all year round in order to re-home so... :? Certainly you'd need to keep him in overnight for the 1st 24hrs but after that he should be fine to go back in his hutch (provided it's nice & cosy). I guess I'm trying to remove any obstacles/things which may make a difference to Spensers behaviour. I know he's not aggressive or anything, just a bit moody/difficult at times? I think I'd want eliminate his hormones as being an issue though. I really DO appreciate that it's a scary thing for a bunny mum to do and the way I help myself in this situation is to concentrate on how much better it will be for the bun once it's done and I tell myself that not doing it is selfish/unfair on the bun :) Don't take that the wrong way, I'm not saying you're selfish - that's just what I tell myself to help ME feel better about what I'm doing!
 
Fluffers said:
Awww bless you.

Hmmm, not sure about that :? Rescues have to neuter all year round in order to re-home so... :? Certainly you'd need to keep him in overnight for the 1st 24hrs but after that he should be fine to go back in his hutch (provided it's nice & cosy). I guess I'm trying to remove any obstacles/things which may make a difference to Spensers behaviour. I know he's not aggressive or anything, just a bit moody/difficult at times? I think I'd want eliminate his hormones as being an issue though. I really DO appreciate that it's a scary thing for a bunny mum to do and the way I help myself in this situation is to concentrate on how much better it will be for the bun once it's done and I tell myself that not doing it is selfish/unfair on the bun :) Don't take that the wrong way, I'm not saying you're selfish - that's just what I tell myself to help ME feel better about what I'm doing!
Click to expand...

Thanks! :wave: When I rehomed Spenser I was surprised he wasn't neutered as his owner was very particular about good homes for her bunnies. I will look into what sort of set up Spenser would need if he was to be indoors for a few days. Part of the problem is that Spenser will only poo and pee in the bedroom of his hutch or a favoured corner of his run!
 
susie bun said:
Thanks! :wave: When I rehomed Spenser I was surprised he wasn't neutered as his owner was very particular about good homes for her bunnies. I will look into what sort of set up Spenser would need if he was to be indoors for a few days. Part of the problem is that Spenser will only poo and pee in the bedroom of his hutch or a favoured corner of his run!
Click to expand...

He only needs be in for the 1st 24 hrs after his op, just while he recovers. The op is far less evasive than for does and so bucks generally recover quicker. He needs a small area (not too much room to jump/hop) where the temp is constant and he can snuggle down. Bit of old carpet + shower curtain/lino + newspaper/towels as a floor covering? Lots of people on here with lots of experience so you needn't feel like you're on your own :)

ps - Bouncer sends a fluffy nose rub
pps - best go as I he's downstairs and I can here him terrorising the foot stool :shock::lol::lol:
 
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