House bunny gets new garden - but how to get him to come in?

Hi all,

Am moving soon to a garden flat, with grass and earthy flower beds for bunny to enjoy.

My French lop house rabbit, 4 yrs old, has enjoyed a garden before but I had the problem that he tended to go 'feral' when I let him out and I couldn't tempt him back in. He preferred to munch grass, cavort around like a wild bunny, and wouldn't even come in for commercial pellets.

I can't pick him up without causing lots of stress, so I'm trying to think of a design where he is allowed access to a small part of the garden without loads of space. I think it's too much space, and grass to eat, that makes him happy to be 'wild'.

Perhaps something that opens from the back door like a puppy pen? Ideally I'd give him full supervised access for a couple of hours a day, but I can't figure out how to get him back in, without stressful chasing etc. Anyone else had this problem? Any ideas?

There is a shed in the garden that could be converted but I think I'd only change him to an outdoor bunny if I was pair bonding him with a warm friend to sleep next to.

Any ideas or pen photos would be great. Back door is glass sadly so no way to put in a cat flap.

--loothi

Can you get a few puppy pens and section off a large area

It's possible to put a cat flap into glass.
A glazier can do this for you

i used to have a big garden which i sectioned a part off with puppy pens outside the door so bun could come and go as he pleased (obviously with supervision). i found that shaking the treat tin eventually made him come inside

All 3 of my bunnies free range on the garden and I have no problem getting them in. I go out to them, shout bed time and herd them into either their Wendy house or back inside for my house bunny. They then get a treat for coming in.

I think it would be a shame to deny your bunny access to the garden- after all going "wild" is exactly what your bunny should be doing.

Chose a word to mean "in" and use it everytime. Don't say anything else except this word and then start herding them in. When they do eventually go in repeat the word loudly and give them a treat. Mine have all recognised bed time as meaning go in and you will get a treat!