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how to encourage bun to leave hutch

Neleh

Alpha Buck
This is funny but annoying!
Malteser has been living in the house since last year when he got sick. He has the run of downstairs in the evenings or whenever we are home. Other times I'm home he has full run but just sits all day in one spot by his chair. He only runs around a little bit around 7ish and then sits in a place for a bit before moving elsewhere to sit. I have loads of toys around the floor and he plays with them. We also play noseball with him and play chase when he instigates it so he does like to be out of his hutch and in the lounge. All the places he likes to sit are in the lounge area too. when out of his hutch he only goes into the hall area to go to his hutch for food/water.

When he seemed to be stronger last May, I blocked off the hallway (his hutch is there and it is open plan into the lounge). I did this when I was home on exam leave from uni, just to make sure he was safe.
The first day he came out, saw the barrier, periscoped a bit by the barrier and went back to his hutch and stayed there until later on in the evening when I removed the barrier. When I did he was sulky and annoyed, nibbling things he shouldn't
The next day he came out and as I was revising I head him running and stopping until :shock: boom, he had jumped over the barrier (mid-thigh height for me!!) Not bad for a small (he is a Polish bun), semi-able bun :shock: He could have really hurt himself with what I had on the other side as the barrier was an opened cardboard box and it was being supported by things on the lounge side. I gave up then in fear of him seriously injuring himself either by the escape or from getting up to mischief in the lounge without supervision (it is pretty much bunny proof but sometimes his bunny instincts take over and mum and dad need to set him on the safe path again :love:)

Because of this I just kept him to his hutch again during the weekdays, but I hate it! I want him to have more time out of his hutch! He cant have full run without us being home for safety reasons, plus he will set off the burglar alarm. This is the only place he can be in our house. Plus he needs to be in our main room for interaction and socialisation with us.
Since then I bought a run for him; taller sides!! I have tried again to let him out in the hall and block off access to the lounge but still he comes out, sees he cannot have the whole room and goes back to his hutch. The little bun is all or nothing it seems! He does seem to be spending a little more time outside today (I got home early so tried again whilst I did some uni work). Thing is, I'm not sure if the little tinker is again planning his escape route!:lol:

Has anyone else had this? Do you have any suggestions? I wondered about putting his food sources outside, his toilet tray is outside but I think the rascal would pee in his hutch rather than find his tray (the tray needs to be moved as it is in the entrance to his hutch and he cannot jump in/out so well if it stays in ( funny I know with the crazy escape jumping but I guess he is used to the jump he needs to do to get in/out when he is out usually). I have put some toys in the hall, but want him to still have some room to run around and so far they don't make up for the fact his play area is smaller than he is used to.
 
Well hubby has now secured the area and Malteser has been free since I got in, just before 4. I put acarrier base full of lovely hay out for him and he had a good munch. I think he is perplexed but has stayed outside. We hope that after a few days of us doing ghis when we are in and him not trying to escape we will keep him with 24 hour access to the hall. So happy about this. Feel it is going to be much better for him :D
 
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