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Bunny struggling to get up ramp!

H

Hannah4

New Kit
I have just got a bunny and have had him since saturday. He came from a small square cage with a glass front in a pet shop.
He now lives in a two-storey outdoor hutch (although he is gradually being transitioned to outside). He is struggling to use the ramp, he can get halfway up but seems to scrabble up it. We have put greens up it to encourage him, but he still can't get past halfway.
So currently he is living downstairs, but obviously it would be much better if he could run around upstairs and downstairs!
He's only been in it 3 nights, perhaps he needs more time? Or does he need a different surface to climb up on? Any advice/tips appreciated!
 
I think it will just take more time. He obviously doesn't feel confident enough using it yet. Once he's used to the ramp he will be up and down it like a yoyo.
 
My 2 were very nervous about going upstairs using the ramp. It was quite funny watching them getting a bit braver each day, but they got there in the end, in their own time. I'm sure yours will to :D
 
Oh bless him! Perhaps when he's got halfway and if he trusts you and likes you to handle him, place your hand on his bottom so like giving him support. You could also perhaps gently push him up the ramp too - he may be wary of what's upstairs so might need encouragement. If you do "help" him though, be careful he doesn't get frightened and jump off the ramp from the side as he could hurt himself, or frighten himself and then that's it for a while!
 
If the ramp is too steep then putting a brick under the bottom will make it less steep. Also if there are no slats across it for grip attaching some would help. You could also stick carpet on to it to add extra grip, although I've never had to go that far.
 
Might be worth popping him to the vets as well to make sure he has nothing going on.

It can take a while for a bun to learn how to use a ramp. Putting a brick under it is a good idea, also putting something like carpet on it so that he has more grip might be an idea. Be careful with this, though, as carpet can cause problems with their hocks. :wave:
 
Hiya, I had same issue and my two rescues went from a tiny single story hutch to a large double with a ramp. It took Perry about 3-4 days to actually use the ramp whereas Basil was straight in there. It's got pieces going across horizontally for grip and I recall thinking it was too steep at the time (blame my Dad!) ;) But now they both fly up and down it (well, go down a few steps then leap/plop/skid to the veges bowl when it goes in :) is more like it
 
Arthur took a while to use the ramp confidently when he arrived, although Elsie was up and down it straight away. But I think Elsie had come from a pet home (via RSPCA) so was probably used to ramps. Arthur was rescued from the meat industry so he probably hadnt come across a ramp before.

To help him I have a wooden shelter in the run so I rested the ramp on that so that it wasnt so steep. But until he was confident I fed him in the hutch at the top of the ramp. They have hay and water upstairs and downstairs too.
 
Well his ramp does have slats across and is quite secure, so i think i'll give him more time. He seems quite confident and likes to charge around the bottom level, so hopefully curiosity will get the better of him! Thanks guys!
 
Usually in shop bought hutches the ramps are too steep and too narrow. Pop a brick under it to make it less steep and maybe a box next to it. My two won't use their ramp unless I've put a box next to it! The shed I'm upgrading them to has walls on the ramp so it's more secure for them.
 
I agree with what has been said about the ramp. But did I understand you right in saying that you are transitioning you little guy outside now? Personally I think it is too late for him to go outside now. The sharp transitions from inside to outside temperatures can make bunnies very ill and once the outside temp is noticeably different from the inside temp they really need to stay either in or out. Is he a baby? If he is then he certainly won't have had a chance to grow a thick winter coat that he would need to be outside and even if he is an older bun he will have been living indoors at the petshop and will not have grown a winter coat as it's the gradually changing temps of late summer and early autumn that stimulate the bun to go through a moult for their thick winter coat.
 
He is 4mths old, he was unwanted at the pet shop because he had to live on his own as he didnt get on with his bunny friends. He has *slightly* odd behaviour (see Q in other section) so i think that put people off.
Would you reccommend he stays in until spring now it has got to october?
 
Hannah4 said:
He is 4mths old, he was unwanted at the pet shop because he had to live on his own as he didnt get on with his bunny friends. He has *slightly* odd behaviour (see Q in other section) so i think that put people off.
Would you reccommend he stays in until spring now it has got to october?
Click to expand...

I would yes, sorry I didn't pick up on that earlier. He won't have a thick winter coat having been indoors up to now.
 
Hannah4 said:
He is 4mths old, he was unwanted at the pet shop because he had to live on his own as he didnt get on with his bunny friends. He has *slightly* odd behaviour (see Q in other section) so i think that put people off.
Would you reccommend he stays in until spring now it has got to october?
Click to expand...

Yes, unfortunately I'd recommend keeping him inside until the weather gets much warmer. It would've been fine about 4 weeks ago as he'd have had time to grow a winter coat, but it's already getting very chilly at night now. Especially with him being a single bunny and not fully grown he won't cope well at all.

Do bare in mind though that when you put him outside will depend on the weather, not the date. So if we have a cold spring it could be nearly into May by the time you can put him out.
 
Oh bless him! We have had a few requests for sides on ramps like banisters so maybe something like this could help him. Also second the comments re grip on of mine only uses a ramp if it has rubber matting on it to make it grippy!
 
Awww. It will be great having him indoors. You can bond much better with indoor rabbits (well I think so anyway). I LOVED having Frosty and Snowflake inside when they were babies. x

Snowflake



Frosty

 
when she was a baby she slid down the ramp and struggled to get up it so I placed two small squares of carpet tile about half way so she had some grip. this worked... now she just jumps the whole height so we removed the carpet...
 
Ah so cute.

Doughnut was useless with her ramp the hidey hole so I stuck two bits of stick on the ramp so she could grip it. I put them horizontal about an inch apart, now she's ok going up and down and no sliding.
 
tulsi said:
Awww. It will be great having him indoors. You can bond much better with indoor rabbits (well I think so anyway). I LOVED having Frosty and Snowflake inside when they were babies. x

Snowflake



Frosty

Click to expand...

Squeeeee alert!! :love:


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