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my bun is depressed:'(

i have a 7 year old bun, ho i have had for about 4 years.
He is my first bun and i got him of a family who were moving away.
I was rather foolish when i got him as i never though to look up the constant care for rabbits.
he has a house rabbit cage and is kepped in our bolier room, they said that he had never been in a run ( and he was 3 years old ) and that he doesnt need to.
ofcourse i didnt know, so i just wnt along with it.
But a few months ago i realised that he looks so glum and upset, he dosent have any toys just a jingly ball. I go in there about 4 times a day to do the washing and another 2 to feed him.
I also go in and just chat to him for about 10 minuits or something.
So i bought a wind up radio to play in the day while im at work, i also bought a run, but he has only been in it twice because of the weather.
I feel that he must be so board all day and must have nothing to do all the time.
Also I feel so crule, i dont want to give him to a rescue, but if i dont have the right advice and i want to help him but i dont know how.
I want to make his last years happy.
And i cant take his in the house as im worried that the dogs may attack him.

Please help.
 
At 7 years of age your bun is starting to get on a bit. He really should be getting a minimum of an hour a day out of his cage. And ideally he should have the run of a room or the entire house. I would recomend you start letting him have an hour plus out of his cage everyday.
 
Are you in the UK? If so go to the rabbit welfare site

www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk

They have loads of info.

Also try

www.bunnybasics.co.uk

They have toys that may be of use. My buns love cardboard boxes to hide in, loo rolls filled with hay to play and eat, hay balls are good too the willow ones can be eaten too. Fill small boxes with hay and a bit of food, it's fun for bun. Is there space for a run in the boiler house? that way bun could get more space and air. Even when it's not Summer you can have a bun outside for a bit, I've been out alot lately and the buns love it.

You need to spend more time with him too. It is much discussed how rabbits aren't solitary creatures, my two are always with me or the cats. You are his only friend and 10 mins isn't alot no wonder he's fed up and bored, he has no stimulation. I don't know if the radio helps as I would think it was an unusual noise and changes in pitch and volume could be scary. Think of how you would feel, would a radio be enough for you?

Can you give us some idea, PM if you like, of the setup and if you can do a run, when you're around etc. Is there no way he can be a house rabbit even if confined to a couple of rooms away from the dogs, he needs to keep moving too as he gets older else he'll seize up!

Do some research on bunny sites, I will help all I can, I'm no expert but a problem shared etc, I can try and help. It's great you want to help your bunny and realise he is bored and lonely, we can change this and also this will mean you can have a better relationship with bun too which is so good for you both. Please don't give up, keep trying and let's see what we can figure out!
 
how about putting his cage in the living room with you? you can give him lots of attention whilst watching tv.

it cant be nice being in a boiler room, too stuffy and lots of noise.

try giving him things to play with like card board boxes, toilet rolls, bunny tubes, tunnels etc
 
what is he doing that makes you think he's depressed? Rabbits are creatures of habit, so at his age he's probably quite happy if he's never known anything else - I think you pay him quite a bit of attention from the sound of it, and rabbits all sleep during most of the day, from about 11am to 3pm - But it would be nice if he could come out of his cage and run around the boiler room if nothing else, just to keep him fit. Would he be able to chew any wires or get down the back of the things in there, or could you let him have a pen with his cage in, just so he could stretch his legs a bit more? Also if he had more room in a pen, he could have more boxes and toys.

I don't think you should feel bad though - he has a caring owner, which is more than a lot of bunnies have! :)
 
Get him a companion, along w/ chew toys and other toys. If your dog takes up x amt. of space in your house, surely your rabbit is entitle to some degree of space, say a small room like a den. If the weather is good, let a rabbit do some hopping outside, it's good for their health, and it's good for their mental health, it builds character because he won't have to stuck inside a house 24 hr. a day.
 
thanks everyone!

hi, just to say thanks to everyone.
today i put him in his run and i looked around the house for some old cat toys, towles, baskets est.
and i built up an adventure playground for him, and he loves it.
It's just using bits and bobs from around the houses and garden.
It includes a large branch with a towle over (he loves that the most),
scrunched up newspaper (that he loves to toss around), an old bucket that he rowls and a few old lightbuld boxes that are stacked up ( that he knockes over).
It is absulutialy great, free, and fun!
so thanks
sparklefairy
 
Aww sounds like he is a happy little fella now! You don't have to spend a fortune on toys for buns, my lot are as happy as larry with toilet roll tubes and empty cereal boxes :lol:
 
I'm really chuffed, well done, some great ideas there! Can you do a piccie soon so we can see the star of the show..plus I like to get ideas off other people and some of your toy ideas sound great!

I'm ever so pleased things are better!
 
hi, I can't get any at the mo.
I just got called into work, but i dont know when i will be back so i will post some pic's if it's still light later.
Josie
 
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