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When will they use their run?

Jonny

Warren Scout
Spent all weekend securing the buns' new run and installing a cat-flap.

I anticipated it may take some time for them to use the cat-flap, so I am leaving it propped open for a while. But the problem seems to be that none of them will venture outside!

They've stuck their noses out a few times, but none of them have used the run yet and they seem much more contented to stay in the shed :( .

They are quite nervous buns and don't like being picked up (the does won't even let me stroke them). I guess they feel safer inside. I'm wondering if there's anyway I can encourage them to use their run that doesn't involve physical force, or has all my hard work gone to waste!
 
Well if the run has only been there since the weekend just give it time, they'll go out eventually. When I got my new hutch with ladder it took Clio a week to work out how to use it! Now she's going up and down all the time :D

Make sure there's lots in there for them to do, with plenty of shelter if they want to hide (I have chairs, boxes and tunnels in my runs)
 
Put lots of areas where they can shelter in the run and either give them plenty of time to venture out on their own free will, the put some nice tasty fresh food just outside the cat flap to tempt them out.
 
I vote for food too - start placing their pellets in the run plus their fave smell veggie or herbs (corriander is good for this) and soon it will be too tempting to resist. Plenty of tunnels and boxes to hide it will help them feel safe while they get used to the space.

Caz
 
It took Honey and Harly a good few days to suss out the ladder to their run as well, one of them sussed it in about a day and was running up and down trying to get the other to do it (cant remember which was which)
 
Any news Jonny - did you try food last night?

Food seemed to do the trick for mine once I had positioned them in front of the cat flap, but I understand yours are a little timid so you might not have that option.
 
Someone did pop outside for a carrot sometime yesterday evening - but they seem to have gone straight back in again! Still, progress I guess (and who'd want to be outside in this weather anyway). Closed it up overnight just in case a fox would venture in. I'm at work today, so can't monitor the situation, but have again left the catflap open with a carrot poised tantinglisingly closeby... will let you know if it's there when I get home!
 
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