Hi
So I've had my rabbit about 3/4 weeks now. I have in in the kitchen dining area as this is where I work from home from, and ideal starter area as there's not much he can get into. Was going to then open up the free roam area to the hallway, and then the living room but only when I'm home. My kitchen/dining isn't particularly huge, almost like a galley kitchen with a dining area at the end (which is where he is)
But he won't leave the bottom end where the dining area is. I've tried everything. I used to have him in a pen, then started leaving the door open which he started to leave and venture round the perimeter of his pen. He then kept moving the sides around so decided to take it down and he seems fine. Stays under the dining table quite a bit, or in his hidey house, but im fine with that. I've put cardboard boxes around and made tunnels to try and make him feel more comfortable heading up that way.
I feel like we're bonding a lot better, even getting some scratches on his head and he lowers his head down in acceptence. He stays in that position even if I take my hand away. Mind you this can only be done while he's under the table. I have tried sitting further away and he come to me and eats a few pellets out of my hand, has a sceptical look around about then hops back to his place under the dining table, he'll come back and forwards a few times then when he's had enough and realises I don't have more he goes away and lays down. Legs stretched out, very comfortable. If I approach him, he gets up and comes to me and sniffs around me, but then goes back to lying down. But he will not go up to the top of the kitchen or hang about there long enough. He's just not interested in being there. I've been stuffing his pellets and hay in toilet rolls, trying different enrichment things.
So I've been pretty much living off my kitchen floor for the past 4 weeks! I work from the dining table, then when works done I'm sitting on the kitchen floor, trying to interact with him. I'm watching my tablet on the floor, instead of on the sofa on an actual TV. I've not seen my living room for weeks
Ive now tried sectioning the kitchen area in half with his pen, as I thought maybe it will make him be a bit braver if he know he has own area again. I was wondering about moving his to the living room, but I don't want him free roaming in there unattended, for now anyway. And I don't think he'd appreciate being housed back in the pen again. How can I get him to leave the kitchen and free roam further? Or is this a pure patience thing? Any tips?
So I've had my rabbit about 3/4 weeks now. I have in in the kitchen dining area as this is where I work from home from, and ideal starter area as there's not much he can get into. Was going to then open up the free roam area to the hallway, and then the living room but only when I'm home. My kitchen/dining isn't particularly huge, almost like a galley kitchen with a dining area at the end (which is where he is)
But he won't leave the bottom end where the dining area is. I've tried everything. I used to have him in a pen, then started leaving the door open which he started to leave and venture round the perimeter of his pen. He then kept moving the sides around so decided to take it down and he seems fine. Stays under the dining table quite a bit, or in his hidey house, but im fine with that. I've put cardboard boxes around and made tunnels to try and make him feel more comfortable heading up that way.
I feel like we're bonding a lot better, even getting some scratches on his head and he lowers his head down in acceptence. He stays in that position even if I take my hand away. Mind you this can only be done while he's under the table. I have tried sitting further away and he come to me and eats a few pellets out of my hand, has a sceptical look around about then hops back to his place under the dining table, he'll come back and forwards a few times then when he's had enough and realises I don't have more he goes away and lays down. Legs stretched out, very comfortable. If I approach him, he gets up and comes to me and sniffs around me, but then goes back to lying down. But he will not go up to the top of the kitchen or hang about there long enough. He's just not interested in being there. I've been stuffing his pellets and hay in toilet rolls, trying different enrichment things.
So I've been pretty much living off my kitchen floor for the past 4 weeks! I work from the dining table, then when works done I'm sitting on the kitchen floor, trying to interact with him. I'm watching my tablet on the floor, instead of on the sofa on an actual TV. I've not seen my living room for weeks
Ive now tried sectioning the kitchen area in half with his pen, as I thought maybe it will make him be a bit braver if he know he has own area again. I was wondering about moving his to the living room, but I don't want him free roaming in there unattended, for now anyway. And I don't think he'd appreciate being housed back in the pen again. How can I get him to leave the kitchen and free roam further? Or is this a pure patience thing? Any tips?
