They hate the trip to their outside pen

[Benベン]

Hello everyone,

I let my bunnies free roam in my room. But I live in a house with a very large garden, so I made an outdoor pen out there so they can have some outside time and more exercise. I take them out during the day.

The problem is that to get them there I have to carry them in a transport cage and it seems like they hate this trip more and more.
It only takes like 30 seconds. If I approach the male after they have their breakfast he runs away thumping and hides. But when I go get them in the evening to come back home they also run away. I've tried luring them with food but it just makes them more mistrustful.

Is there something I can do?

 

[InspectorMorse]

In general most Rabbits don’t like being picked up or put in a Pet carrier. Maybe give them a break from moving them outside, leave their carrier in their room with treats in it for a few days. Don’t touch them or the carrier if they venture into it.Do this for several days so they start to associate being in the carrier with a positive experience. Then once they are OK about going into the carrier by choice close them in for a few seconds offer a treat and talk to them. Then let them out without picking the carrier up and without touching them. This may need to be repeated for several days/weeks before you attempt to pick the carrier up with them in it. When you move them in the carrier cover the carrier front with a towel so they are in darkness whilst on the move. They will feel safer that way.

With a lot of patience and time you will hopefully make moving them less stressful for all of you

 

[Liz47]

Could you leave the carrier in with them in the house so they get used to it? Pop some tasty food in there and just allow them to venture in and out as they wish then hopefully they won't be scared of it. Do they relax and enjoy their time once they're outside?

 

[dollyanna]

Just to cover all bases - do they have shelter and shade and everything they need in the outdoor pen? It's not impossible that they are refusing the carrier because they know where it is going, rather than because they don't like the carrier itself, especially if they don't feel safe out there. Make sure they have a couple of hideouts at least, possibly a litter tray until you know they don't want one, maybe a tunnel, some platform to climb on perhaps. And some shelter from wind/rain/sun, even if this is just part of the pen covered with tarpulin over the roof and sides.

 

[Benベン]

Thank you all for your replies!

I really should have been more specific and given more details, so here are their living conditions inside and outside.

In my room they have a pretty big empty space to move about, and my bed on which they can jump on freely. A litter box with a hay feeder, a couple of toys (they don't play with them much though) and a little house to hide in (again they don't really go in there but this morning he bolted into it when I tried to pick him up). I DO already have the carrier on the floor and they're used to it. I put their pellet bowl in it, but now they're just being hesitant to eat instead.. I used to have it open with hay in it, it's a pretty big carrier for cats I think, but it's a good size for two bunnies. But then hay everywhere and also they tend to poop in it because of being in hay. When they're inside the room they look chill and feeling safe, most of the time they're lying on the floor in really relaxed positions. Some occasional zoomies but that's quite rare. I've had them for about 4 months and supposedly they're about 1 year old.

Outside, they have a room sized run, a nice big house with a litter box and lots of hay, a multiple tunnel thingy, and the shade of an olive tree. I'm not sure they enjoy themselves much tbh, most of the time they stay in a corner or hidden inside/behind the house. The safest position I've seen them in is just sitting and I don't think I've ever seen them lay down. They stroll around sometimes and again the (very) occasional zoomies.

She just did a beautiful flop lol (in my room).

Anyway that's it for the details I hope it's a little bit clearer.

Edit: also they get along extremely well. They're inseparable even.

 

[Liz47]

It sounds a really good set up Perhaps they're just not as keen on being outside? Could they stay indoors? I used to take my indoor rabbits out to a run on the grass and I had a pair that loves it, would binky, eat grass and run away from me when it was time to come in :lol: My next pair however didn't seem to like it, they wouldn't really eat grass and would stay out for maybe 10mins then sit in the carrier wanting to come back in so I stopped taking them outdoors and just picked grass for them.

 

[Shimmer]

You have had some good advice already.
Rabbits are most active at dusk and dawn - they often don't do much during daylight hours.
They may not feel safe if they afre not used to being outside. There is also the risk of predators. Is there something that they are aware of that you haven't spotted yet? eg cats, birds of prey.

 

[tonibun]

Rabbits are territorial so maybe they don't like leaving the territory they are used to in order to go outside where they don't feel comfortable. How long have you been taking them outside?

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thank you all for your replies!

I really should have been more specific and given more details, so here are their living conditions inside and outside.

In my room they have a pretty big empty space to move about, and my bed on which they can jump on freely. A litter box with a hay feeder, a couple of toys (they don't play with them much though) and a little house to hide in (again they don't really go in there but this morning he bolted into it when I tried to pick him up). I DO already have the carrier on the floor and they're used to it. I put their pellet bowl in it, but now they're just being hesitant to eat instead.. I used to have it open with hay in it, it's a pretty big carrier for cats I think, but it's a good size for two bunnies. But then hay everywhere and also they tend to poop in it because of being in hay. When they're inside the room they look chill and feeling safe, most of the time they're lying on the floor in really relaxed positions. Some occasional zoomies but that's quite rare. I've had them for about 4 months and supposedly they're about 1 year old.
E
Outside, they have a room sized run, a nice big house with a litter box and lots of hay, a multiple tunnel thingy, and the shade of an olive tree. I'm not sure they enjoy themselves much tbh, most of the time they stay in a corner or hidden inside/behind the house. The safest position I've seen them in is just sitting and I don't think I've ever seen them lay down. They stroll around sometimes and again the (very) occasional zoomies.

She just did a beautiful flop lol (in my room).

Anyway that's it for the details I hope it's a little bit clearer.

Edit: also they get along extremely well. They're inseparable even.

Sounds as though they are happier indoors. One of my Rabbits is utterly terrified of the outdoors. So much so she screamed in fear the last time I tried her in the garden. Now she remains indoors and is a very chilled out happy Rabbit.