Tweed has been an indoor bunny since he arrived, altho confined to one room because of our two little old terriers. He has been happy and playful and ran to greet me every time I went into the room. BUT then he started making noises at night running around, not a lot, but just occasionally and enough to disturb sleep (his room is right next door to our bedroom). So then I started confining him to a sleeping box, but he didn't like that and showed his displeasure by thumping in the box. Hubby said "enough!" and I admit, I also hate being woken up. So I set up a hutch outside in the shed, a real "home away from home", to put him into at night. So he has been inside 7am to 7pm. NEW PROBLEM is that he no longer runs to play when he sees me, instead he goes and crouches under the table, because he thinks I'm going to pick him up. And he hates being picked up. He was such a jolly friendly little fellow before and now he just seems anxious and I wonder if he is stressed by having a change of accommodation every 12 hours. In the morning when I go to get him to bring him inside he crouches all hunched up in the far corner of the hutch, knowing he is going to be picked up. I always handle him correctly and carefully but I think he has been hurt by children picking him up roughly in the past. Should I persevere with the current system in the hope that he'll get used to it? But I hate making him miserable and stressed. I'm thinking he may just have to be an outside bunny and move in next to the guinea pigs. All ideas and opinions appreciated. Thanks.
Anna
Anna