joey&boo
Wise Old Thumper
A second post from me today where I would value RU's opinion in how to approach this. I've put it in behaviour as it seems the best fit.
Now all of downstairs has its floors laid I really want my bunnies to make use of more space. My rabbits all have hugely different personalities, Boo investigates every corner of the house, Mouse confines herself to half of the lounge which isn't big in the first place, Joey is somewhere inbetween.
So how do I bring out the explorer in Mouse. It took a year in our previous rented house before she would join the others in other rooms & that house was carpeted throughout. Mouse seems to have huge anxieties about leaving familiar spaces & also hates unfamiliar flooring. I expect she might have issues relating to her horrible past.
At night I put a quilt on the floor (it makes Joey binky) as a more fun play surface so this is familiar to & enjoyed by Mouse. Do you think putting this quilt in the hall & then locking all bunnies in there to get familiarised with a new space might help. Later open the door to the kitchen so she can see whats going on in there? (not much :lol A friend suggested I leave her to it, that she will explore if she want to. I don't think she will without help. If I leave her to her preferred option she risks missing out on the other bunnies company & not getting enough exercise. When she finally got brave in the other house she was very happy with herself
Should I force the issue? (gently of course)
Now all of downstairs has its floors laid I really want my bunnies to make use of more space. My rabbits all have hugely different personalities, Boo investigates every corner of the house, Mouse confines herself to half of the lounge which isn't big in the first place, Joey is somewhere inbetween.
So how do I bring out the explorer in Mouse. It took a year in our previous rented house before she would join the others in other rooms & that house was carpeted throughout. Mouse seems to have huge anxieties about leaving familiar spaces & also hates unfamiliar flooring. I expect she might have issues relating to her horrible past.
At night I put a quilt on the floor (it makes Joey binky) as a more fun play surface so this is familiar to & enjoyed by Mouse. Do you think putting this quilt in the hall & then locking all bunnies in there to get familiarised with a new space might help. Later open the door to the kitchen so she can see whats going on in there? (not much :lol A friend suggested I leave her to it, that she will explore if she want to. I don't think she will without help. If I leave her to her preferred option she risks missing out on the other bunnies company & not getting enough exercise. When she finally got brave in the other house she was very happy with herself
Should I force the issue? (gently of course)