Rabbit won't leave hutch

So as some will have seen we got some rescue bunnies at the weekend, and things have been going well, except the oldest one, Lola, refuses to leave the hutch.

We aren't sure if it is the ramp or something else, so I'm going to try building steps to replace the ramp next weekend to see if that helps.

She has spent the last 5 days sat in the hutch, barely moving, just munching hay and sleeping.
I managed to get her in the carry case so I could move her into the run, and she loved it, zooming and jumping about, relaxing in the sun etc.

But then we had to spend nearly 40 minutes trying to get her in the carry case to move her back into the hutch.

My wife is going to the rescue center tomorrow to speak to them to see if they have any ideas about what we can do.

If the steps don't work we are seriously considering taking them back to the rescue. It isn't good for her to be stuck in the hutch because she can't, or won't go downstairs into the run, and we can't spend 2 hours everyday trying to catch her to move her between the hutch and run. This isnt something we want to do, but would probably be best for them in the long run, although they had been in the rescue for nearly a year before we took them, with an adoption that fell through

Does anyone have any tips for what we can do to try and get here going up and down the ramp or steps? Her daughter Pip took to the ramp after a day or so, but Lola won't even try going up or down the ramp.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Sorry you are having this problem and I really don't have any advice. I have 2 bunnies which won't venture out, they are very happy in a big 6' hutch so I let them be, but I wonder if your hutch was on the same level as the run if that would help. Even when my 2 were in a Playhouse they wouldn't venture out - it is early days for your 2 and maybe in time Lola will pluck up courage. I've just bonded Rupert and Blue and Rupert won't come out, he used to but since bonding them he won't!

I wouldn’t worry about it, it really is such early days. Perhaps she is happy where she is, perhaps she doesn’t like the ramp. Try with the steps and go from there. Also, just pop her into the run on the days that you do have time to catch her - and remember of course that it wont actually take you 2 hours each time, this is all brand new to her and so of course she will be nervous. I honestly wouldn’t consider returning them over this - the poor girl hasn’t done anything wrong, it’s less than a week or them in a brand new home. Just let them settle in their own time and don’t over-worry about things.

One of mine took a few days to go up the ramp. He still doesn't go up it as often as my other bunny. But our Hutch and run are altogether so he had the run of downstairs and the run

I agree, it is still early days, just let her settle in her own time, she's probably quite happy where she is. Maybe try steps when you can, see if it makes a difference.

Thanks I wasn't thinking to just return them, we would have waited a few months and until we had exhausted all options.

It's a shame, because she really loves being in the run, zooming and binkying around, but I just worry that if she just stays sat upstairs she isn't going to be getting the exercise she needs, which isn't going to be great for her health in the long run.

She sometimes looks at the ramp like she is considering it, and then changes her mind.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Sometimes you need to physically pick them up and put them on the ramp to show them how it works. If you want them to go into the hutch, then place them near the top of the ramp, and put them a little further down each day. When you want them to go into the run, place them at the bottom and then a little further up each day.
You will find that eventually they will just click and start using it. As long as it isn't too slippery they will get used to it

We 'force' our two to move around their 4-5 areas by feeding them in different places! It works for us, even when Lopsy gets distracted and misses out XD Nothing like their favourite food to encourage them. I reckon it will be a combination on age, weather and unfamiliarity that would be keeping her there: she's unsure of the ramp (and, as adults, how unsure are we of doing new things?), and if she's anything like my two she'll spend all day sleeping with a touch of cleaning and maybe some hay eating every 2-3hrs, and if it's too cold, too hot, too wet or too sunny they'll sleep a lot more and not venture to the run or dog crate (their outside areas). Sometimes they just don't know (remember?) what they're missing

keletkezes said:

We 'force' our two to move around their 4-5 areas by feeding them in different places! It works for us, even when Lopsy gets distracted and misses out XD Nothing like their favourite food to encourage them. I reckon it will be a combination on age, weather and unfamiliarity that would be keeping her there: she's unsure of the ramp (and, as adults, how unsure are we of doing new things?), and if she's anything like my two she'll spend all day sleeping with a touch of cleaning and maybe some hay eating every 2-3hrs, and if it's too cold, too hot, too wet or too sunny they'll sleep a lot more and not venture to the run or dog crate (their outside areas). Sometimes they just don't know (remember?) what they're missing

Click to expand...

We tried that last night, tempted them from the big run I to the smaller one, scatter fed in run and put the bowl with the rest of the nuggets upstairs.

Went off and had dinner came back and all the nuggets had gone.

Pip had gone upstairs and snaffled all the ones in the bowl.

We tried putting kale on the ramp to lure Lola up, she stretched as far up the ramp as she could and didn't bother with the rest of the kale

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

Stator said:

Sometimes you need to physically pick them up and put them on the ramp to show them how it works. If you want them to go into the hutch, then place them near the top of the ramp, and put them a little further down each day. When you want them to go into the run, place them at the bottom and then a little further up each day.
You will find that eventually they will just click and start using it. As long as it isn't too slippery they will get used to it

Click to expand...

This is good advice and I have done this myself over the years.

Stator said:

Sometimes you need to physically pick them up and put them on the ramp to show them how it works. If you want them to go into the hutch, then place them near the top of the ramp, and put them a little further down each day. When you want them to go into the run, place them at the bottom and then a little further up each day.
You will find that eventually they will just click and start using it. As long as it isn't too slippery they will get used to it

Click to expand...

I have had to do this before, with good results. So long as the ramp has enough grip, either with carpet offcuts, strips of beading, or both, and isn't too steep, they eventually get the hang of it. It doesn't seem very 'nice' or elegant, but sometimes it does take physically manoeuvring them up and down!

capable said:

I have had to do this before, with good results. So long as the ramp has enough grip, either with carpet offcuts, strips of beading, or both, and isn't too steep, they eventually get the hang of it. It doesn't seem very 'nice' or elegant, but sometimes it does take physically manoeuvring them up and down!

Click to expand...

Thanks I will give that a try, my wife pho ed the RSPCA, one of their supervisors will call back tomorrow to see if she has any ideas.

We knew it would be hard work with them, getting them settled in etc, and she isn't cowering upstairs she looks very content lying down munching hay, and is more than happy to come over for strokes, but I guess it is the lack of exercise that is a worry,

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

She will settle in time I'm sure, some buns just take longer than others to work things out and to be comfortable with stuff. Just keep persevering and eventually she will get the hang of it.

Thanks all, I guess I'm just worrying more than I need to, I was the same with Frank and Spencer, always worrying that we were doing the right things for them etc. The RSPCA did say when we picked them up that she was very sedentary compared to Pip, so it might just be that she is a lazy bunny and will always needs some encouragement to get her in the run (which she loves).

we are going to start adding more enrichment over time so then she will have more places to hide in the run, as one of my concerns is that if she wont use the ramp, she wouldn't have anywhere "safe" to hide if a cat came into the garden etc

So Lola is still happy in the hutch.

She comes over for strokes and head rubs and loves the attention (when we saw her at the rescue she sat in the corner and stamped her feet).

She seems to be getting closer to using the ramp. Last night she stuck her head down the run, and I heard some scraping, like she had put her front paws on the ramp and then changed her mind.

I'm still planning on building the steps this weekend, but hopefully things are going in the right direction

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I have recently moved 2 of my rabbits into a newly refurbished hutch and they now face east instead of north! Would they come out for the first 3 days? I tried a ramp and a step but no they just wouldn't! Today the boy, Oscar, came out but Laurel was still uncertain but finally she did manage to chance the ramp. Before they didn't need a ramp, they just jumped straight out!

I've built the steps, sacrificed some room in the run, but if it gets Lola out and about I think it is worth it, and we can always add more space at a later date.

Pip really likes the steps and looks much more comfortable than she did on the ramp.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I’m glad you’ve got something sorted. Fingers crossed Lola decides to come out :thumb: