Rabbits don't want to run about in pen

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Habib

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My rabbits are 4.5yrs. While I have made a pen for them to move around, notice that only caome to pen to eat in day time. The orange female is very wary of her surrounding and will vote back to the cage all the time. The grey female mostly spends lying down. How to make them love around? I only had them for the past 3 weeks and so far the have allowed me to pet, brush and occasional carry. They eat from my hand and beg for food.
 

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Maybe they dosen’t like the flooring which makes them avoid jumping on it. Maybe have a rug in the pen, which will make it easier for them to run and also get a better grip on the floor.

Rabbits aren’t like cats and dogs that have pads under their paws. Instead they only have fur which make it a lot more slippery walking on floor.

It can also be they aren’t used with walking on the floor. Myself had to teach all my rabbit it was not scary running on hard floor, luring them out for walking with treats.
 
My grey lady is ok on the floor . Its vinyl flooring. But she gets tired easily I guess as she always goes back to lying down in the pen or cage. The orange one is very skittish. guess some are like that
 
That flooring could be hurting their feet. Take them out of cages and let them run around in bathroom or living room. I don’t use wired flooring for our rabbits. We use XL dog crates with plastic bottoms. Put some rug or even newspaper in there for them to rest their feet on.
 
That flooring could be hurting their feet. Take them out of cages and let them run around in bathroom or living room. I don’t use wired flooring for our rabbits. We use XL dog crates with plastic bottoms. Put some rug or even newspaper in there for them to rest their feet on.
No wired flooring. The pen is vinyl flooring. Not that smooth compare to my flooring. Cage flooring plastic. They have no issues with cage. Just that these 2 were from farm previously. So not sure what the living area was like there. So far eating ok. Just that I do not see the rabbits running around
 
Imho, the flooring is ok. But I would add some cardboard boxes with holes, something that might be worth investigating. You can also scatter some food in the pen.

Have they access to the pen all day? Rabbits don't do much running around, and when then on their terms when they want, not when we think it would be a good time.
 
Why I took up on the flooring it’s only because my own rabbits won’t run and play on vinyl floor. They have no problem jumping on it. They rather choice running/playing on the rugs or outside on the ground.
 
It sounds to me like they are adjusting well overall. There are several reasons they may not come out much- some already mentioned by others.

1.) They may simply need more time. When we moved to a new home, it took one of my rabbits about 2 months before he felt comfortable enough to start wandering outside his cage. (The other one was out and about the first day.)

2.) They may or may not be comfortable with the floor. I had one rabbit just fine on certain flooring while her bondmate was quite particular. Putting down a low-pile area rug may help.

3.) Having "new" things to explore may also entice them out. Cardboard boxes with doorways cut out, old phone books to shred, balls to push around -- all of these can get them exploring. (Be sure any cardboard boxes are away from the pen wall where they could use it as a step up over the pen.)

4.) As Prietler mentioned, rabbits have their own time schedule. They want to lounge when they want to lounge and they want to play when they want to play. They won't play unless the mood strikes. This is why it is so important for them to have lots and lots and lots of time available. I also agree that it would be good to allow them permanent access to the pen area -- or at least all day (morning til night).
 
Imho, the flooring is ok. But I would add some cardboard boxes with holes, something that might be worth investigating. You can also scatter some food in the pen.

Have they access to the pen all day? Rabbits don't do much running around, and when then on their terms when they want, not when we think it would be a good time.
Yup during day time, hay and litter pen is in the pen. Only in the night the rabbits are in the cage with hay inside
 
Tried to put a fleece blanket once. They start urinating all over or it until drenched...haiz
 
Rabbits are crepuscular, meaning they're most active in twilight (at dawn and dusk). During the day, most bunnies just want to nap, eat a little and then nap a bunch more. At 3 am, they're bouncing off the walls. That's just the way rabbits are.
 

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