Hello everyone. I'm new here, although I've been reading posts for awhile as a "lurker." We're relatively new rabbit owners (3 weeks about) and have a Holland Lop.
Here's my dilemma: He's an outdoor rabbit with a fabulous hutch he really seems to like. After a skittish first week, we started to find our groove with him and I could get him in and out of the hutch for daily exercise with no problems. However, we've had a spell of extremely hot and humid weather, so I bought a cage and he's living indoors until the weather cools off a bit. Problem? The cage is too big (I don't even want to know where I fall on the learning curve!). I can't reach the back corners. It's impossible for me to get him out of the cage without commotion/freaking him out unless he voluntarily sits by the door or hops out on his own. He came out ONCE on his own, but since then has only sniffed the platform I rigged up for him and won't come out again (the first time wasn't a traumatic experience, either, so who knows). It's less than a 6" drop he needs to clear, too. And he was able to hop back into the cage that one time on his own no problem. Although I admire his sense of self-preservation, I need him to get him in and out of the cage for practicality's sake. He seems happy as a clam in there, though. In fact, I'm kind of wondering if I should buy a smaller cage (once he's out of this one) and have him be an indoor rabbit. He seems THAT happy.
In desperation, I ordered a pair of J-clip removers so I can remove the J-clips and hinge the top of the cage and reach him from above, but until the J-clip remover arrives ... I'm out of ideas. I've tried luring him with treats, but he'll only stick his head out *so far* before he retreats. He's not afraid of me in general and does a lot of happy flops, relaxed body postures, grooming, etc. with me sitting in front of his open cage door. He loves being petted. I've tried opening the door, ignoring him and just sitting there in the play yard we rigged up outside the cage, but either I'm not interesting enough or he's not curious.
Would it be cruel of me if I made the cage smaller with some cardboard "false walls" while he's in the cage?
Thoughts?
Here's my dilemma: He's an outdoor rabbit with a fabulous hutch he really seems to like. After a skittish first week, we started to find our groove with him and I could get him in and out of the hutch for daily exercise with no problems. However, we've had a spell of extremely hot and humid weather, so I bought a cage and he's living indoors until the weather cools off a bit. Problem? The cage is too big (I don't even want to know where I fall on the learning curve!). I can't reach the back corners. It's impossible for me to get him out of the cage without commotion/freaking him out unless he voluntarily sits by the door or hops out on his own. He came out ONCE on his own, but since then has only sniffed the platform I rigged up for him and won't come out again (the first time wasn't a traumatic experience, either, so who knows). It's less than a 6" drop he needs to clear, too. And he was able to hop back into the cage that one time on his own no problem. Although I admire his sense of self-preservation, I need him to get him in and out of the cage for practicality's sake. He seems happy as a clam in there, though. In fact, I'm kind of wondering if I should buy a smaller cage (once he's out of this one) and have him be an indoor rabbit. He seems THAT happy.
In desperation, I ordered a pair of J-clip removers so I can remove the J-clips and hinge the top of the cage and reach him from above, but until the J-clip remover arrives ... I'm out of ideas. I've tried luring him with treats, but he'll only stick his head out *so far* before he retreats. He's not afraid of me in general and does a lot of happy flops, relaxed body postures, grooming, etc. with me sitting in front of his open cage door. He loves being petted. I've tried opening the door, ignoring him and just sitting there in the play yard we rigged up outside the cage, but either I'm not interesting enough or he's not curious.
Would it be cruel of me if I made the cage smaller with some cardboard "false walls" while he's in the cage?
Thoughts?
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