How do you get a rabbit back in after run time?

[Rosiesmom]

hi everyone,

I am a newbie bunny servant with a big question. How do you get bunnies back in their cages after a run time if the cages are in a different room, or up higher, so that you have to pick them up? I don't want to chase and grab, but that's what happened last night. Tonight I'm going to put the baby's cage on the floor so hopefully she'll eventually walk up a ramp into the door... who knows if she'll be in the mood to return though when it's time for me to move on.. and she is no way litter trained yet.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions...

Judy

 

[hartleybun]

has the young bunlet been talking to my two? LOL mad binkies around the garden when it's bedtime sorry buns - for the most part they do go in - only the younger one plays up.

have you tried putting a small treat in the cage - mine will do anything for a nibble of carrot? i dont like chasing and grabbing either! last thing at night me or daughter are out in the garden with the torch and flat broom shepherding the bunnies into the bunnery. think of someone herding very small speedy sheep and you'll get the picture.

you might find that the bunlet will get wise to what's happening after a while tho....

 

[Rosiesmom]

Thanks! I think this bunlet is wise to me already!!! haha...

 

[DeniseJP]

Juno does not like to be caught so I corner her with a towel and then cover her gently with it. She then will allow me to catch her. She is way too fast for me and I do not want to chase and grab her - too much like predator behavior for me.

Denise

 

[Rosiesmom]

Thanks, I'm going to try that tonight... thanks very much!

 

[BethM]

I found that, with a little time and patience, my bunnies got used to the daily routine. When it is time for them to go back into their pen, I will talk to them, and usually say the word "bedtime" several times while I'm talking. They each get one raisin, then they will usually go right into their pen. I also refill their hay at that time, which really encourages them.
Sometimes, Amelia will be feeling feisty, and will run and try to hide from me after she eats her raisin, but most nights they'll both go right in.

I find it helpful to stick to a rough schedule, and to keep the routine.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

BethM wrote:

I found that, with a little time and patience, my bunnies got used to the daily routine. When it is time for them to go back into their pen, I will talk to them, and usually say the word "bedtime" several times while I'm talking. They each get one raisin, then they will usually go right into their pen. I also refill their hay at that time, which really encourages them.
Sometimes, Amelia will be feeling feisty, and will run and try to hide from me after she eats her raisin, but most nights they'll both go right in.

I find it helpful to stick to a rough schedule, and to keep the routine.

Ditto. We changed feeding time to nighttime, which varies from about 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm depending on when we need to get the bunnies back in their cages. Both of their cages are on the floor and they can go in and out as they please. A pinch of Old Fashioned Quaker rolled oats is what gets them back into their cages at night. We sprinkle this on top of their pellets. It took about one week of slowly leading them back to the cage with their food bowls and now they get super excited about going back in at night.

 

[crystal]

I'm getting a lot of amusing mental images... of rabbits lining up to be tucked in at night haha

so rabbits can eat raisins and rolled oats? I would never have thought of that...

 

[BethM]

crystal wrote:

I'm getting a lot of amusing mental images... of rabbits lining up to be tucked in at night haha

so rabbits can eat raisins and rolled oats? I would never have thought of that...

Yeah, just as treats, though.

 

[Rosiesmom]

I need a new cage. Hers has a plastic bottom that is about 6" deep and the door swings down to the floor from there, and she doesn't walk up the door at all like I thought she might... this morning I tried putting a towel over her and almost got her the first time, then the little rascal got away... did it again later and got her but she was fighting to get away and I felt awful holding her so tight. I did get her back in the cage, but it took everything out of me. ugh... I think I'll make a pen set up for her with those gates so she has more room all the time...

 

[Sabine]

We herd ours in with our "bunny stick". They sometimes act up but in general they know once we use the stick to guide them and call them for bunny-bedtime that we mean business. I love it when my neighbour happens to be calling her rabbits in at around the same time

 

[naturestee]

I feed mine their pellets and veggies at the end of play time, then call them. Except for baby Dora, they're already there begging for their food anyway. Routine and reward are the way to go!

Edit: try putting a pillow or something over the wire cage door so it's more comfortable on her feet. That's what I did when I still used one of those cages. But do look for a better one anyway. Those things are really, really annoying and usually smaller than I prefer anyway. For prefab cages, I use large dog crates.