Is Mikie unhappy or is it just him?

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Well I'm glad this forum is so helpful. As my wife is overseas for a month it is just Mikie an me in the house.

Let me tell you a bit about his personality. He isn't one who likes to play with humans. He likes to explore and run around by himself. I guess when he was younger we picked him up a lot so he runs away when he thinks we are about to do this. Which is almost all the time. Always fun trying to get him back into his cage.

He is an indoor bunny and at the moment is not allowed outdoors due to his past floppy bunny problem and also the heat of the season.

When I let Mikie out of the cage, free run of the living room, he just hops around... sits down, lies down and hops around some more. Only when he is trying to do something naughty does he get very focused. Like trying to jump over the barriers which we setup for him. He stares at it and tires different attempts. Its fun to watch. It's like he is planning a prison break.

Oh the best time was when he moved a brick somehow. Because his cage is on stilts. I put bricks around it so he doesnt go under it where the newspaper is (in case he pees and it seeps through). I was watching TV and for about 20 minutes I hear him working on something behind me. He kept doing something and doing it over and over. Then I hear newspaper shredding. I investigate and he is nowhere to be seen. He got under the cadge by moving a house-brick to one side. Amazing. After this I pulled him out. Lets try to see him move two bricks.

I've given him a few toys, a box to play in (with holes on both sides) used cardboard toilet rolls, tennis ball etc. He doesn't seam to play. He looks more like a philosopher staring at the scenery.

Do you friends think he is unhappy or its just the way he is?
 
That sounds more or less like my lop's behavior. He can sit and stare into space for extremely long periods of time.

For some bunnies, the best type of "play" is trying to get into things they're not supposed to get into ;-)

Have you tried sitting on the ground with him and having treats ready? Don't try to touch him or act like you're going to pick him up - just sit there and if he approaches, give him a treat. I think you could have a much stronger bond with him if you are very patient and let him figure out that you're not going to pick him up all the time.
 
I have never held my rabbits and they both hate to be held so I don't know that it has anything to do with you holding him a lot when he was younger. He may just not like being picked up. I think a lot of bunny's are like that. They feel safer on the floor. I usually lay on the floor with mine and play with them and pet them. They like that. I have been trying to get them to cuddle on the couch with me. So while I am on the couch I will shake the treat container and they will jump up there to get a treat. I am hoping they will get comfortable getting up there. So far though, they will only get up if I have a treat and then will eat the treat and get back down.

When my buns are out they spend 90% of the time laying around. The other 10% they will run around or play in their boxes. I have tons of cardboard house I have bought and made and they love to play in them and destroy them.

Some bunny's just don't play with things like others. I have one that plays with toys a ton more then my other. Though they both love toys they can throw that make noise like baby keys or bird toys. You can also put hay in the cardboard toilet paper rolls. That seems to get mine to play with them more. What about paper to shred? May be he would like that. You can also get hay mats, tunnels, or beds that are fun to shred. But they make a huge mess.

I think your bunny sounds normal. Bunny's have different personalities. You can keep trying new things to keep him busy, but if he doesn't take an interest in them, I wouldn't worry about it. Sounds like you have given him lots of different things to play with. With cardboard boxes you can attach two, one on top of the other and cut a hole so they can get to the second level.
 
Try popping a few smaller cardboard boxes inside a bigger cardboard box that has a door. Mine will spend hours remodeling a cardboard fort.

Mikie sounds like a very contemplative bunny :D
 
I sit and 'ignore' my rabbits until they come to me for attention, then I give them as much as they will tolerate. They run if they think I am going to pick them up, but occasionally come when summoned. The more I look at them and pay attention to them, the more they don't come over. If I let them play, ignore them except when they come to me, etc, usually after they tire out from running and binkying they will come sit and relax with me or near me for long periods of time.

Mine have a TON of toys, and don't play with most as much as carry or move around. The one Walter really plays with...loudly...all night...is a cheap hard plastic teething ring set stuck to the bars of the cage. He spends hours scratching and chewing on them. All in all the teething rings are a hit with my guys, and they can be bought cheaply at Walmart.

One of Walter's other favorite toys is a Baby Einstien Walkie Talkie toy, that has buttons that when pressed, have flashing lights and sounds. He will step on it, and even step on it multiple times to make the songs change.
 
Have you tested his vision and hearing? Could he be vision impaired?

One of my strongest recommendations is to have a cage or pen that allows the bunny to come and go on his own, otherwise his house becomes associated with a prison and not a safe 'home'. My bunnies will always run back to their pens when frightened. If a bunny can't do that, he won't be secure living there.

Especially when 'hands' reach in to pull him out. I've bonded with a lot of my bunnies using face time, but I have a few who simply hate hands. (And heights, btw). They will jump all over me, give me nose bonks and even licks on ground level, but reach out a hand and you might as well be a hawk ready to grab and eat them. Pulling them out of their home is worse. You ARE a predator.

My mini-lop, Darry, is quite the snot. On a good day I can get close enough to give her a pet on the head, but most of the time it's "Ew, hoomin' cooties!" But a few days of effort and tiny treats (apple skin, oat flakes, single pellets) and she comes running to see me. (Of course I get flicked off when I don't have anything, but at least she's close).

I can even progress to the point of picking her up and putting her on my lap (ground level) as long as I don't hold her there. As soon as she struggles, I let her go. She gets the idea and stays on her own to explore my pants, shirt, new hairdo, etc.

Of course once a month or so I don't let her go and I clip her nails. Takes two weeks to rebuild the 'lap' bond. Back to the tiny treats.

Darry loves her forts, though, as do all my other guys. Mind you that might be a girl thing with her -- she's constantly 'nesting'. The little-box-inside-the-big-box idea is definitely the best. And best to have the boxes immobile, they're easier to 'renovate' when they don't move too much.


sas :bunnydance:
 
Good advise Pipp. I do leave the cage open as a in-and-out style place for him. When I am in the living room, he has free roam of the area. So he can go into his cage whenever he wants. Only if no one is in the room or we are out does he get locked in.


 
It's normal for bunnies to spend quite a bit of time chilling in between getting in to trouble.

Rabbit's don't play as such, for example there is a limited amount a rabbit can do with a ball. They have reasons for doing things (even if we can't work them out sometimes) so he won't do anything if there is no reason to. You can encourage him to be more active by giving him reasons... particularly food related ones. He might like a treat ball or for you to hide his veg to hunt. Or pop a few pellets in a box so he has to chew his way in. Things that are puzzles to make him think and well as get active.

Does he treat you trying to put him back in the cage as a game? Lots of bunnies play a sort of version of chase. You run around after them and they are just out of reach but if you stop they turn back to see what's holding you up. I spend ages playing this with Scamp and he does crazy binkys with me chasing him around.

Bunnies are pretty smart and he sounds quite a clever chap. He'll be able to tell from your body language your about to try and catch him. Think about how you move when you go to pick him up as opposed to when you are just walking past. Maybe you walk straight at him, move quicker, focus on him, turn your head to follow him... when you walk past you don't aim straight at him and you are less focused on him. Just guesses he'll know what you do though. Good thing is, he can learn when your not going to pick him up too! Try approaching him indirectly, sit on the floor a few feet away, slightly to one side and totally ignore him. No peeking, he'll soon sneak up to see what your up too, then you can give him a treat and next time you do it he'll be quicker to check you out.

You can teach him to hop back in the cage too, if he goes in every evening at a certain time then just feed him after he's in. Put the food in the cage, wait til he hops in and close the door. He'll soon learn when food arrives and be waiting in the cage ready.
 

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