The invisible bunny shield!

[3willowsbunny]

So, we have had Stewie our Flemmy baby for almost 3 weeks now, he is doing great and loves us all (including the dog and bird!). The only quirk he has is he stays in his room when we let him out of his x pen, and will not, even with bribery (a baby carrot piece or a yummy piece of lettuce) leave his room. I have carried him out to the livingroom to hop around, but will not go there by himself. When I let him out of his x pen I don't even need to put up the gates at the doors to his room as he will not leave! Silly bunny!!! He has plenty of room in his room but it is hardwood flooring so no grippage when he's doing his bunny 500 in the morning, that is the main reason to get him to come into the livingroom, nice carpet to run on! I can and will carry him, but don't want to force him...just want him to broaden his horizons.

 

[BlueMoods]

Being prey animals, rabbits are cautious by nature. Leave the door open, let him decide when he wants to explore more territory. He will get to it in his time. Just keep an eye on him so he doesn't get into anything he shouldn't.

 

[Sophie's Humble Servant]

Maybe the reason he doesn't want to leave the room is (as you stated) because it's covered in hardwoods. My bunny refuses to set foot in hardwoods and the slippery linoleum in the kitchen. I don't have to have any barriers up because we've had her almost a year now and still she won't leave the carpeted living room area.
I placed a carpet runner leading from the living room, into the kitchen, so she could have more running room.

Maybe your bun needs a little carpet runner leading him out of the room into the area you want him to go.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Also, buy a carpet remnant to put down in his room so he'll get used to it. Commander Bun-Bun would not venture onto tile or hardwood so we didn't need to put up the baby gate, but Coal loved to dig holes in our new couch and didn't let any flooring slow her down. They are all different.

 

[mjpeter]

Our whole house is hardwoods, so we have paths of throw rugs and bathmats all over. It looks kind of ridiculous, but Bella enjoys it.

 

[PaGal]

Since his room is all hardwood he may not feel as sure of being on carpet. It seems most of us have the opposite problem. For hardwood we usually place down throw rugs so the buns have somewhere they feel safer walking. In your case you may want to put some throw rugs down in your buns room just so he gets used to the feel of it so he will be more comfortable on the carpet.

Don't forget he has only been in his new home for three weeks which really isn't that long in the scheme of things. I'm sure having a whole house to run in is new to him and it will just take him some time to get completely comfortable.

I'm sure before you know it he will be venturing out. We all know just how much buns like to claim things as their own!

 

[3willowsbunny]

Thank you for the replys everyone, I will be checking out both Home Depot and Lowes for carpet remnants, to get those fuzzy feet used to the feel of carpet. He has 2 fleece blankets to cover the hardwood in his x pen, he does some pretty amazing binkies on those. A carpet path to the livingroom would be great for him, also for our Golden Retiever who I have seen slip on the hardwood occasionally.

 

[PaGal]

My dog slips too. If he just walks across it he's fine but if I tell him to go lay down and he's on the hardwood he feels he has to run and because he knows he doesn't have great traction he gets nervous and freaks himself out which all leads to him slipping more often then if he just acted normal.

If your bun still needs some encouragement you could always try bribing him with treats. Since he's young you could just use a few pellets as treats.