Won't go down ramp

[ibala7]

New member here, happy to find and join this forum!

I recently built outdoor hutches with runs for 3 of my rabbits. My harlequin doe won't use the ramp to go from the hutch down to the run. I replaced the ramp with a shelf/step similar to the one that was in her old cage, and she still won't leave the hutch. A couple times a day I put her down on the grass, and within a few minutes, she goes up the steps to the hutch and stays there. She is housed with a neutered dwarf who goes everywhere in the enclosure.

She's always been an active, curious rabbit and a fearless explorer. She had the run of my basement for the past few months. I feel like I've punished her by giving her the new enclosure.

Any thoughts or suggestions to get her to enjoy her new environment?

 

[Azerane]

So it's not so much a problem of her not knowing or being too scared of using the step, there's something making her want to stay in the hutch. Is the run section covered? If not, she may feel too exposed, you can test this by draping a towel or something over the top of the run and bringing her out into it again. And perhaps give her treats if she stays down there. In addition to a towel over the top, do they have hiding places in the run, boxes/tunnels etc? That might help too. Since you've moved them from inside to outside, the sudden wide open space of outdoors, that doesn't have the boundary of a walled room may be a bit frightening.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

How old is she? Is there a way she could be arthritic?
Or, maybe she's tried a ramp before and falled/slid and is afraid. Try lots of treats and maybe maybe she'll also just over time get curious.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We had to close the door to Bambi's hutch or she'd jump up on the table and put herself up. I was going to suggest using cilantro to entice her down the ramp--it works very well for us, but it sounds like you have a different problem.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Do you have a photo of your setup? How wide is the ramp? Is it possible to cover it so it is more tunnel like?