Any rabbits live in living room?
- Thread starter katiecrna
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Hm, I'm not the average pet rabbit owner, I guess, don't exactly get what you mean with "I’m curious where people put their rabbits if they are free roam."
Isn't that contradictorily?
My herd buck has free run of the entire house, and part of the garden (the big rest is for the girls) during daytime. He has his base with litter tray, hay/grass rack, water hidy house in the anteroom.
I only confine him to the house when I'm away for one or two days.
I think Herr Hase is rather special, didn't bunny proof anything - he doesn't gnaw anything, I took him in this year because I ran out of hutch space - was perfectly housebroken from the start, doesn't mind the slick floors or the occasional dog. It sure helped that he was already 2 years old, did spray a lot when he was younger.
Had an intact young doe for a house bunny for 8 months a few years back, and she was a bossy Destructobunny, she's happier outside while her hormones rage. But I consider getting her neutered and get her into the house too.
When browsing throgh this forum you'll find many threads about free roaming house bunnys.
Isn't that contradictorily?
My herd buck has free run of the entire house, and part of the garden (the big rest is for the girls) during daytime. He has his base with litter tray, hay/grass rack, water hidy house in the anteroom.
I only confine him to the house when I'm away for one or two days.
I think Herr Hase is rather special, didn't bunny proof anything - he doesn't gnaw anything, I took him in this year because I ran out of hutch space - was perfectly housebroken from the start, doesn't mind the slick floors or the occasional dog. It sure helped that he was already 2 years old, did spray a lot when he was younger.
Had an intact young doe for a house bunny for 8 months a few years back, and she was a bossy Destructobunny, she's happier outside while her hormones rage. But I consider getting her neutered and get her into the house too.
When browsing throgh this forum you'll find many threads about free roaming house bunnys.
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My two rabbits have free roam of the entire upstairs. Their litterbox, food, & water setup is in a designated bedroom.
I am slowly working on granting downstairs (living room) access, but I unfortunately have a couch/loveseat pair with skirts at the bottom, so that all needs to get blocked off.
I am slowly working on granting downstairs (living room) access, but I unfortunately have a couch/loveseat pair with skirts at the bottom, so that all needs to get blocked off.
I guess I didnt make my situation clear. My rabbit doesnt touch hardwood or any hard flooring. Every place I ever lived in was all hardwood. I had a large area rug in my living room and thats where she lived because she wouldnt go behind the rug... ever.
No she lives in the breezeway, on a large area rug, we Open the door to the main house and she still wont ever touch hard flooring so she never explores beyond the rug.
My mom told me one time to pick her up and put her on hard floor and see what she does. When I did this, she literally jumped right into my lap and refused to go on the floor.
So she is free roam in the sense that she has no barriers, cages or pens restricting her. But my question of where do you put her is because where I put her, she stays.
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Hm, I'm not the average pet rabbit owner, I guess, don't exactly get what you mean with "Im curious where people put their rabbits if they are free roam."
Isn't that contradictorily?
My herd buck has free run of the entire house, and part of the garden (the big rest is for the girls) during daytime. He has his base with litter tray, hay/grass rack, water hidy house in the anteroom.
I only confine him to the house when I'm away for one or two days.
I think Herr Hase is rather special, didn't bunny proof anything - he doesn't gnaw anything, I took him in this year because I ran out of hutch space - was perfectly housebroken from the start, doesn't mind the slick floors or the occasional dog. It sure helped that he was already 2 years old, did spray a lot when he was younger.
Had an intact young doe for a house bunny for 8 months a few years back, and she was a bossy Destructobunny, she's happier outside while her hormones rage. But I consider getting her neutered and get her into the house too.
When browsing throgh this forum you'll find many threads about free roaming house bunnys.
I guess I didnt make my situation clear. My rabbit doesnt touch hardwood or any hard flooring. Every place I ever lived in was all hardwood. I had a large area rug in my living room and thats where she lived because she wouldnt go behind the rug... ever.
No she lives in the breezeway, on a large area rug, we Open the door to the main house and she still wont ever touch hard flooring so she never explores beyond the rug.
My mom told me one time to pick her up and put her on hard floor and see what she does. When I did this, she literally jumped right into my lap and refused to go on the floor.
So she is free roam in the sense that she has no barriers, cages or pens restricting her. But my question of where do you put her is because where I put her, she stays.
Ok, that's interesting, none of my bunnys stays where I put them if there isn't a good, solid, at least 1m high fence (a 3m almost vertical wall didn't stop my buck going down from the top). This summer I had to herd 3 of them who discovered that they can get around the fence through the creek back from the woods every day when I came home from work.
It's sometimes slapstick comedy when my buck tries to get anywhere fast on the vinyl flooring, but he dosn't mind.
If you want to teach your bunny to leave the carpet I would put something very yummy just out of reach on the hardwood floor. Every day. When it's gone, next day an inch farther out. And then a rag closer to the treat than the original carpet.
I don't think it's a good idea to force them into an unfamiliar situation like puting them on a slick floor . they just will get wary of being picked up. I prefer to use their curiosity and greed.
It's sometimes slapstick comedy when my buck tries to get anywhere fast on the vinyl flooring, but he dosn't mind.
If you want to teach your bunny to leave the carpet I would put something very yummy just out of reach on the hardwood floor. Every day. When it's gone, next day an inch farther out. And then a rag closer to the treat than the original carpet.
I don't think it's a good idea to force them into an unfamiliar situation like puting them on a slick floor . they just will get wary of being picked up. I prefer to use their curiosity and greed.
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mark
Well-Known Member
We have our rabbits' exercise pen - their permanent "cage" - right in our living room. It is positioned in such a way that they have really good sight lines to see all around - they can see the hallway where the stairs come up from the door downstairs, as well as down the hallway and into the master bedroom. This way we can keep an eye on them while we are in bed, and they can see/hear us as well.
We also free-range them anytime we can - basically whenever we are home, and awake. We've learned to not take anything for granted in terms of leaving them out while we are away for any significant amount of time, because they do get up to mischief when they know they are alone!
I would add that we also have hardwood flooring, and neither bun was too happy about it to begin with. That lasted about one day for each of them. Of course, it sounds like your bun is different that way, katiecrna. I agree that slowly showing them that it is OK to walk on will probably bring him/her around after a while.
Our female, Ellie, also did not like our painted patio surface at first, and we had to "roll out the red carpet" (rugs and floormats placed together) to entice her outside. We initially did the same thing between the X-pen and the rug in the living room, to get her used to the hardwood floors. In both cases, that was all it took to get her gradually acclimated to the hardwood floors and the patio.
My mother in law's dog also would not walk on the kitchen tile floors at first! Animals are funny when it comes to new/different surfaces, textures, etc.
We also free-range them anytime we can - basically whenever we are home, and awake. We've learned to not take anything for granted in terms of leaving them out while we are away for any significant amount of time, because they do get up to mischief when they know they are alone!
I would add that we also have hardwood flooring, and neither bun was too happy about it to begin with. That lasted about one day for each of them. Of course, it sounds like your bun is different that way, katiecrna. I agree that slowly showing them that it is OK to walk on will probably bring him/her around after a while.
Our female, Ellie, also did not like our painted patio surface at first, and we had to "roll out the red carpet" (rugs and floormats placed together) to entice her outside. We initially did the same thing between the X-pen and the rug in the living room, to get her used to the hardwood floors. In both cases, that was all it took to get her gradually acclimated to the hardwood floors and the patio.
My mother in law's dog also would not walk on the kitchen tile floors at first! Animals are funny when it comes to new/different surfaces, textures, etc.
My 5 yo Mini Rex doe is free roaming in my entire home, but she has her own room. It is a small bedroom where I store my tools and hardware in 3 old dressers. There is a gate that i use if I am going to be gone for a while. When I am home she is very well behaved. In my living room under the TV/monitor is an alcove in the entertainment center. It is lined with plastic terrarium background, and has pellets, water and a hay manger.
She is spoiled, but isn't that the same as loved?☻☺
She is spoiled, but isn't that the same as loved?☻☺
This is an older photo from before we moved. But we still use the same cage in the new home and it is in the family room/front entry. The doors are open from first thing in the morning until around 11pm (or midnight).
So, yes, they are free roam in the living room (+) from morning til night.
So, yes, they are free roam in the living room (+) from morning til night.
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Skavatar
Active Member
our rabbit is free roam (living room, kitchen, front foyer) but we usually keep the bedroom doors closed. she has her own 2' X 4' cage with hay box, small dog carrier, water bowl, and litter tray. she also has a tray with hay out in the living room. we have wood flooring in the living room, and laminate in kitchen and tile in front foyer. she doesn't get very good traction on these surfaces. but she does explore and move around. when we do leave the bedroom doors open she does like to go in there and hop (binky) around b/c those rooms have carpeting.
:yeahthat:
Skavatar, my current rabbit is the same way. He does not like the hard floor and only runs on the carpet. He so dislikes the hard floor that 1) we have to put a runner from his cage to the area rug, and 2) we do not have to block off the bedrooms because he won't cross the hard floor.
Here's a 1 minute video of Mocha running around on that area rug.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plTJk6tb4f4[/ame]
Skavatar, my current rabbit is the same way. He does not like the hard floor and only runs on the carpet. He so dislikes the hard floor that 1) we have to put a runner from his cage to the area rug, and 2) we do not have to block off the bedrooms because he won't cross the hard floor.
Here's a 1 minute video of Mocha running around on that area rug.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plTJk6tb4f4[/ame]
Lucky_2017
Well-Known Member
My rabbit has free run of my house. He has two cages: one upstairs in his room and one in the living room. The one upstairs is for when he is sleeping at night. The bottom one is for during the day.
Please know that I derive no pleasure whatsoever from criticizing, but "free roaming" and "cage" do not go together. It is an oxymoron. Free roaming means no cage or confinement.☻☺
Actually the two terms can (and, imo, should) go together. Even a free roaming rabbit benefits from having a space of his very own, a cage, in which is kept litter box, food bowls, hay, water, etc. The cage door may be kept open all day (or even all night also) but it is still a "cage."
I would argue that a rabbit that is confined only at nighttime but is free roam all during the day, is still properly referred to as "free roam."
A free roam rabbit that has the benefit of a cage, has a space in which he knows he will not be disturbed. It is his safe zone where he can go and know that he won't be bothered. That is how I use a cage. It is bunny's "no humans" zone.
Skavatar
Active Member
Thanks for the video Blue eyes. I went to Lowes, they had some rugs on clearance, 5' x 7' for $23. I placed it in front of her cage. she's not on it all the time, but has taken a liking to it.
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We turned the den into a bunny room. Harvey has her toys, litter pan, hay and water in there. That's her safe place, her territory and that is where she sleeps. When we wake up we open her door so she can come out if she chooses. Her door stays open till 10 pm. With the door open she has access to the living room, but there are pet gates keeping her out of the rest of the house. The living room is carpeted but the hallway between the living room and her room is hardwood flooring. She used to refuse to walk on it, so I would lay a towel down, when she hopped on I would drag the towel, with her aboard, to the carpet. She has since learned to walk on hardwood so the towel train is no longer nessessary.
ParisWright
Member
I personally have my rabbits out all the time and the door to there cage is just open so they can go back in there and eat/drink/go to the bathroom. I have 3 rabbits who live in our livingroom/bedrooms, they are so cute and actually really smart! They have litter trained themselves and are very clean now. I just made sure all of the wires for tv/etc are taped up on the wall so they can't chew through them. Everyonce in a while the bun's will find a shirt or piece of clothes and chew a bunch of holes in it lol other then that tho it works out perfectly fine, even when we leave the house we leave them out and nothing bad has ever happened to them. <3
