Bunnies wont come out of their cage?

[Homework9293]

The easier way to litter train is to keep them confined in a cage with a litter box. Letting them out to roam and then placing them in the litter box whenever they make a mess is the longer, more difficult way to train them.

So if I keep them in a cage how do I litter trained them then? I can't let them out to free roam while I'm litter training them? How does that work??

Do I have to put them in the litterbox whenever I see them make a mess outside it in their cage?

 

[Blue eyes]

Litter training does not involve picking them up and moving them anywhere. It only requires providing the right setup. The cage should have solid flooring--- no loose bedding. The litterbox should be inviting with hay on top of wood pellets. There is a more thorough 'how-to" here:
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/litter-training.html

 

[Homework9293]

Give them time. My bun Bullet didn’t want anything to do with coming out for about a month (with the cage door open 24/7), and after that it took him even longer to warm up to me. Picking them up only hurts their trust in you. You can leave the door open whenever possible if you want them to get used to coming out, and to bond with them just sit on the floor and read or do schoolwork. Although it may take awhile it will be worth it in the end.View attachment 60962
At first I was worried he may never come out because he spent all his time in the cage.View attachment 60964
About a month later he started exploring and sniffing me, but still wouldn’t tolerate petting.View attachment 60965
It has about 8 months since I brought him home now. He still only tolerates pets on occasion, but he loves to jump all over and lick me.
Every rabbit will be different in how fast they warm up to you and how friendly they get. My rabbit Dune was friendly right off the bat, both then and now he is a total attention hog who loves to lick. My bunny Opal from the beginning was a bossy little miss who wanted everything her way, you would give her attention when and how she wanted it and go where she wanted you to, while still getting no licking in return.

Yup, that's a waiting game.

The easier way to litter train is to keep them confined in a cage with a litter box. Letting them out to roam and then placing them in the litter box whenever they make a mess is the longer, more difficult way to train them.

Yes, female rabbits will do this as well. It's how rabbits assert dominance. Though it's also possible your rabbits weren't sexed correctly, which can easily happen with young rabbits.

Your rabbits are starting to show hormonal behavior now that they're getting older. Them circling means that aggressive behavior may be escalating. If it continues to escalate, a fight could break out, where serious injuries occur. Once this happens, chances of bonding them once they're spayed, can be greatly diminished.

I would recommend separating tham into their own areas. They would need to be kept separate until they're old enough to get spayed, then wait 3-8 weeks for hormones to fade before attempting bonding sessions.

https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Spaying_and_neutering_rabbits
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
https://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

They have still not made an effort to come out. I put a heavy blanket out so they can try and see it.

 

[Momma Luvbun]

Time... ALL the time BunBun Needs, and nothing less
I have a bun who was abandoned into a old grocery store lot that I've now had 4+ years.
For the first 6 months poor little SmurphyMurphy CooperTrooper Pooper hid under a chair. When I tried to put my hand near, he'd backwards out as fast as a shrimp in water.
Fast forward a year and his wife finally got him to lay with her when she'd rest. Another year, he finally stopped going under the chair and spend his time. Then my girl passed. It took me a year to get him a new wife. 6 months after that, he finally realized our outdoor area wasn't a bad place. (He never went outside once the whole time prior)
He is now to the point I can put down a treat and give him a few strokes with a brush before he darts away.

I honestly don't know if he's ever going to have full trust in humans, but man ohh man I'm going to spend all our days together trying to convince him he is loved and safe with me.
This is my sweet little fella, enjoying the hole his wife dug earlier in the day.

 

[skipidragon]

Thanks for sharing. I have a similar situation. Shadow and I have shared a space for 8 months now. I've just started getting her and laying her on my chest for a while every day and petting her. After a week she no longer flinches. It was a automatic reflex. Last night she came out 1 hop from under her chair and looked up at the couch. Got scared. It's so hard. I have a feeling there are a lot of us. If she ever hops on the couch I'll just cry. Please share. Thanks

 

[Homework9293]

Thanks for sharing. I have a similar situation. Shadow and I have shared a space for 8 months now. I've just started getting her and laying her on my chest for a while every day and petting her. After a week she no longer flinches. It was a automatic reflex. Last night she came out 1 hop from under her chair and looked up at the couch. Got scared. It's so hard. I have a feeling there are a lot of us. If she ever hops on the couch I'll just cry. Please share. Thanks

So far they haven't come out much at all. I'm actually concerned. When should I start worrying? How much time is too much for them not to come out?

 

[skipidragon]

Just gently scoop them out and back away. Have a food treat there. Sometimes buns need help.

 

[Homework9293]

Just gently scoop them out and back away. Have a food treat there. Sometimes buns need help.

They just hop back in their cage though.

 

[CrazyChickenGirl]

They just hop back in their cage though.

My bun Bullet did the same thing for about a month. You could try closing the cage door behind them if you really want to, but then they’d probably just hang around the cage or go hide. The best option is to give them time, but I know how hard it is to wait.

 

[Homework9293]

My bun Bullet did the same thing for about a month. You could try closing the cage door behind them if you really want to, but then they’d probably just hang around the cage or go hide. The best option is to give them time, but I know how hard it is to wait.

I mean what I do is just use my pc and leave their cage open. Often the small one (Diva) will come out at times but the bigger one (Oreo) just stays in there. I was told to not bring them out and close the cage as it'll make them lose their trust in me even more.

 

[CrazyChickenGirl]

I mean what I do is just use my pc and leave their cage open. Often the small one (Diva) will come out at times but the bigger one (Oreo) just stays in there. I was told to not bring them out and close the cage as it'll make them lose their trust in me even more.

Then they’re already making progress! Yay! Yes, forcing them out won’t really help, but I wanted to mention it and why it wouldn’t really help (I forgot it’d already been brought up). Oreo might just take longer to learn it’s ok to come out.

 

[Homework9293]

Then they’re already making progress! Yay! Yes, forcing them out won’t really help, but I wanted to mention it and why it wouldn’t really help (I forgot it’d already been brought up). Oreo might just take longer to learn it’s ok to come out.

I have noticed if Diva comes out sometimes Oreo will follow her in her trails. So they both will come out if one is out.

The litter training is also coming along pretty good. They still drop the odd poop pellet if they don't eat while they're in their litter box. However I have not seen a pee outside the litter box for 3 or 4 days now.

 

[CrazyChickenGirl]

I have noticed if Diva comes out sometimes Oreo will follow her in her trails. So they both will come out if one is out.

The litter training is also coming along pretty good. They still drop the odd poop pellet if they don't eat while they're in their litter box. However I have not seen a pee outside the litter box for 3 or 4 days now.

It’s amazing to hear their doing so well! It sounds like they got a really good home!