Bunny won't move to clean hutch

[katia]

Hi there,

4 days ago I became a rabbit owner to two lovely bunnies.

I have a large hutch with a ramp into a run. One is a little adventurer and keen to explore, while the other one has stayed in the hutch and not gone down the ramp at all yet.

I appreciate this is normal as he's still settling in, but the problem I have is that I need to clean the hutch out - it's really hot today and I want to keep his environment hygienic (particularly given he's spending so much time there!) I've done as much as I can with him still being in there, but because of the layout of the hutch I need him out to be able to clean it thoroughly (I need to remove the tray which is his 'floor')

I know that you are not meant to pick up the rabbit in his 'secure' space and I don't want to scare him, but I'm think it is probably the lesser of two evils!

I have tried everything I can think of:
- Coaxing him down the ramp with food
- Holding the ramp in a horizontal position so it's not at an angle
- Covering the ramp with a blanket in case it's the material he doesn't like
- Spending lots of time sitting near him, talking to him, offering my hand to sniff
- Trying to coax him into a box or basket so I can then transfer him in it into the run

I've tried searching the forum for similar questions (which gave me some of the tips above!), but I'm still unsure and wondered if anyone had dealt with a similar issue. Any advice greatly appreciated

 

[Nancy McClelland]

You do need to get them used to being handled whether or not they "like" it or all things will be a struggle. You need to become the "alpha" and train your bunny or the bunny will definitely train you. We just had to have Mr Hoppes cleaned and some of his hair shaved--he used to be a "biter", not a nip but a blood drawing bite which is why he was rescued by us from death row. We told the vet tech's his history, but he was a model citizen for them and did not need to be put in a burrito so they could handle him. We are his 4th set of humans, so I did get bit a few times, but each time I treated him as an alpha rabbit would, so he got over that "bad" behavior and is a lot better bunny for it. If you have any questions, just ask. Remember, if you don't train your bunny, they will train you as they are the smartest animals we've ever had as companions and all animals come with breed specific behaviors.

 

[RavenousDragon]

It sounds like you are doing all the right things! In this case, you might just have to pick him up and move him (which is unfortunate, but his health is important in this case!).

 

[katia]

Thank you both for replying and giving me the confidence to move him
The hutch is now lovely and clean and he is loving life in the run - it must be the ramp that's off putting!
Thanks again

 

[squidpop]

I think just picking up a bunny a little bit every day gets them used to being handled. Like just pick it up hold it with support close to your body, pet its head and sing twinkle twinkle little star three times before putting it back in its hutch.