I need help trying to figure out how to let my rabbit roam free.

[Bugie78]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I made a account on this forum specifically because I am stuck trying to figure out how to let my rabbit roam outside her cage.

She has been in her cage a lot in her life. And before you say rabbits shouldn't be in cages, I know. Mom bought me Daisy (my rabbit) at a 4-H fair when I was around 5th grade. Originally I had to fight with my parents to keep her indoors because they didn't want a rabbit indoors especially my mom thought this who actually grew up on a farm so she viewed rabbits not as pets, but as livestock. Which thankfully I won that battle quickly, once it started getting cooler outside. Throughout her life I did exercise her. It is not like she never left the cage. She has many times been out her cage. I even walked her on a harness on a leash yet when I let her out I usually run into problems and now that I am home more (im a college student) I want to find solutions to these problems such as the following:

1. My cat wants my attention nonstop. And will sit at the door and scratch the door and meow at me until I let her in. And she tends to have a tendency to wanting to stalk my rabbit and worried my cat might claw my rabbit in the eye or frighten her.

2. I can't let her in my bedroom as that is my cat's faviorte area.

3. She can't free roam the entire house as not only that I have a Dog and a cat, I also have my parents and my brother (who sometimes is home) go in and out of the back door of the house and accidently leave it open. Not only that but mom won't let me due to chewing wires. (and she won't buy those wire protectors I already tried, and I don't have a job to be able to buy them either)

4. I am able to keep her roaming in the office area (since I have the wires to the computer blocked. But my mom also works in there all the time and when I do let her in the office she just sleeps in her litter box all day (even around dinner time). So I feel she isn't getting good exercise

5. I can let her downstairs in my exercise room that does have a rug but the issue is the rug has fringe edges that she likes to chew, and a cushion chair that she wants to chew even if I give her chew toys literally next to it to hoping she will chew the toy instead , and then there are bugs and other critters which I am terrified of invertebrates. And sitting on the carpet for many hours watching her really hurts my legs. Even using my beanbag chair it hurts if I stay there for too long. And I also seem to frighten her when I try and pick her up to put her back in her cage specifically downstairs in the office she is fine when I pick her up, which makes me fearful too much will lead to heart attack.

6. Building her a large area to exercise is not a option as i tried literally Daisy's whole life for this and yet my parents don't want something like that in their house.

7. Moving isn't a option either as I don't have a full time job.

8. She has many toys. She also has a cardboard box downstairs which she does love to chew.

9. I notice my rabbit go all day without drinking when I have her in the office, despite the fact I supply her a bowl of water. I don't think she knows to drink out of it or something.

Anyways these problems I am facing are why I am having hard time figuring out a good exercising schedule for her. I really hate it when she is in her cage and I do want to try and let her out way more.

I really hope this makes sense and no one misunderstands what I am saying.

I just need help figuring out how to create a environment for her that I can also leave her unattended when I have to go eat dinner or something like that.

seriously hope this makes sense.

the picture is my rabbit when i have her in the office.

any help would be great thanks

 

[Blue eyes]

It seems from your description that the office is the only option. Sounds like there is a litter box and a water bowl for her there? Ideally, a rabbit should free roam in the same area as her cage. This allows her to retreat to her cage at will. If this isn't an option, then you can create a "home base" area in the office. This should have not just a litter box and water, but hay supply as well. Rabbits like to lounge so it's not surprising she does a lot of that but if she spends enough time in the office space, she will be able to roam and move about when she feels like it. This is really why it is recommended to give them many hours outside the cage -- they don't exercise on command and only do so when the mood strikes.

In addition, it might be a good idea to update her housing -- not sure on this since I don't know what size cage she's in or where it is kept (guessing it's not in your room?). If you could take a photo of her current cage, we may have some ideas that don't involve purchasing a new cage.

As for moving her between her cage and the office, I'd recommend not carrying her in your arms. Use a carrier or a box or similar. Routinely carrying a rabbit in your arms will almost inevitably lead to a day when she decides to kick or squirm and ends up getting dropped (and possibly injured). It's just not a safe habit. Even a cardboard box would be better.

 

[Bugie78]

It seems from your description that the office is the only option. Sounds like there is a litter box and a water bowl for her there? Ideally, a rabbit should free roam in the same area as her cage. This allows her to retreat to her cage at will. If this isn't an option, then you can create a "home base" area in the office. This should have not just a litter box and water, but hay supply as well. Rabbits like to lounge so it's not surprising she does a lot of that but if she spends enough time in the office space, she will be able to roam and move about when she feels like it. This is really why it is recommended to give them many hours outside the cage -- they don't exercise on command and only do so when the mood strikes.

In addition, it might be a good idea to update her housing -- not sure on this since I don't know what size cage she's in or where it is kept (guessing it's not in your room?). If you could take a photo of her current cage, we may have some ideas that don't involve purchasing a new cage.

As for moving her between her cage and the office, I'd recommend not carrying her in your arms. Use a carrier or a box or similar. Routinely carrying a rabbit in your arms will almost inevitably lead to a day when she decides to kick or squirm and ends up getting dropped (and possibly injured). It's just not a safe habit. Even a cardboard box would be better.

I know rabbits don't exercise on command lmao. My point is she lays around all day in the office. yet every time I put her in the exercise room it seems she is more active and even does bunny binkies. I already have hay supply . I actually convinced mom to buy her a hay bin so I can put her hay in it while in the office. She seems to like that though she mostly likes her litterbox. Though she did pee in her hay bin lmao xD The photo I have attach is the cage she is in now. And been in for 11ish years (honestly lost count im not even sure her true age). I actually have this idea that to turn that whole spot in her new enclosure. since it is much bigger. And luckily I happen to have a dad who does construction for a living and is very handy with a tool. And can easily make something that she can live in that is much bigger. Just my mom seems not too thrilled with the idea because of cleaning it. I do have a carrier that is very sturdy so I can easily put her in when I transport her so I'll give that a try when I have her in the office. The cage is kept in the basement, where the exercise room is as well.. It's pretty much finished basement. It's the best place for her cage since it is right near the basement laundry room where my parents design it specifically to make it easier to clean cages and has all her rabbit supplies in.

 

[Blue eyes]

The exercise room I was thinking would be another option. But if you're worried about the stuffed chair, it may need to moved or barricaded. The fringe of the rug may be able to be tucked under? An ex-pen might work to create an area in that niche that her cage is in. Then the cage wouldn't be needed.

 

[Bugie78]

The exercise room I was thinking would be another option. But if you're worried about the stuffed chair, it may need to moved or barricaded. The fringe of the rug may be able to be tucked under? An ex-pen might work to create an area in that niche that her cage is in. Then the cage wouldn't be needed.

The thing with the chair though is I wouldn’t know where else to move it to. Probally would block it. I was thinking of putting chicken wire and wood frame with door instead of exercise pen because I honestly do not trust my cat to not jump the fence. The exercise pen I do have doesn’t have a gate I can walk into. I also use it to block the wires in my office.

 

[Diane R]

Can you not bunny proof your room and keep the cat out? That way you don't need to move the bunny and she can exercise 24/7.

 

[cbsb]

Exercise pens can be bought online for around $70 WITH a latched door as high as 48 inches. Can the cat jump that? Google MidWest homes for Pets x-pen. Chicken wire on a frame would work if your dad is willing to build but it is not fine enough mesh to keep cat claws out (nor is standard x-pen walls). Google Steel Hardware Cloth. You can attach this to a wood frame instead or put over x-pen walls with zip ties. The openings are only 1/4 or 1/2 inch so, no cat claws! I think the basement nook looks perfect as it is an area your rabbit is already used to & the floor is easily cleanable (need a mat for bunny grip). Have you thought of leaving it all alone as well? Your bunny has obviously done fine to date as he/she is an old bunny.

 

[Bugie78]

Can you not bunny proof your room and keep the cat out? That way you don't need to move the bunny and she can exercise 24/7.

My bedroom has a bathroom in which my cats litterbox is in, has her water bowl, and her toys and scratching post. My room is also my cats room. For most of the day she spends her time in my room. She sleeps on my bed and I can’t just move her litterbox to a different area because I have a dog who will try eating her litter. I have this chain on my door so I can leave it slightly open for my cat while keeping my dog out.

 

[Bugie78]

Exercise pens can be bought online for around $70 WITH a latched door as high as 48 inches. Can the cat jump that? Google MidWest homes for Pets x-pen. Chicken wire on a frame would work if your dad is willing to build but it is not fine enough mesh to keep cat claws out (nor is standard x-pen walls). Google Steel Hardware Cloth. You can attach this to a wood frame instead or put over x-pen walls with zip ties. The openings are only 1/4 or 1/2 inch so, no cat claws! I think the basement nook looks perfect as it is an area your rabbit is already used to & the floor is easily cleanable (need a mat for bunny grip). Have you thought of leaving it all alone as well? Your bunny has obviously done fine to date as he/she is an old bunny.

my cat typically doesn't stick her paws through things. Just goes crazy if it is free roaming. Great! I'll tell dad this info! Ikr. It is the perfect spot. By leaving it all alone as well, do you mean my rabbit? Because she is alone a lot. Especially when I go to school. As mom and dad won't exercise her at all. Ikr. I give her plenty of toys to play with her faviorte is this wooden ball thingy with a ball inside it. She loves tossing it around all the time. I bought it at petsmart and by far that is her faviorte. I also give her a grass mat which she loves too. As well as some other toys. And I feed her oxbow pellets as well as oxbow timonthy hay. And I feed her different veggies. Her fav is parsley. Omg she LOVES parsley. Her favirote fruit is strawberries too which I only give her that occassionally due to high sugar content. She gets romaine lettuce and kale. And sometimes a carrot. I gave her celery too which she likes. I have this rabbit magnizine that I bought when I first got Daisy, that has a list of all the safe fruits and veggies to give to rabbits. I also did get her spayed when she was young so that probally why she is still thriving. Even though Daisy hasn't been around other bunnies I wanted to get her spayed to prevent certain types of cancers found in non-spayed female rabbits. I actually have her in the office with me right now as I type this and she is just doing the bunny loaf in her litter box xD. She has also gotten used to loud noises thanks to the fact my brother always have people over and they are often downstairs. And isn't completely alone in the basement as I do have a pet turtle. Though both are not next to eachother. They are on different sides of the room.

 

[cbsb]

Hi! Didn't mean leaving your bunny 'alone'. To clarify, your bunny is old and is thriving in your care so it must be 'healthy' even without as much exercise as you'd hope to be able to provide. Building a pen with Dad would be a lot of work for an old bunny who is doing well regardless. Seems this would only make sense if you plan to stay at home for several more years and/or would like to provide an ideally larger space for the adoption of another bunny at some point in the future. If these apply, I think your basement space is perfect for a more permanent bunny space with room to roam. (Also, it sounds like your room is 'taken' by the cat.) All of this falls under the saying, "Don't worry about fixing what is not broken."

 

[Bugie78]

Hi! Didn't mean leaving your bunny 'alone'. To clarify, your bunny is old and is thriving in your care so it must be 'healthy' even without as much exercise as you'd hope to be able to provide. Building a pen with Dad would be a lot of work for an old bunny who is doing well regardless. Seems this would only make sense if you plan to stay at home for several more years and/or would like to provide an ideally larger space for the adoption of another bunny at some point in the future. If these apply, I think your basement space is perfect for a more permanent bunny space with room to roam. (Also, it sounds like your room is 'taken' by the cat.) All of this falls under the saying, "Don't worry about fixing what is not broken."

you have no idea how happy this makes me right now. THANK YOU. I am also considering leaving it alone just because she is old and that cage is familiar to her. My parents are considering moving to kansas in a few years so then it is kinda pointless to try and build some new pen for her. Hence why I am trying to figure out my two best options for exercising her and how to make it more comfy for myself to be able to watch her. (especially downstairs). I have a youtube channel and I post videos of my pets including my rabbit and when I do a tour of all my pets, there is at least 5 people telling me that cage is way too small and to do research. Which like I do research. I own several rabbit care books too. But because of my parents not wanting to spend any money on making the place bigger and I been trying to fight this battle for several years and at this point she is too old to try and fix the problem. I was able to convince mom to let me get her a exercise pen a while ago for small animals but I wish I would of gotten one with a gate in it to make it easier. On the bright side, I use the exercise pen to block the wires in the office so Daisy can't chew them. And finally figured out the office and the exercise room are the two best places to let her roam. But both have issues that I am wanting to figure out how to fix which is what my original post was in the first place lmao.

I only wish I figured out that basement space was the perfect spot sooner when she was younger but of course I didn't really notice how perfect the spot would be. I only noticed it when we upgraded my turtle's tank and moved her to a different part of the basement and moved daisy to that spot. Ikr she does thrive pretty good. I used to have a friend who also had a rabbit too. And that rabbit died way younger. (my guess it is because they bought the rabbit at a petshop). This person gave her rabbit more exercise then I ever did too.