Rabbit living in the same room as me

[MGAP]

Hey, guys!
This June I'll be getting a rabbit. This rabbit will be sharing my room with me. The rabbit will have basically the entire floor because my bed is on a bunk bed where the bottom bunk isn't there, if that makes sense. And I don't have a desk or anything so the entire floor of my room will be dedicated to my bunny (and my hamster cages will also be down there). I'm not worried about the room being too crammed. But I am worried about the week where the rabbit should be left alone to settle in, because that first week they're supposed to be isolated to settle in, but I can't really isolate the bunny if we live in the same room. Is it okay if I just try to spend as little time in the room as possible, and when I am in the room just walk straight passed the rabbit being very quiet and slow and just go up to my bed where I'm out of her sight. It would be very hard to spend that week in a siblings room so I don't know what other options I'm left with. Please help! Thanks!

 

[Sharda Hartley]

Each rabbit is different, and may require different levels of "settling in time". My current rabbit was at ease and fully bonded to me within 3 hours of bringing him home. I tried to give him space and he literally through a tantrum over it. He's a suck.

But! For you, just don't look at, or attempt to touch the bunny directly unless absolutely needed. Since predators have eyes facing forwards, and prey have eyes facing to the side, direct eye contact can invoke an instinctual fear. Just be chill, don't make a ton of noise if you can, and let your bun adjust on their terms.

 

[MGAP]

Each rabbit is different, and may require different levels of "settling in time". My current rabbit was at ease and fully bonded to me within 3 hours of bringing him home. I tried to give him space and he literally through a tantrum over it. He's a suck.

But! For you, just don't look at, or attempt to touch the bunny directly unless absolutely needed. Since predators have eyes facing forwards, and prey have eyes facing to the side, direct eye contact can invoke an instinctual fear. Just be chill, don't make a ton of noise if you can, and let your bun adjust on their terms.

I'll also be spending a looooot of time with the bunny in the shelter before I take it home, so I hope it will trust me at least a little more for when I take it home. Also, it so cool how your bunny was instantly bonded with you!

 

[Sharda Hartley]

I'll also be spending a looooot of time with the bunny in the shelter before I take it home, so I hope it will trust me at least a little more for when I take it home. Also, it so cool how your bunny was instantly bonded with you!

Honestly, he came from a bad situation and I think he was just super happy that my home had no dogs, no screaming babies, and I didn't lock him in a cage too small to stretch out in. The odds were in my favour. He busted out of the pen I setup for the adjustment period and I woke up to him jumping into my bed and bunny flopping into the crook of my arm.

Just show your rabbit you mean no harm, establishing a relationship before bringing him home should help too. Good luck!

 

[zuppa]

Hi, I have same bed as you top bed and a large desk underneath, I have a cage under the other large desk so I can see it from my bed. My situation is a bit different I have three bunnies in three cages under three tables - I didn't plan it I've got one bunny and wanted to give him a company and there was a little mix-up with sexing them as they were 8-9 weeks old when I got them, and first was dwarf mix so the second was suppose to be a mini-lop but growing into full size now, and they have to be fixed before they can be bonded and stay out of their cages. The third one is a rescued rabbit I also have to keep him separately and let them out only for a couple hours one by one, so they couldn't see each other. Hopefully they will be fixed next month and after 6 weeks after that I will try to bond them so they can roam around.

But honestly I think that would be handy to have a cage or a box or something that your rabbit could use as his home base, with his hay, food and litter box, I think he'd feel much safer if he'd know he has his own little home, and I would have it somewhere in covered location, roofed so no one is approaching from the sky so he'd feel safe there.

I don't know I keep learning myself but just from what I see they want to have a safe little place for themselves to hide or rest there undisturbed.

I'd start from small place maybe a cage covered with cardboard or a larger box where he could hide, eat and poop and where he can always come back, you can leave it open all the time if your bedroom is fully rabbit-proof and safe for him, no electric cables or any dangerous corners and so on so he can't hurt himself. Many people who's bunnies are free-roaming like to lock them for night or when no one is home, for their own safety.

I'd be interested to read other comments, especially from people who's bunnies are not caged, as I am planning that too but I think it takes some time and training to achieve.

 

[Blue eyes]

Hey, guys!
This June I'll be getting a rabbit. This rabbit will be sharing my room with me. The rabbit will have basically the entire floor because my bed is on a bunk bed where the bottom bunk isn't there, if that makes sense. And I don't have a desk or anything so the entire floor of my room will be dedicated to my bunny (and my hamster cages will also be down there). I'm not worried about the room being too crammed. But I am worried about the week where the rabbit should be left alone to settle in, because that first week they're supposed to be isolated to settle in, but I can't really isolate the bunny if we live in the same room. Is it okay if I just try to spend as little time in the room as possible, and when I am in the room just walk straight passed the rabbit being very quiet and slow and just go up to my bed where I'm out of her sight. It would be very hard to spend that week in a siblings room so I don't know what other options I'm left with. Please help! Thanks!

 

[Blue eyes]

Not sure where you got the idea to keep the bunny isolated for the first week but whoever suggested it is not correct. Doing so will only make his transition more stressful and more difficult.

When the rabbit is first brought to a new home, he should be left alone for the first 48 hours or so. But that does not mean isolation. Whatever usual activity occurs around his cage/area should continue as usual. In other words, the rabbit needs to get accustomed to all of the new usual sights, sounds and smells of his new home. He can do this safely in the confines of his new cage without feeling threatened IF he himself is not pestered with hands reaching in his cage to pet him, etc. Allowing him to experience normal daily activity is the least stressful and quickest way for him to get accustomed to his new home.

This brings another point that PoopyPoo also mentioned. It is a good idea to have a cage even for a free range bunny. Rabbits like to have a space that is theirs alone. The cage serves that purpose -- even if the cage door is left open all of the time.

For a new rabbit, it is actually highly advised to confine him in that cage for the first 48 hours. Providing too much space to a new rabbit is more stressful and typically leads to potty accidents which then become extremely difficult to correct. By confining him, he will feel safer. It also allows him to establish the litter box as his potty spot.

Once the 48 hours has past, I still wouldn't give him access to the whole room. His roaming space should start small and then be gradually expanded. An x-pen comes in handy for this. Create a half circle around his cage, open his cage door and allow him to come out of the cage and into the pen area as he desires. It is important for him to have easy access back to his cage (for feeling safe) and his litter box (for obvious reasons).

As he continues for several days to show good potty habits when he has access to the x-pen, then the area can be gradually expanded until he has full access to your room. If he ever has an accident (poos don't count as he will territory mark any new area-- which is to be expected) then his area should be shrunk back.

For those wanting their rabbit to free roam, it is really important to start with bunny confined to cage and only gradually increase the roaming space. Offering too much space too soon can be super stressful for the rabbit, and get super frustrating for the owner if bunny starts having potty accidents (which are extremely difficult to un-train). So be sure to have a "home-base" cage and go about normal activity right from the start. That is how he will get used to his new normal in the quickest and least stressful way.

 

[MGAP]

Honestly, he came from a bad situation and I think he was just super happy that my home had no dogs, no screaming babies, and I didn't lock him in a cage too small to stretch out in. The odds were in my favour. He busted out of the pen I setup for the adjustment period and I woke up to him jumping into my bed and bunny flopping into the crook of my arm.

Just show your rabbit you mean no harm, establishing a relationship before bringing him home should help too. Good luck!

Awe, I'm glad he has a good home now!

Thanks for the help!