House rabbit behavior

Question
I have a 2 1/2 year old Siamese sable netherland dwarf neutered male that is housed in a hutch outside above ground. He used to be very excited to see me coming and greet me at his door to let him out to the point where I'd have to keep my hand ready to catch him when I opened the door so he wouldn't fall out. Lately, when I've gone down to get him to bring him into the house with us, I open up his door and he runs to the far corner of his hutch and crouches down so it makes it difficult to take him out. Since the hutch is above ground, I can't leave the door open and wait for him to come out Any suggestions?

Answer
It almost sounds to me as if he has been frightened by someone or something while in his cage outside.  Does anyone (friends, family, neighbors, neighborhood kids) have access to where you keep his outside hutch?

Or have one of the last times you have taken him out, did he perhaps catch a toenail, or bump up against the side to where he might have hurt himself and made him a bit hesitant about getting out of the cage?

Or have you changed hairstyles, perfume, deodorant, hair products, etc that would confuse him about if it is you.  Animals while being friendly to one person can be unsure of others, and if you have done something to yourself as simple as changing body soaps, it may have thrown him off enough that he isn't quite sure that it is his owner.

I suggest spending some time with him while he is in his outside cage, open the door and stand there, petting and talking to him and try to make him comfortable with you removing him from his cage again.

And as always, if you are unsure of what is going on, it is never a bad idea to call your vet and tell them what is going on and maybe get a medical opinion to make sure something is not physically wrong with him


Good Luck
Amy