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Bunny not using bedroom!

22 11:38:30

Question
Dear Gina,
We are not inexperienced, we had our last bunny 6 years. We have gained a new bunny from a shop a few days ago. He has spent seven months in a cage with no separate bedroom! He doesn't seem to know what his bedroom is for and seems to be using it as a loo.We know about moving some poo and damp sawdust to try and establish a toilet area. But how do we get him to use his bedroom? It is really cold outside at night and it seems so daft that he isn't cuddling up in his nice warm bed.Your advice would be appreciated. Thank you. Regards. Sheila.

Answer
It seems the rabbit is used to being kept indoors (?) at the pet shop so is rather unsure how to adjust to his new outdoor living conditions. To get him to regard the nest box as a nice place to be, you could try putting hay, treats, a towel and toys in it. Is the floor of the nest box wire? If so you could put a board in it to rest his feet. Or even a plastic litterbox with newspaper and hay, a lot of rabbits love to sit in their litterboxes. Yes, you may have to keep cleaning the nest area daily to reinforce the idea that it is primarily for resting and not for toileting, but perhaps some enticements would also help.

Good luck.

Gina