# Non-roaming house rabbits



## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

As a lot of people on here have house rabbits I was just wondering how far they venture from where they are kept?

Mine live in the conservatory (they are moved to the kitchen when the weather is hot) and are free to roam. I leave the doors to the kitchen and living room open so they could if they wanted to run around the whole house but they never leave the conservatory! 

When we bring them into the living room they go straight on the rug and stay on it like its a little island and just peer over the edge but never venture off the rug, I thought they didn't like the wooden floor but I've seen some peoples photos on here where the rabbits don't seem to mind wooden floors.

They run around the conservatory (which has the same flooring as the kitchen) and the garden but won't go out the door into the garden, we have to pick them up to put them outside.

Do you think its just cos their older rabbits perhaps? Or maybe because they used to live outdoors? They've been inside for about a year now though and we don't have any other pets or children that they could be scared of.
-x-


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## kellyrich (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi we keep Stan in the conservatory/kitchen when we are out or when we got to bed but the rest of the time he has free range of the house and we keep the patio doors open so he can run around the garden too. He always used to run about everywhere but over the last 2 weeks or so he just lies down in his cage where his food and hay is for some reason! On a weekend during the day he will lie on the landing but at night time he will have a wander round and he loves running about outside.

Maybe your buns actually prefer it inside now, im sure they are perfectly happy!

Mine never used to like outr flooring but after they got used to it they were fine but Stan often goes upstairs a lot where it is carpeted and binkies about like mad as he cant do it so much on the other floors!


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

In my last house Miffy would go everywhere but the kitchen and in this house she doesnt leave the lounge unless I pick her up because the halls wood laminate, shes put her paws on the laminate and not liked the sound so run away, as a test I put her on the laminate near the lounge a few weeks back, she did look like she was slipping around a bit, she made it to the lounge but stuck next to the wall as if she was going to fall or something, very weird as her cage is plastic and she has no trouble hopping around there, she hasnt tried to venture out of the lounge since either


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## BeckyLH (Jun 2, 2009)

My Frenchie never ventures too far from the spare room but Walt my dwarf is all over the place. I think basically Bertha's a bit lazy as she's so big and is quite happy to lounge about on her turf :lol:


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## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

Norman has an indoor dog crate for when I am not in because he was getting naughty but when I am home he can go whereever he pleases on the ground floor. I dont let him upstairs to many wires and snakes!


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

Leo just hops everywhere generally chasing one of the dogs or them chasing him. At night he's in a pen in the animal room or while we're not there.


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

mimi g said:


> Norman has an indoor dog crate for when I am not in because he was getting naughty but when I am home he can go whereever he pleases on the ground floor. I dont let him upstairs to many wires and snakes!


snakes?? lol!

How was he being naughty, was he chewing things or making a mess? Mine don't chew anything really but they do like to trash their room on occassion and will upturn all the litter trays the naughty beasts!


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Nicky09 said:


> Leo just hops everywhere generally chasing one of the dogs or them chasing him. At night he's in a pen in the animal room or while we're not there.


I can imagine the sight of a rabbit chasing a dog is pretty funny! Do you think the dog is more scared of Leo or that Leo is more scared of the dog?


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Looking at everyone's comments I'm thinking maybe it is the laminate flooring then in the living room that makes them run on the rug. I might try and tempt them off it with some treats, see if they get more used to it


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

My Sophie used to chase Laddie around the garden, then she would stop and wait for Laddie to turn and chase her. Sophie would then get bored and turn mid air nipping Laddie on the nose gently to say game over. Was nice seeing them both lay down together in the garden resting after the fun, till Sophie got her breath back and pulled Laddie's tail fur to to start again.


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## daisyboo (May 19, 2009)

Boo lives in the lounge/kitchen all day and is in his cage at night. he loves to go in the hall and my bedroom but he's not really allowed. he would wander round the whole flat if he had the chance.

we have laminate which he is fine with, but we had him from a baby so he's got used to it now. he prefers carpet though cos its easier to binky on!!

he is almost like a dog now, follows me everywhere and jumps/paws on me when im stood in the kitchen making tea. he paws on my bedroom door when im in my room, to be let in. goes to bed when told, jumps on the sofa when told and sits up when told!

he is so cute


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

awwwwwww, they make the best pets!


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## bellabunnylops (Aug 9, 2008)

My other halfs bunny lives indoors, she has free run of downstairs stair gate on the stairs as she will only end up chewing all my computer cables etc. 
We have also trained her to use the cat flap getting outside is no problem but got back indoors is still work in progress she has managed to come back inside about 7 or 8 times (only when it rains) :001_tt2:

We do have a indoor cage which is the nero 4 one which is her safe house/food house/litter tray. she will always be sat on the sofa for emmerdale lol ! and stamps her feet if I put lionel ritchie on!!! I am sure my other half had taught her to hate lionel lol


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

My rabbits all live outside so never experience slippery floors. I have sometimes brought them in on the kitchen floor which is tiled and even slippery for me in socks. Rosie hates it she tries to get back outside, Charlie used to look like Bambi on the frozen lake and slide all over the place but seemed to like it, Daisy runs around as if its outside doesn't bother her at all and George is getting used to it he slides but runs around quite well. 

Probably just individual rabbits whether they can manage those types of flooring or not.


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## mimi g (Mar 10, 2009)

AmyCruick said:


> snakes?? lol!
> 
> How was he being naughty, was he chewing things or making a mess? Mine don't chew anything really but they do like to trash their room on occassion and will upturn all the litter trays the naughty beasts!


Yes I have 10 snakes - royal pythons and afew boas! also 2 lizards

Norman never chewed anything until after I had him done and now he is starting to develop a really bad habit for it and always in places where I cant see like behind the table and under the sofa. He chewed through a wire in the lounge that I didnt realise was in reach and the OH went nuts so he told me to cage him or he was going in the garage


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

mimi g said:


> Yes I have 10 snakes - royal pythons and a few boas! also 2 lizards
> 
> Norman never chewed anything until after I had him done and now he is starting to develop a really bad habit for it and always in places where I cant see like behind the table and under the sofa. He chewed through a wire in the lounge that I didnt realise was in reach and the OH went nuts so he told me to cage him or he was going in the garage


Blimey! Yes I guess it probably is best he keeps away from those as big snakes would eat rabbits I'm guessing!

Aww bless him! Your Norman does have a very cheeky face, but I bet when you look him in the eyes you can't tell him off! My OH wasn't happy that one of mine bit through our jasmine plant in the garden and told me to tell him off but I couldn't do it! lol


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Your bunny sounds like a real sweeetie Daisy boo! and the one who watches emmerdale and stamps to Lionel Richie is great!

Aww I wish mine roamed a bit further out. One thing mine do enjoy though is stretching out in front of an open fire in the winter so with colder weather on its way I've got that to look forward to again I guess! I usually lay down with them on the rug as they're not keen on the sofa and always try to jump off it


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

AmyCruick said:


> I can imagine the sight of a rabbit chasing a dog is pretty funny! Do you think the dog is more scared of Leo or that Leo is more scared of the dog?


I don't think they're scared of each other just love chasing each other I'm fairly sure Buster loses all street cred as a terrier by running away from him though lol.


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Aw thats really sweet that they get on so well though! Has your dog been brought up around rabbits from a young age? 

I can't imagine any of my mums dogs ever getting on with the rabbits...I think they'd just try to eat them!


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

AmyCruick said:


> Aw thats really sweet that they get on so well though! Has your dog been brought up around rabbits from a young age?
> 
> I can't imagine any of my mums dogs ever getting on with the rabbits...I think they'd just try to eat them!


No he wasn't it took a lot of very careful socialistion for them to get on but it was worth it they love each other now. We do keep an eye on them though just in case.


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Nicky09 said:


> No he wasn't it took a lot of very careful socialistion for them to get on but it was worth it they love each other now. We do keep an eye on them though just in case.


That's brilliant! Did it take a long time so socialise them? Sorry for all the questions I'm just fascinated! It must be such a lovely sight to watch a dog playing nicely with a rabbit!


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## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

I'll have to get some pictures for you if I can they move so fast. It took a few weeks of only having them in the same room for a few minutes and rewarding them for staying calm and then building it up slowly. It was worth the effort though not to have to have keep them seperate all the time.


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## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

Nicky09 said:


> I'll have to get some pictures for you if I can they move so fast. It took a few weeks of only having them in the same room for a few minutes and rewarding them for staying calm and then building it up slowly. It was worth the effort though not to have to have keep them seperate all the time.


It'd be great if you could get some but I understand its difficult to get animals to stand still for pics! lol

Yeah definately worth the effort and it's great for them both too to have another friend in each other!


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