# Bunny doesn't play



## rhianna (Feb 7, 2014)

I wasn't sure exactly where to put this topic so I hope I chose the right one. So I've had Bear for over 3 months now (it feels like so much longer than that) and currently have two milk crates and a medium box all full of bunny toys. Baby rattles, tubes, all types of chews, toss toys, jingle balls, hanging toys, pretty much everything imaginable. He also gets about 7-8 hours total of free ranging time in my (pretty small) bedroom. And I don't see him playing, ever. When he's in the cage he's always either asleep, grooming himself, or eating. And when he's out free ranging, he's either eating, trying to get into the food containers, or digging at the carpet. I know he's not depressed because he's very inquisitive still, he likes sniffing things out whenever there's a change in my room, he gets super excited for pellets or treats, and he loves to lick me and melts when I pet him. I just don't know why he won't play with anything or run and binky around. Is this normal for a young bunny? He's only about 1 year and 4 months old, so I'd expect him to be very active and playful. He also isn't neutered if that helps in any way.


----------



## rhianna (Feb 7, 2014)

Might I add, I have also tried cardboard boxes. I made a "mock" Cottontail Cottage for him and he just sniffed/chinned it a bit. Then I put his favorite hay inside on the floor and the levels, so he'll go in there to eat. I've also given him paper which is probably the only thing he's had fun with, but I can't just keep letting him shred paper as it makes a huge mess and he tends to like peeing on it. He also tried eating the paper and I'm afraid that eating too much of it is probably not the best for his health.


----------



## BlueMoods (Feb 9, 2014)

A 1 year old rabbit is an adult so I wouldn't expect him to play too much. He will enjoy things he can chew on, and things to sleep with/on or fiddle with (like a new style of tip on his water bottle to figure out) but, he's not going to play like a kit would.


----------



## rhianna (Feb 9, 2014)

BlueMoods said:


> A 1 year old rabbit is an adult so I wouldn't expect him to play too much. He will enjoy things he can chew on, and things to sleep with/on or fiddle with (like a new style of tip on his water bottle to figure out) but, he's not going to play like a kit would.



Thanks for the reply. He doesn't chew on anything (besides the occasional nibble at a willow stick) but he does like to investigate/mess around with new things, so I tend to switch out the beds and toys in his cage quite often.


----------



## BlueMoods (Feb 9, 2014)

I do that and, give them different style tips on the water bottle too. They have vacume tube bottles that are glass, stainless steel ball valve ones and the nibbler valves with the pointy part they have to move to get water. I trade them every few weeks and, sometimes offer just a water bowl, or a self filling bowl. That gets them to investigate when it bubbles at them.

Mine like things that they can move and get a nibble of food or a drink from and, those salt wheels they can spin (they spin them more than lick them.) My buck also finds the dog training clicker very amusing to step on and make click, then growl at it for clicking at him LOL.


----------



## rhianna (Feb 10, 2014)

I give Bear a water bowl, he does have a bottle just in case but he never uses it since I always refill his bowl. So different types of bottles are really out of the question. I'm a bit hesitant to give him a salt wheel since salt isn't good in large amounts and I know he would eat/lick it because he eats everything that is edible. I like the idea of having something he can move around and get a treat from though, like a treat ball or something. I might buy one for him. I also would like to get a teach n treat for him as well. I think he'd do well with food oriented things, since he's such a food-loving rabbit.


----------



## PaGal (Feb 10, 2014)

I have an intact male and he stopped being very active around that age and he is almost 2 now. I'm sure if he was bored he would find a way to amuse himself so just be glad he doesn't do anything wrong. Ha!

Since he likes food, if you have the time you could braid some hay for him just to make things different. You can also braid it and then make a loop of it. You can stuff toilet paper rolls with hay and place those around although that might be a little messy.

Instead of placing his pellets in a bowl you could place them throughout your room so that he has to walk around and find them more like foraging for food in the wild.


----------



## rhianna (Feb 10, 2014)

PaGal said:


> I have an intact male and he stopped being very active around that age and he is almost 2 now. I'm sure if he was bored he would find a way to amuse himself so just be glad he doesn't do anything wrong. Ha!
> 
> Since he likes food, if you have the time you could braid some hay for him just to make things different. You can also braid it and then make a loop of it. You can stuff toilet paper rolls with hay and place those around although that might be a little messy.
> 
> Instead of placing his pellets in a bowl you could place them throughout your room so that he has to walk around and find them more like foraging for food in the wild.



I love those ideas! I have stuffed TP rolls with hay and put some treats inside too, he likes when I do that (it always ends up in the litter box though :biggrin2: )

I don't know how easy it'd be to braid hay but I'll see if I have the patience to do that. I also like the idea of putting pellets around the room, he'd probably get a bit frustrated but at least he'll be using his brain 

I also gave him something yesterday that I forgot I'd bought, it's this: http://www.petsolutions.com/C/Rabbi...cagpspn=pla"&gclid=CPy6oOaNwrwCFW3xOgodOWMAEw
And he loves it! Every time he hops past it he takes a minute to toss it around and pull at the fibers a bit. I'll have to pick some up every time I order from that site (the only place I can find them at a reasonable price).


----------



## Tauntz (Feb 10, 2014)

I have 2 Jersey wooly sisters who will celebrate their 2nd year birthday this year! I will share my take on adult bunny play. In the wild bunnies spend their active time searching for food & a safe place to rest. No play & all work makes Jack a safe but dull bunny! lol Anyway I think bunny pairs are a bit more active but not that much once they are adults. To get them to exercise/play, I think our "pet" bunnies (especially single buns) need more interaction with us or a treat motivating toy such as the cat treat balls. 

My bunny girls get their morning pellets in the cat treat ball that I purchased at Amazon.com. 

This is it: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BXYAGQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

You can also check out other just search "cat treat ball." My girls come running when I shake their pellet filled treat ball! They whack it around, chase it & even toss it to get those pellets! We also play other ball games with a hard plastic bird toy ball. I call it bunny soccer! lol I roll it to them & they roll it back with their nose! They also like to toss the ball but not as much. Another interactive fun exercise is bunny agility! I'm gradually working on building my own version for my bunnies. Herbs are another excellent & healthy "treat" food motivator for fun exercise.


----------



## lovelops (Feb 10, 2014)

Bear sounds normal to me. Chico and Chica are going on 2 and they sit like bumps on a log whenever I get them out for bunny play time. Brooke is one year and sometimes she plays with the baby links and stuff I put out for her... I wouldn't worry too much..

Vanessa


----------



## PaGal (Feb 10, 2014)

Hay can be difficult to braid. Usually the best hay pieces to use are the more grass like pieces as opposed to the more straw like as the straw like pieces tend to break and it's usually easier to braid the hay somewhat loosely.

I'll have to try and remember to look at picking up a cat treat ball. I would think Thump would enjoy one with pellets inside. Unfortunately he seems to have a sensitive tum so he doesn't get too much other than pellets and hay.

Your bun also might like a concrete form. It's a tube made of heavy cardboard. It comes in different sizes. If space is limited you could always cut it shorter. They only cost about $5 and you can find them at the larger home improvement stores like Home Depot. All three of my buns do like hopping through tunnels.


----------



## rhianna (Feb 10, 2014)

Thanks again for all the replies. I think I'll buy a cat treat ball, and I like the idea of giving him his pellets in it. I also did hear that bunnies are more active and happy in pairs. Bear will be getting neutered when I get a job and I'm going to adopt a girlfriend for him when I move houses in a few months. He does very well on his own, but I can tell he'd be even happier with a friend. 

I love all the other suggestions. I have a cardboard tunnel for Bear as well as one of the crackly ones; he ignores them both, lol. I think he's just content with eating and sleeping so I suppose there's not much else I can do. I was just a bit worried because I imagined any bun under 4 as young and playful, but it's good to hear that laziness is normal at his age.


----------

