Transparent enclosure no door how do we bond with new bun?

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Anjibun

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I’ve chosen one of those newfangled transparent enclosures with clear panels that you connect with zip ties and/or plastic caps. Going to go with a coroplast base folded up on the outside so bun can’t chew the coroplast.

Here’s where I run into trouble.

1) I see pictures of people lying down in the enclosure and letting bun climb on them and sniff them. I thought people aren’t supposed to invade bun’s space? This is especially crucial when bun is new, right? So how would we get near enough to sit with a book and let bun sniff us?

2) I don’t think coroplast is made to be stepped on by humans. The coroplast will be on top of existing carpet flooring so it will very likely crease under our weight.

3) The transparent enclosures, as cool as they look, don’t have doors. Whoever enters will have to climb over the wall which I imagine could be terrifying for a new baby bun.

I think an obvious solution would be to abandon the “enter the enclosure” idea and let bun come out to us but I also read you’re not supposed to lift bun during the acclimation period. But there’s not really a good way to “open” the enclosure since it’s made to be 1 rectangular or square unit without a swinging panel that acts like a door.

Hope to hear from anyone with experience with this type of setup. Or just a love to hear from experienced bun owners with possible solutions! Thank you!
 
Hi,

1) It's the rabbits safe space that should be left alone - like a hidy house, their cage with litterbox and hay rack, or hiding spot, rabbits like to have one spot where you don't follow them. Rabbits are social animals, they live together, and a lot of, well, most interaction works through direct contact. They don't bark, when they want something they give me a shove with their nose. It can't can get used to you if you are behind a barrier. Either you go in, or you open up the wall.
They learn well what is common space they share with you or who or whatever, and what is theirs. If you keep out of the pen some might think that you are an intruder to their terretory.

Take everything you read on the internet with a pinch of salt, too many claim that their opinion is the truth, and too many repeat that stuff without knowing - there are quite some wiered bubbles out there. Trust your intuition, and be patient.

Carrying a bun to and fro is generally not such a good idea, rabbits like to venture out from their safe enclosure and it's quite important to them to know how to get back there. Most don't enjoy being picked up, quite a lot will tolerate it though when they got used to it - a treat right after it and let it do what it wants afterwards helps them to learn that nothing bad is happening.

My setup for my two 10lbs house rabbits is that there is no pen or cage, they have their hay rack and litter box in the small room at the front door, and there are holes with curtains in some doors so they can get through the house and, at least during daytime, in the garden.
 

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Thank you so much, this really helps me understand better what I can do and not do!
 
Bunnies are pretty versatile and adaptable. Once they realize you aren't going to eat them AND even better! you bring tasty things, they'll be friendly bunnies.

There's also differences in individual bunnality, some of them are shy some are in your face friendly. So even if you treat them all the same, there will be differences in how they react to you.

Interact with them, watch how they react and reinforce behaviors that you want. Find out what their favorite (but healthy) foods are and bribe them shamelessly for good behaviors at least at the beginning.

You want the bunny to get used to your household, not the other way around. Yeah, you'll make accommodations for the bunny, but the primary emphasis should be the bunny fitting in with you and not you fitting in with the bunny. If it were my bunny, I'd pick them up (support all four feet) and then scritch behind their ears (most bunnies like that and most of them are a bit shy of having their nose petted), feed them something tasty and then put them back either on the floor or in their space before they get antsy and want to leave. The bunny will learn that you're not gonna eat them and pretty soon they'll be bopping over to see if you have tasty things or to get ear scritches.
 
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