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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BEHAVIOR A lil advice

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    • hiddenpower
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         Hello all, I hope everyone is having a wonderful day so far. The question I have is quite similar to what is asked a lot but I know each bun is different. So here goes…

        I have a 5-6 month old female dwarf hotot that has been with my wife and I for about 2 weeks. She is a gorgeous little bun and I think she knows it the way she looks at us like “I’m a diva and I want the world to know it.” Of course she is still getting use to us and the area. Luckily when I let her out for a while she doesn’t chew on anything, the carpet or just go crazy. She just sniffs, move, sniff, run, and lately she will sit and get comfy in one spot. Her litterbox usage is pretty decent already so I hope that sticks. 

        The bonding is where I am trying not to get too bummed out though. When I got her I was told she is a good girl and that she isn’t use to being picked up. I could tell the way she would try to stand on her back legs when we got her instead of just letting us hold her the way she should be held. But since last week usually what I do is I open her cage, and I sit next to it on the floor while I do class work or anything and I don’t make sudden moves or sounds to scare her. She wouldn’t come close to me, but would stop and look. A few days ago she actually came close but then ran back off kicking up her feet. I bet she was think “blah, get away from me” lol Sometimes when I try to guide her when its time to go back home, if she doesn’t run, she will stomp once while sitting alert. Which I know what she is saying to me. Today was a little different, I got close to her after she of course ran from me as usual. But I was close to her under the table, which she loves to sniff around and explore under it. And she just stared at me after her stomp, which when she does it, it is sooo cute when she is mad. But I didn’t move it was like a showdown, but what I did was slowly move a plate of hay I had put out to see if she would come close to me and be comfortable eating that close to me. When I moved it in front of her she ate and I slowly moved the plate closer to my face. She would leave but come back and after she ate a little, she actually sniffed my hand, face, and would go around and I could feel her checking the rest of me out. 

        I got a little happy with this, even though she still will run and hide. But is there any extra advice out there to help me with this stage? What makes it harder on me and my wife is the fact, a while ago we had a female angora and it took her a few days and she was adventurous, crazy and loving. She was always around me when she was let out. So going from that to the normal process that is taken to bond with a bun is different but I’m trying. So any help, encourage, and advice will help. Thanks  Her name is FiFi


      • Deleted User
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          If you haven’t checked out this site (or did so a while ago) it may help you to interpret some of what is going on. http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

          I’m also in the process of helping two rabbits to adjust to being with me. While my relationship with my last one was very different; he liked to lie in my lap, loved being stroked and brushed, so staying hands off is trying. The two things I’ve found most useful have been hand feeding favourite foods; raisins, carrot/banana slices and pellets. Not every time, but most times. (Of course its also a way to make sure they each get an equal amount, can be a bit of a challenge with two together.) The slices I hold while they nibble them. To do this I sat beside their condo and reached through an open door. I found they were willing to come and eat and be petted in there much sooner then they were willing to eat outside of the condo, let alone near me.

          The other major success I had is close to what you experienced, simply lying flat on the floor and not moving when they came (and went) inspecting me. I was hopped, walked, jumped and sat on, and the longer I stayed without making any movement towards touching them the bolder they’ve gotten. But it really is a time consuming process that requires a lot of patience.

          Best of luck and I hope you get other suggestions.


        • bullrider76543
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            I have had that problem for over a year with my Mini-Lop Baby. she will run up to you for a treat or for her food, but is anti touching or petting. I am beginging to think its just her personality. Wish you the best of luck.


          • IsabellaRobyn
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              I had the same problem with my bun Belle when I got her. I’d been watching loads of bunny vids so I was kind of expecting cuddles and the like. Now she has just turned one and regularly gives me grooms and sometimes flops down close to me. She doesn’t tolerate being held but she loves to be pet. The way I got her used to me was by giving her a pellet every time she came close to me. I didn’t want to feed treats when she was young in case it made her chubby haha but a pellet seemed to do the trick. Once she would come over on her own I started to teach her tricks (spin and to kind of beg) and having the interaction followed by treats I think really helped! Patience is key! Good luck .


            • hiddenpower
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                 Thanks for the link, I’ve seen the pages before but I’ll go through it again. 


              • hiddenpower
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                   That’s so awesome and she looks so precious.  I realize patience is key with FiFi, and I still don’t know if she will be the distant kind of rabbit or one that will like to be petted and close. But I’m willing to see and find out. As long as I see progress then I’m happy. I mean, she already got me doing crazy stuff like laying under the table with her when she out. lol

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              Forum BEHAVIOR A lil advice