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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.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Complicated bunny problems!

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    • ykcin
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        Hi there, I’m a newbie to this forum!

        So the story with my Lionhead bunny: She was a gift to me about 4 years ago which wasn’t a great idea of the person who gave her to me. At the time I was pretty stressed out, busy, had too many pets already to take care of and I did not spend the amount of time on this new bunny as I should have. I made sure she had an awesome cage, fed her and let her get some exercise (but not enough!). Also at the time I had guinea pigs and I kind of assumed that rabbits are basically the same as guinea pigs, which was a bad assumption!

        And thennn… I traveled overseas for just under a year. While I was gone she got cataracts as well as mites and I kind of realized “hey, I’m not taking proper care of my rabbit, I better get on that” and the last 4 months I’ve been paying a lot of attention and doing a lot of research into proper bunny care.

        Her diet is currently practically perfect, she usually gets at least 4+ hours of out of cage time a day and she is a lot happier-seeming and active now.

        Here are my questions!

        Sometimes (especially when I’m around) even with her cage open for an hour or two she won’t show any interest in coming out. Sometimes when she does come out she just sits right in front of her cage. Normal?

        She doesn’t show any interest in a few toys I’ve given her! I saw on the forums the “boredom buster” toys with egg cartons and toilet rolls so I can try that, (i’m excited!) but she never chews on any of the little wooden toys or anything. I’ve given her bunched up blankets as well as given her little stuffed animals and she completely ignores both.

        My biggest problem is that she doesn’t like to interact with me. She will follow my cat around while he allows it and will go up to my parrot but that’s about it. If i sit in front of the cage and read or something she won’t come out. If she is out hopping around and I walk close she will run back in the cage. She doesn’t like to be petted either or take food from me. I try and brush her but she only wants to get away. I talk to her all the time and she recognizes my voice and I make sure i’m calm around her, but… I know these problems are my fault from the beginning… but I’m wondering if there is some way to improve the situation?

        The biggest importance to me is that she is happy and healthy, but I wouldn’t mind some more interaction if possible!


      • Deleted User
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          Hi ykcin, I hate to say this but…. she probably is so used to being a loner, she doesn’t know how to interact? How sad, and I say that cause as much as my bunny hates being handled, patted, groomed, etc., he thrives on our company/attention. All bunnies do, and if you’ve been told otherwise – their ‘wrong’! I agree, unless specifically requested, pets should be a ‘no no’ gift! But good on you for trying to right it now – it will take time (and lots of it), but keep up your good work as you described above and hopefully she’ll come good. My boy doesn’t play with toys either (lucky – Santa didn’t come to him this year, he was too naughty! Lol!). Serious, be patient – don’t force it, spend heaps of time with her (hands off), but talk to her all the time, sit on the floor, and if she approaches you don’t reach out to pat her yet – let her do all the approaching. I really do think it’s just gonna take time and acceptance that not all bunny’s are in your face no matter how much they adore you and your company. A lot of what you described above is my Henry – totally normal to us. But I can’t stress enough – bunnies thrive on attention! Henry is free range 24/7 – and he follows us from room to room. No touchies, just “I’m here – adore me”! All the best, Henry’s mum.


        • Bam
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            My bunny Bam sat under the coffea-table for a year when I first got him. I found him in the woods, I’ve no idea how old he is or what his life was like before he came to me. I imagine he was used to sitting in cage and didn’t really know how to handle being free range. He would move a few yards from the coffea-table now and then, but not a lot and he was very reluctant to be pet.

            It took a whole year for him to “come out of his shell”. From then on he became more and more interested in interaction and he loves being pet. He likes to be around his people and on this Christmas Eve, (a little more than 2 years after his arrival) he took an active part in the celebrations, he interacted freely with people he’d only met a few times before. He can jump into people’s laps now to be pet.

            So I think perhaps your bunny will adjust to her new way of life, but that it may take time. I don’t know if it’s possible to speed the process up, with Bam I sort of let him take the lead.


          • Sarita
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              She sounds perfectly normal to me – you don’t need to worry. Most rabbits don’t take food from your hand – I’ve known some that do but it’s not common like with dogs or cats.

              She is probably just comfortable sitting in front of the cage. Most rabbits also hate to be groomed so don’t stress about that. Give her time to enjoy pets though – most rabbits just want to be petted on their terms anyway.

              I’m not sure that I totally agree that rabbits thrive on attention – you are giving her attention anyway – it’s more important that they trust you really. I’ve had many rabbits and some are just more social than others and interact more with people – doesn’t mean if they don’t that they aren’t happy though.


            • Peony
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                Sometimes (especially when I’m around) even with her cage open for an hour or two she won’t show any interest in coming out. Sometimes when she does come out she just sits right in front of her cage. Normal?

                Even my hyper explore bunny does that. I have her pen/hutch open all day and most of the time she spends like 20% of the time in her litterbox that is inside the hutch, 20% in the bed she made next to the litterbox, 10% on the second floor of the hutch, 0% in the hideway place on the second floor of the hutch, 20% in pen area, 10% sitting outside the pen area but not leaving my room (Sometimes she does this wall stare that means pet me there), 8% exploring, and 10% sleeping in the bed area she made in her hutch (again next to her litterbox) and 2% in the back end of her pen area (has a tunnel and hideybox)

                She doesn’t show any interest in a few toys I’ve given her! I saw on the forums the “boredom buster” toys with egg cartons and toilet rolls so I can try that, (i’m excited!) but she never chews on any of the little wooden toys or anything. I’ve given her bunched up blankets as well as given her little stuffed animals and she completely ignores both.

                My rabbit has low interest in wood toys. She takes a bite or two and that is it. She goes nuts over these dumb bell things from petco though. Her biggest interest is simply eating hay so hay stuffed paper rolls and those petco dumbbells is her thing. Lately she chewed on the hard end of a phonebook but did not keep at it. I only give her towels to dig at if she finds a spot she wants to dig at. The big thing with her digging is the spot right next to her litter box and she had a major digging fit there our first night having her. It got so bad that she caused her water dish to spill since the rug she rearranged was sitting on it. (moved the dish next to her litterbox near exit corner and had no issues since then.) So after moving the dish and sopping up the water with a towel, I just left it there for her to paw at with another towel to dig at (folded over on itself so she can truly dig at) to completey cover the spot next to her littler box with folded over towels. Been happy ever since. Also she has days when she takes a high interest in grass mats.

                My biggest problem is that she doesn’t like to interact with me. She will follow my cat around while he allows it and will go up to my parrot but that’s about it. If i sit in front of the cage and read or something she won’t come out. If she is out hopping around and I walk close she will run back in the cage. She doesn’t like to be petted either or take food from me. I try and brush her but she only wants to get away. I talk to her all the time and she recognizes my voice and I make sure i’m calm around her, but… I know these problems are my fault from the beginning… but I’m wondering if there is some way to improve the situation?

                Sounds like how Peony (my rabbit) acts with my mom lol. Anyways my explorer bunny can act like that on free range. I do not think I ever got to pet her in the hallway/ kitchen yet. She only lets me pet her outside her pen/ in her pen/ hutch (anywhere just about in “her” (my) room) Once on one of her exploring she even lost interest in taking a banana from me and that shocked me. But what food are you trying as treats? Different rabbits have different tastes and I would try to find her favorite. My rabbit really bolts for bananas and that is what I am using for the come when called training. Papaya fruit, Bananas, leaves, and sometimes hay is the only things she took from me. I tried an apples and she did not want it and will not eat spinach* when handed. She will eat it later when I left it on the floor though.

                *Warning: spinach in limited amounts.

                Sooo for feeding her, try to present the food to her then just leave it there. What food are you trying to feed her? Like I know some bunnies eat applies but my bunny completely ignored it. Possible you are trying food she simply has a low interest in. Maybe present her a few different “treat foods” and see what she eats first?

                For the laying on the floor and not coming up to you, how long have you been doing that?


              • ykcin
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                  Wow, you guys are awesome!
                  Thanks for all the thoughts.

                  Sooo for feeding her, try to present the food to her then just leave it there. What food are you trying to feed her? Like I know some bunnies eat applies but my bunny completely ignored it. Possible you are trying food she simply has a low interest in. Maybe present her a few different “treat foods” and see what she eats first?

                  I’ve been slowly introducing new foods. I wanted to first make sure that her stomach was healthy before introducing a lot, so I did a couple months of parsley/cilantro and a little bit of carrots. I’m learning her likes and dislikes! No interest in cabbage or broccoli, and this past week I found out she likes collards, melon and she likes banana a lot! I’ve tried giving her apples, pears, pineapple and grapes as treats before and she didn’t like that either.
                  Her favourite always seems to be the pellets though. She goes for that right away (pellets are what she gets for breakfast) and she waits by the cage door when I get up.

                  For the laying on the floor and not coming up to you, how long have you been doing that?

                  I normally do it intermittently a few times a day for the last 4 months. I’m often quite close to her cage, whether I’m right in front of it or in the same room. Every time she pokes out of her cage I say “hi bun!” so much that my parrot has picked it up and she says “hi bun!” whenever she sees the bunny poke her head into her room haha. It’s cute.

                  I think I’ll take the “hands off” approach from now on with what you guys are saying. I was just worried that if all my hands do is groom her she might see my hands as bad things.
                  Thanks again for all the info and advice!


                • Peony
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                    No interest in cabbage or broccoli,

                    Never give them these, I know you said she did not like them but i wanted to point it out. They can cause gas problems in rabbits.

                    Some vegetables may produce too much gas or bloating in some rabbits (beets, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and radishes). Some vegetables are high in calcium and should be fed no more than three times per week (carrot tops, Chinese parsley, clover, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and spinach). Some vegetables are very high in sugar (carrots) and should be given only as a treat, if at all.

                    This was quoted here:
                    http://www.rabbitwise.org/feeding.html
                    and Red door’s panflit agrees with that in stating those are under “ever feed”, 1-2 times a week, and treat (carrots) respectively.

                    Bananas is a treat food, so you can definitely use that to try interacting with her (like the food motivator to training, just be sure to cut it up in very small parts (I use 1/8th inch thickness slice and chop that up in bits) For now though, You can try leaving it in your hand and see if she eats out of it.

                    How much pellets do you give? This is what red door says about them:

                    Pelleted food or rabbit chow was designed for breeders as a cheap way to fatten a rabbit quickly for meat or fur. While pellets are important in a baby bunny’s growth, after 1 year of age should only be given as a treat or better yet none at all. The best pellet to feed an adult should be made with timothy hay rather then alfalfa hay. It should contain at lest 17% fiber. AVOID any “Fiesta” or “Gourmet” mixes that contain seeds or dried vegetables. These pellet mixes can cause serious or even fatal problems in your rabbit.

                    The same site linked earlier states:

                     
                    Pellets are not necessary in a diet that consists of hay and a wide variety of vegetables. However, if your rabbit is accustomed to pellets and you wish to keep them in his/her diet or to insure that your rabbit gets all the necessary vitamins and minerals, give Timothy hay-based pellets that are high in fiber, 18% or more, and low in calcium content. RabbitWise recommends Bunny Basics/T made by the Oxbow Hay Company. They are available in some vet’s office who treat rabbits and from the Oxbow web site (see link this page).

                    The amount of pellets fed should be based on the rabbit’s body weight: 2-4 pounds, 1/8 cup daily; 5-7 pounds, 1/4 cup daily; 8-10 pounds, 1/2 cup daily; 10-15 pounds, 1/2 cup daily. OVERFEEDING OF PELLETS AND FEEDING OF POOR QUALITY PELLETS ARE SIGNIFICANT FACTORS IN RABBIT HEALTH PROBLEMS.

                    Hmm. Maybe try the bits of banana on your hand as you lay there or put it near you if she still refuses any food from your hand.

                    (Keep in mind this is something for later) I am not sure if this would work for you but when I was trying to get Peony to come when called, I would say Peony, come, then blow on the banana in her direction to get her to smell it. (Do not blow hard where the wind you make makes her fur move so depends on distance for that) I can blow across the banana lightly from the door and it don’t take long for her to bolt to me from the smell alone.


                  • Sarita
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                      Actually broccoli and cabbage do not cause gas – I think that is very dated.  For an up to date list and the most reliable source, read this article and list:

                      http://rabbit.org/suggested-vegetab…bbit-diet/

                       


                    • ykcin
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                        Yeah, I saw the cabbage thing recently too. When I was first looking up safe for bunny food the site I was looking at specifically said to feed cabbage and broccoli. I have to watch where I read, I think!
                        I only give her between 1/8th to 1/4 of a cup of pellets a day. I’m not sure exactly how much she weighs since I don’t have a scale. Do you know how much adult lionheads usually weigh? I think she is inbetween 4 to 6 lbs but that’s just a guess.

                        I will try the banana for treats a little later when she gets a bit more comfortable with me!
                        .


                      • Sarita
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                          Please read the link I posted – you may feed broccoli and cabbage but it should only be 15% of the diet. The link I linked you to is the most updated and is written by the vet who is the health director for House Rabbit Society.


                        • Peony
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                            Well one of the ER vets in my area, their website says this:
                            http://www.midwestexotichospital.com/rabbits.html

                            (this is not a complete list of healthy greens, but if you want to feed a green off this list, check the internet to make sure it is not a cruciferous or leguminous vegetable. Some of the leaves only of cruciferous vegetables are good for them, like brocolli leaves, but not the flower/florets, for example.)

                            I told the shelter about that giving the leaves and the shelter said I would still avoid them, no point in risking it since there is plenty of other things to give them.

                            So till those institutions say otherwise I am avoiding them. (I do not know how high validity that has compared to an exotic vet with 24 hour Emergency extension/rescue shelter.)

                             That site that Sarita showed worries me because there is no list of bad things or rebuttals of these claims (maybe I missed it in skimming? ) , as they should know they do exist.


                          • Sarita
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                              I agree Peony there is alot of conflicting information out there and that there are other greens that you can feed them – I for one do not feed my rabbits broccoli or cabbage but I know the House Rabbit Society is probably the most up to date as far as information and Dr. Susan Brown has served on their board before as their Health Director so I feel confident about what she suggests.


                            • Peony
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                                Yeah I know but it still worries me for reasons I stated. I saw this:

                                There has also been discussion about feeding vegetables that are goitrogenic in humans (causing a goiter) more notoriously those in the broccoli/cabbage family. One study done on rabbits indicated that it would take several weeks of exclusively feeding huge quantities of these foods to see any abnormalities in the blood. This is so far removed from normal feeding instructions for rabbits that there is no cause for concern in feeding these nutritious foods.

                                It says one study and does not address the gas issue. I mean even my sources say some rabbits meaning it might not cause problems in others but maybe we should have a thread on this issue? I feel like we are detailing the poor guy’s main issue but then again it is a “Complicated bunny problem?” Lol XD

                                Even so it is still recommending a VERY small amount:
                                NON-LEAFY VEGETABLES

                                These should be no more than about 15 % of the diet (About 1 tablespoon per 2 lbs of body weight per day).

                                For the wight, no idea, I found this, no idea how accurate it is since I am always told to take wiki with a grain of salt

                                Lionhead rabbit is one of the newer breeds of domestic rabbits in the United States, and has recently passed the American Rabbit Breeders’ Association presentation process and has been accepted as an ARBA recognized breed in the varieties of Tortoise and Ruby Eyed White. As of February 1st, 2014 they will be able to show for Best in Show and receive legs of Grand Champion like any other of the accepted breeds. The Lionhead rabbit has a wool mane encircling the head, reminiscent of a male lion, hence the name. Other characteristic traits of the Lionhead include a high head mount, compact upright body type, short well-furred 2″ – 3″ ears, and weigh usually between 2 1/2 pounds but no more than 3 3/4 pounds.

                                 Maybe a mix will allow it to weigh more? no idea =/

                                 


                              • ykcin
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                                  I made a nice printed up list of the fruits and veggies from the rabbit.org website and put it on my fridge! I figure if it’s not on that list I won’t feed it to her haha. All good!

                                  I will have to find a scale for the weight. I can’t really imagine her only weighing 2 1/2 lbs… She is a pretty strong rabbit. A lot bigger than the dwarf rabbit I had when I was little anyways.


                                • Sarita
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                                    This is the part of the article that addresses GI gas problems and I did mention about the 15% as well which is why you pretty much have to read the full article and not just the list:

                                    Some people are concerned about feeding foods that cause gastrointestinal (GI) gas in people such as broccoli. A rabbit’s GI tract is not the same as a human’s and many of the foods that may cause gas in a human do not cause gas in a rabbit. The most common types of foods that do create havoc in the rabbit’s GI tract are those that are high in starch and sugars because they create a change in the pH of the cecum and eventually can throw the whole system off. The result can be serious GI disease. Foods that are notorious for causing rabbit GI problems when fed improperly are grains of any kind and legumes (beans, peas, etc). Even starchy root vegetables and fruits if fed to excess with their high load of sugars and starch could be a problem and should only be fed as a very small part of the diet.


                                  • Fidget
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                                      Fidget and I use the ‘safe foods’ list from the Rabbit Welfare Association, and we’ve had no problems so far!


                                    • Elrohwen
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                                        Her behavior sounds totally normal for a rabbit. When are you giving her exercise time? Mine are totally uninterested in coming out for the majority of the day, because their most active times are morning and night. I can’t drag that out at noon, but they are clamoring to come out at 9pm.

                                        Some bunnies are just laid back and not that interested in running around. One of mine explores for a minute, then lays back down. He’s just a mellow boy. My other wants to be running around and getting into things, because that’s her personality.

                                        Most bunnies don’t play with toys, and certainly not in the way dogs and cats do. I’ve had the most success with boxes large and small, and paper bags. They like things they can crawl inside and chew/dig up.

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                                    Forum BEHAVIOR Complicated bunny problems!