Young Bunny Lethargic

[daisygrl]

I adopted bunny from a shelter about two weeks ago…he is one year old and recently neutered. He lets me brush him and hold him (but he is not happy about either of these). However, he does not do anything. He is healthy as far as his eating habits, grooming, healthy pee and poo. But he just sits in one place all day all night. He has a lot of room to hop around, lots of toys…etc. but he could not care less. He is super boring. I wonder whether I should give him more time or whether this just might be his personality. I am new to a rabbit world so any suggestion will be appreciated. Thank you!

[Bam]

Give him more time!!!

First of all, a recent neuter is a big change. It can take like 8 weeks until his little brain and body has settled.
Secondly, bunnies are pery animals. They survive by being cautious and keeping a low profile. My first bunny sat under the coffea-table in the living-room for a year. I’m thinking he was used to living in a cage (I don’t know though since he was a stray). I’m not saying your bunny will need a whole year, but give it a few months at least. They are in many ways slow adapters. But you will see development and progress and it is really rewarding.

My first bunny is now very cuddly and social, but he’s a bit laid back personality-wise and that is normal for him, I think. I’ve had him for 3,5 years now. He’s actually the perfect house-bunny, he can be free roam at all times and he can be free roam at my mother’s house too so he always has a sitter if he needs one.

Please don’t think of your bunny as boring. Sometimes it helps to try and imagine yourself in the bunny’s place. He’s very little, you are very big and everything in his life incl his own body has changed.

[daisygrl]

Thank you for your helpful response! Yes, I can’t even begin to imagine the shock and changed my poor little guy has been going through. I am patient, and will hang in there. He deserves a chance. Plus, he is a lion-head, thus needs a daily grooming, which he is not fond of but he stays still… the grooming makes him dislike me even more. Oh well… hope the shedding will be over soon so he does not think of me as enemy. Thanks again, for your help!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

He’s probably timid. 2 weeks is very little time for a bunny to adjust. You can help encourage him by providing lots of hiding spaces, like boxes with several holes in them and tunnels (you can buy crinkly cat tunnesl in pet stores and even the dollar store!) -he’ll feel more secure to explore if there are lots of bunny hiding spots. But for sure you’ll see a difference in the next few months.

[daisygrl]

Posted By Kokaneeandkahlua on 4/11/2015 4:45 PM

He’s probably timid. 2 weeks is very little time for a bunny to adjust. You can help encourage him by providing lots of hiding spaces, like boxes with several holes in them and tunnels (you can buy crinkly cat tunnesl in pet stores and even the dollar store!) -he’ll feel more secure to explore if there are lots of bunny hiding spots. But for sure you’ll see a difference in the next few months.

I have given him all kinds of card board boxes with holes in them. He does not go in, he sits on the top of them (kind of funny actually). That is what worried me initially about him – not being interested in the things bunnies like the most. I even got him those crinkly tunnels – he played with them approx. 4 times. Then ignored them. Thank you for your suggestions though. Now, after grooming him every day, he not only dislikes me, he makes weird noises at me and then hops off. I am glad to be reassured that it is ok for him to behave as if not interested in anything. He is only a year old and a shelter had no idea what he went through, although he does not look like he is afraid of people. Will keep in mind your advice and be more patient. Just wanted to make sure he was not sick.

[Tana]

Another thing to note is that you may not be able to read his body language yet. A dog is really obvious because we’ve co-evolved together for so long and they’re thoroughly domesticated. At first I thought my rabbit was “expressionless” which is a common mistake people make. As I started to pay more attention I can tell quite a lot about what she’s thinking and feeling based on a lot of subtle signals she sends and it makes her way more fun. Your bunny will be interacting with you in subtle ways for a while before you learn to realize he’s actually talking to you!
And once he gets comfortable with you you’ll be able to find out what games he likes to play.

[Bam]

Bunnies love sitting on top of boxes! So that’s perfectly normal and sound bunny behavior! They like an elevated spot to rest on, probably so they can have a good view of the surroundings. It’s also very good that he doesn’t hide as soon as he gets a chance, it means he’s interested and not too scared. For a bunny, being social often means just hanging out together with his human, doing nothing. Like when you watch tv and the bunny lies a few yards away and does absolutely nada. We think of the bunny as he’s “just lying there” but he is actually socializing =)

The boxes you give him should have at least 2 holes in them, one on each side, a bunny burrow in the wild always has at least one “emergency exit”. In order to feel safe, a bunny needs to know he won’t be trapped in his hidey-place.

The grooming will eventually make him used to being handled, which is very practical – but it may take some time. I’ve never had a bunny that requires grooming except during molting-seasons, but I’ve had to handle my bunnies for other reasons and I can only say it seems to strenghten the bond between human and bunny, even if the treatment given to the bun isn’t pleasant (Wound care, force feeding etc).

Thank you for taking this little fellow in!

[daisygrl]

Posted By bam on 4/12/2015 1:23 AM

Bunnies love sitting on top of boxes! So that’s perfectly normal and sound bunny behavior! They like an elevated spot to rest on, probably so they can have a good view of the surroundings. It’s also very good that he doesn’t hide as soon as he gets a chance, it means he’s interested and not too scared. For a bunny, being social often means just hanging out together with his human, doing nothing. Like when you watch tv and the bunny lies a few yards away and does absolutely nada. We think of the bunny as he’s “just lying there” but he is actually socializing =)

The boxes you give him should have at least 2 holes in them, one on each side, a bunny burrow in the wild always has at least one “emergency exit”. In order to feel safe, a bunny needs to know he won’t be trapped in his hidey-place.

The grooming will eventually make him used to being handled, which is very practical – but it may take some time. I’ve never had a bunny that requires grooming except during molting-seasons, but I’ve had to handle my bunnies for other reasons and I can only say it seems to strenghten the bond between human and bunny, even if the treatment given to the bun isn’t pleasant (Wound care, force feeding etc).

Thank you for taking this little fellow in!

Good idea making an extra “exit” for him in the box. Will do that. He does not really hide anywhere (except when my husband comes but then – we both hide ) Anyway, he is a lion head – hair is everywhere – so I just groom him to prevent hairball disaster. Just holding him, I am covered with white hair. I am lucky though, as he does not make too much fuss when being picked up or groomed – he just patiently puts up with it. I will definitely post more updates in this forum (already using BB for shopping for him) and try to also upload a pic of him below – he is rather unusual looking. Thank you for being so helpful explaining rabbit’s quirks. 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Just have to comment on how adorable your bun is!

[daisygrl]

Posted By LittlePuffyTail on 4/12/2015 7:25 PM

Just have to comment on how adorable your bun is!

Thank you! He is indeed a super cute and good boy.

[Bam]

Awww, he’s just too cute!!

[manic_muncher]

Perhaps try giving him a couple raisins when the grooming session is over. It will help make him forget that you just annoyed him and give him the association of something yummy and you together. That face!

Now I must go torment my Bumpy, he is a super fluffy always-in-a-constant-molt holland that hates being handled too.

[Author]

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