New Baby <3

[Lorraine]

Hi there “BINKIES”

My name is George and i got little baby rabbit harlequin lop 5 weeks old just yesterday .

Got it from pet store  ( yes i know … ) , the baby wasnt stressed or atleast acted like its not . She were in huge glass cube and when i opened she came close and sniffed my hand . I was holdin hand of pellets given e by the store lady . She even eat 1-2 pellets from my hand . Then i really gently put her in the carier and went home ( 10 min with car traveling time ) . 

At home i was already prepared 150cm long and 80 tall  cage with everything setup in it . Food that she used to eat , alpine hay above the litter and also a metal ball again stuffed with hay that hangs above the litter also She got corner piece of wood wich she can jump on and sleep or simply watch from there and on the oposite corner she got wooden small house with ramp to climb on  the left and the right side of it . I put her inside and she started to sniff around a little stressed in order to find herself a place . I went to work and cme back like 6 hours later . 

When i open the door … she hides inside the wooden house . I know i should not rush anything  nor trying to pet let alone to lift her in any way . So what i did was simply sit on the ground and start reading article on my phone close to her cage but she never poped out of that wooden  little house . Then after 20 mins .. i moved myself like 2 metters away on a chair and continued to read vocaly . Then she came out and start eating her pellets also drank lots of water . I was like ” OK atleast shes eating and drinking with super will and she knows how to use the bottle and everything . She was pooped all over her cage wich is good . Then i tryed to REALLY slow stand up so i can go to the WC and she just rushed inside the wooden house . I said to myself ok … its normal .. afterall shes really new to everything . Then i watched tv on rly low and she started to do that fast movements all around her cage like she was sprinting  around . Then i stand to get myself some water and she again bolted in the wooden house .  Everytime i stand for anything .. no matter how slow i do .. she goes inside and hide   Im not even looking at her cage .. so i do not stress her . But i can never stand up ..

Also i did refill her pellet bowl and she went hiding again .. then she came out to eat .. doesnt she gets i am the on that refilled her bowl so i wants only good for her . I dont have “CAT” expectations .. nor i want .. i just want her to not be scared of me when i show after work or when im moving around not even looking at her eyes   

Now i know its 2 soon for her but .. when im siting and watching something shes eating , drinking , running .. everything …  when i stand she went inside the wooden house …when i go to refill hay , pellets , water … she hides. Then i went to sleep and i said to myself , she will e hungry in the morning and she will wait for food , yes she was hungry …she smelled the pellet i showed to her with calmed and loving talks  but when i tryed to open the cage so i can actually refil her bowl .. she bolted and hid inside and watched my hand from there .. then when i closed she stayed like 5 mins inside and went out to eat again ….

Thats sad  i dont want her to be scared , im not trying to pet or lift her .. i dont even look at her eyes when im refiling .. i just sweet talk , looking on the other side and refill stuff … im 100% sure when i get home from work later , she will hide as soon as she hear the main door of my apartment . And she will thinks , ” please please he is not comming to harm me , and she will want to see me go away ” but in the same time i will go to refill food water everything and she will stay scared again  WTF really  

I know i have to spend time on the ground close to the cage but honestly .. i prefer to be 3-4 meters away coz when im that away and watching movie shes out sprinting and eating , as soon as im trying to stand up or get close to the cage on 4 feet … so i can be on her level , she goes inside the wooden house and stays there … no matter how long i stay there read and do stuff she will stay inside unless i move atleast 3-4 meters away and do my stuff away from her … So how can i get and became close to her when as soon as she HEARS im comming no matter if im going other direction not looking at the cage she runs . I can HEAR clearly that she goes hiding no matter im not looking at her . Shes not stressed , she eats and sprint .. she just went hiding mode when hear me walking , comming or going . And how can i refill her stuff without stressing her if everytime i open the cage he sprint and hide . Whats worse i think that wooden corner little house i should never place there . Becouse sometmes i goes for water and on purpose not looking at the cage and goes other direction and can hear her sprint inside and hide … SHE DOESNT EVEN SEE THAT IM NOT GOING FOR HER OR CLOSE TO THE CAGE ..BECOSE SHE HIDES INSIDE THAT HOUSE . It seems that little house will make her more calmed when inside but i dont want a bunny that live in illusion that shes safe there .. and never get use to me .. i prefer no place to hide for her so she can actually see that not every my FOOTSTEP is towards her cage and im not even looking at her … and she will get use to it fast than if there is a house that i currently have inside the cage Point is i cant remove that already , she already so used to hide there …HELP SOMEHOW   ” 

She is healthy , no eyes problems , no nail problems , no dental problems or poop ones. She doesnt have viruses and she is perfectly healthy and energy bunny . She got the best face ever , i find her so so sweet and im ready to not look at her even 5 days if it helps but i just dont want her to be afraid of me … nothing more ..but so far she hides when HEAR steps no matter if those steps are towards her cage or other place ..  

[JackRabbit]

It may take her a couple of weeks to settle in and get used to the strange new sounds and smells so hang in there. Once she’s settled in, you should have more luck sitting near her cage, etc. I’ve had my lops for a year and 8 months, and they still run for cover when someone comes in their room unannounced — just this morning, I had just left their room and turned to go right back in and forgot to turn the light on or say anything and they bolted into their tunnel as soon as they saw movement. These are the same bunnies that were just trying to climb up my legs minutes earlier!

[Lorraine]

I also start wondering .. WHAT IF ( i know she should get used to her private space and feel comfy before i let her explore around ) BUT
what if i try to open the cage and simply put a wooden bridge so she can go outside and
i simply start watch movie . The idea is .. i know its early and dont want to do it coz i want
to rush or anything but just if she see that even outside im doing nothing to her .. than she may not
feel the need to hide when im simply refiling bowls , water , hay .. whatever

[JustineT]

I definitely wouldn’t worry Your bun will get used to you.

Willow was very skittish around us at first and it took her time to learn that we were nice and brought her treats. Even after 3 years, and being incredibly social, she’s still a weirdo sometimes: we can be watching an action movie with shootouts and she’ll be relaxed, but if I cough or my husband moves his leg after an hour of both of us being silent during the film, she flips out and runs. Your bunny just isn’t used to you yet and the sounds you make. Try not to be too quiet around her. We continued doing normal activities and she became very used to us. The quiet and then sudden noise seems to be what’s the most alarming sometimes, especially early on.

Our rabbit was given a small corner of the kitchen and her cage when we first got her and after a few months, her access slowly spread until she had the whole house for herself… We were actually caged in more than her at one point when we started expanding her space!!

[Lorraine]

Ok shes a little more trusting already , watching me at the gate of the house and even run inside when i am 1 feet away from the cage … still when i open to refill she goes inside and stays there … so i have now another problem and i want suggestion .
1st i know atleast week or 2 she should stay inside ! In same time another suggestion is to never clean with bunny inside … especially easy frightening one like mine !!!
So ?? The floor is covered with zilions of drops and i can even hear how they roll when she running coz they are loads!
So … i cant lift her … she wont go on her own im pretty sure .. given the fact she hides when im refiling food bowl so im far to think she will want to show outside …
So how am i supposed to clean the cage of 5 weeks old , easy scaring bunny when i am not allowed to lift nor clean when ahe is there coz that way she wont feel secure anymore when inside ?!
And if u tell me to clean while she is hiding inside the corner house let me tell you .. i have to lift that house coz there are lots of dropings inside that 2 ! So what now ?

[Author]

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