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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 personality or just not used to me?

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    • jordan
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        Hi! So i just got my first bunny a couple days ago and i have some questions. He is a lionhead and 1.5 years old.

        I left him in his cage for a couple days so he could get used to smells sounds etc. Yesterday i took him out and he is terrified of being picked up! Once i have him he loves being held. I can walk around the house with him and he doesnt move. He will also sit on my lap while i brush or pet him. If hes wandering around the house and i walk towards him, he bolts! I have to follow him around and catch him when he doesnt expect it so i can put him in his cage! I know its only been a couple days, so is he just not comfortable around me yet or is this normal? I feel so horrible scaring the sh*t out of him but then hes totally calm in my arms. He was also digging on me while sitting on my lap today, whatsup with that?!

        Thanks


      • Pomandcourt
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          Bunnies don’t typically LIKE to be picked up. Some tolerate it because they want the snuggles or if they’re in a good mood. Sometimes my girl will let me scoop her up and carry her and other times she’ll bolt. Depends on her mood at that exact moment.

          They’re prey creatures so they can be easily startled. My girl greets me every morning and when I get home from work, but if I get up in the middle of the night for a glass of water she’ll either come at me for treats/pets or she’ll freak out and scurry behind furniture. If I’m sitting in the living room sometimes slightly shifting position scares them half to death, but they’re perfectly happy running around my feet as I clean and move cook.

          Basically, it’s normal for them to freak out occasionally. Just try and minimize it by not sneaking up on them and respecting their space when possible.

          Is it possible to herd him back to his cage so he can hop in himself and you won’t need to lift him? If so, do that when possible as it’s less upsetting and will help build trust.
          The bolting is not always fear related. Mine sometimes do it as a game, running around and around objects, while stopping to make sure I follow. It’s cute, but tiring when you just want them to go to their room.

          For the digging, you should put him down when he does that. Generally, they’re digging at you to show their annoyance. Try sitting him next to you or between your legs on the floor instead of in your lap all the time. As you both get to know each other, it’ll be easier to tell when he’s receptive to be picked up and he’ll be more trusting.


        • kmurphy
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            Most of the time when they seem calm in your arms, it is because they are afraid. They can’t run or hide so the next best option is to freeze. Now this isn’t always the case but from what you are describing your little one is still afraid of you. You can generally tell if they are afraid when they are held by paying attention to their heart rate as well as their eyes. The heart rate will be increase and eyes wide if they are “frozen” when picked up.

            I agree with Pomandcourt, maybe you should find a way to allow your bunny to hop in and out of the cage without you having to pick him up. I know some people struggle getting their bunnies back into their cages, but my bunny is super food motivated and knows that he will get a few timothy pellets if he goes in his pen.


          • LittlePuffyTail
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              Most bunnies, even those that really love their people, hate being piked up. That just comes with being a prey animal.

              A couple of days is still very early in your relationship. Trust and a bunny/person bond takes time. Make sure to spend lots of time at his level.


            • jordan
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                I have him out right now. He was fine when I picked him up from his cage then I sat him on my bed with some treats which he ate out of my hand Hes hopping around my bed right and comes over to me, when i pet him he just stays still, but when hes on the ground and i try to pet him he just runs away. I will try getting him back into his cage without picking him up!


              • Pomandcourt
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                  If you reward him and use specific cues each time you herd him back to his cage, he’ll start to do it without too much fuss.

                  I’ve trained my little bunnies that “go to your room” and “bedtime” means a piece of apple or carrot if they go to their cage. Typically they hop over and wait for a treat without too much fuss.


                • Berea
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                    Most rabbits will only tolerate being held at best. I don’t think you should pick them up unless you have to. Don’t hold him just because you want to. Digging at you is not a good sign, nor is bolting when you approach him. It’s not unlikely that he’ll decide he doesn’t like you if you keep doing things that scare him.

                    If you want to bond with him, sit down on the floor next to him. Slowly move your hand toward his head. Make sure he can see you so he isn’t startled. Stroke his forehead.

                    Rabbits are prey animals, and typically very shy with new owners. Don’t go from 0 to 10 with him. Be gentle and don’t rush bonding. I wouldn’t recommend holding him anymore.


                  • jordan
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                      I dont just pick him up and hold him, I have had him on my bed a bunch of times now, he just hops around and i pet him and stuff, he eats food out of my hand when hes on my bed. I have tried luring him to his cage with treats and he just wants to run around. any other idea on how to get him back in there? ive just had to follow him around and pick him up when I get the chance to.


                    • BB & Tiny
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                        My vet actually recommends picking them up once a day so that if you do need it’s not a complete foreign experience.

                        I used to have to play ” the shell game ” with BB when he used to run into his maze, or tunnel etc. Picking them up off the floor until I found him ! Recently he has clued in that if he goes into his pen he gets a cookie or even a piece of one.

                        Josephine doesn’t fall for the cookie, so I tend to go scoop her up if need be. So you can try working on the treat theory, but lets face it, sometimes we don’t have all day to wait for them to get in their pens/cage.

                        EDIT To be clear my regular veterinarian has a bunny of her own


                      • BB & Tiny
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                          My vet actually recommends picking them up once a day so that if you do need it’s not a complete foreign experience.

                          I used to have to play ” the shell game ” with BB when he used to run into his maze, or tunnel etc. Picking them up off the floor until I found him ! Recently he has clued in that if he goes into his pen he gets a cookie or even a piece of one.

                          Josephine doesn’t fall for the cookie, so I tend to go scoop her up if need be. So you can try working on the treat theory, but lets face it, sometimes we don’t have all day to wait for them to get in their pens/cage.


                        • vanessa
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                            I agree with everyone here. They don’t like being picked up, but it is neccessary, and a good idea to do it regularly, but only for short periods. Not to pick him up and hold him and carry him around, just pick him up and put him down on the bed, or in his free run area, and back in his cage at night. When he realizes you are bot trying to hold him, he will tolerate it. Appearing calm is definitely fear. When I first got my bunnies, they were all petrified of being picked up. So I ushered them into a box and transported them. After that, I did start picking them up. I had to wrap them in towels to keep from getting scratched and bit. Guin is now super easy to handle. Lancelot was always easy to handle. Morgana is still petrified of being picked up. Avalon hates it, and I’ll work on getting him to tolerate it next.


                          • jordan
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                              I have only had him for a little over a week, I do understand that he needs to get used to me and thats why i feel so horrible chasing him around to get him back in his cage. Its like working backwards and I feel I will never gain his trust if I have to scare the crap out of him every day to get him back in his cage. I tried waiting today for him to get back in his cage on his own, which he did but then I walked over to put the lid back on and he bolted out. I am going to buy an exercise pen this week and sit in there with him so he can get used to me. There is no room in my house that doesnt have a place he can hide so sitting in a room on the floor and letting him sniff me isnt an option. Ive had him on my bed with me a few times as I said, when I go to pet him he doesnt run then he just lays down and gets scared but then 30 seconds later he will eat food out of my hand its so weird.


                            • BB & Tiny
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                                To be honest, I used to have to chase BB around the living room to put him away, so don’t worry to much. I wasn’t aware of this site and all the ” give your bunny space rules. ” I was always in his face, lol. Petting him and talking to him, scooping him up. It wasn’t until Josephine came that i stopped scooping him up and he didn’t need seem to want hours of pets anymore.

                                I was shocked when I did go to pick him up after a few months and he freaked out. Which is why I try to pick each of them up, so they aren’t terrified of being picked up. Mine aren’t the cuddly type and that is okay, they are cuddly enough in their own way.

                                By the way, yes, lol they do bolt rather quickly as if to say ” nah nah ” you weren’t quick enough, I’m loose again !

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                            Forum BEHAVIOR personality or just not used to me?