It sounds like you are giving him a great new home and just need to establish some basics.
First, I would say get him to a vet (an ‘exotics’, and check the links we have above or in other pinned posts on help finding the right vet in your area) for a basic checkup. He needs to get a clean bill of health, or you will want to let the pet store know that they sold you a sick bunny. I am not suggesting you return him, just might need to negotiate a refund of $ if he needed vet attention and that was why he was returned the first time.

That said, assuming he’s healthy (he sounds it), he will need a couple of weeks to explore his new home, his new family, and establish routines. Bunnies thrive on routine, so you want to give him the recommended basics of food (not body weight. Just about a cup of greens 2x daily, unlimited hay, and 1/4 cup pellets. Unlimited clean water, too.) Don’t change his food more than trying a new green once a week or more. Let him find what he likes and stick to it to get him comfortable with a steady digestion. He probably doesn’t eat the hay because he had those sweet treat things before, and you want him to learn to like good stuff.

I do want to caution you about limits with your 4 year old. It should be supervised sessions with him. A little child doesn’t know how to pet gently and not to try something if on their own, but can do very well if you have little short bonding sessions among the three of you.

Also, his habitat is his safe place – it’s never a cage to him. He will go there for security and explore his way out slowly. That includes exploring you. Bunnies don’t like to be held usually or for long, so just sit on the floor with him and read or watch TV and ignore him. Hide a small treat in your hand or pocket. He will get curious and come over to you, where he will enjoy being petted by you more. You will see his behavior become more relaxed soon, but more like in weeks than in days. He will soon learn that you are the source of food, comfort, and companionship. You’ll see him blossom.

Also, I have a 3yo Jersey Wooly we just had her spayed Jan 16th. She is a lot more human friendly since. Still shy, but, not as skittish. I think the hormone change calmed her down. Don’t expect a bunny to be like a cat and love to be petted, it will take a long time to build trust. My 2yo grandson can walk right up and pet her, but, adults, no way, and I’m about the only adult who can get close enough to pick her up. Rabbits are skittish, but, give em time, be nice, and he’ll come around.

Oh, and Velvet will growl, and grunt if scared, but, she’s never tried to bite anyone, AND her and our 8yo female cat are in love, although both are spayed, they are best buds!

My lionheads were timid also. I just sat on the floor and they eventually would come up and jump in my lap. I just repeated come here, wanna treat and now they come running now. It took a while, a lot of patience. I also brushed them every day, played with their feet, then gave them a treat, to get used of brushing and being handled. I also put them in my small bathroom so they had to run over me. when I gave them too much space, they would avoid me. getting your bunny fixed will probably help with hormones too.

Rabbits personalities vary. My Powder is very cuddly and will lay down in the bed, or the floor and be petted for hours if your arm doesn’t get tired before then. He’ll take kisses on top of the head, just don’t touch his mouth / tummy/back legs and he’s fine pretty much. Though he still doesn’t like being held, but that is normal for bunnies since they are prey animals. Stickers however, is skittish and won’t let me touch her 95% of the time, she’d rather I lay on the floor and ignore her so she can crawl over me. What your bun prefers will take time to learn and you just kinda have to accept them for who they are.

Posted By Laurab on 02/09/2013 01:48 PM

Hmm, shall i stop giving him fruit for breakfast to try and get him eating more hay? 

Rabbits don’t need fruit in their diets because of the high sugar content. You can give it to him as a small treat, but he certainly doesn’t need it for breakfast!What kind of vegetables are you feeding him? Rabbits should have about one cup of vegetables per four pounds of body weight, hay 24/7, and about 1/8 cup of pellets.

Grapes are very high in sugar, so he should only have half at a time and then no other treats. We give our rabbits bits of fruits from time to time, but only a very tiny amount.

Here is a link from the RWAF that lists what foods are safe: http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/info-sheets/safefoods.htm

When he thumps does he seem panicked; are his ears up, how is his breathing? Some rabbits do thump if their owners or directing them somewhere else because you disrupted part of a routine that to them seems normal.

Also have you tried putting anything on top of that patch of carpet? We redirect our rabbits by offering them a blanket to dig at and if there is a specific spot we put a box on it, so they can chew and dig in that.

I want to first say congrats on your new bunny. He sounds like he just needs some time to settle in. I got my Olivia from a similar situation: she was at a pet store and I felt sorry for her, they said she was bought and returned. It took well over a year for her to bond with me and enjoy being pet. A lot of bunnies do enjoy being pet but it has to be on their terms. Both my bunnies love to be pet and hugged, as long as I’m on the floor and I leave them on the floor. It often takes a long time for a bunny to be this bonded with their human. You have to remember, you have no idea how he was treated in that other home. If they returned him so easily, they certainly were not a loving and patient home.

I ditto, Pam that you should get him in for a vet checkup when you can.

If you haven’t already, there is lots of great advice for new bunny owners here on the BB site in the Bunny Info section.