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Hi!
So, this is my first time to the website, and I’m hoping to find some answers for some of my rabbits more peculiar habbits.
Ollivander is about 7 months old blue grey lop eared bunny who is very sweet and affectionate. He has recently reached sexual maturity, and as my hands and feet were being constantly courted, I decided to get him spayed. Since then, the humping has minimised, but he still seems just as infatuated as he was before. He follows me everywhere when we are home together and seems to want to be constantly petted, or recognised. Its even gotten to the extent that when I go to the bathroom, he will follow me there, and when I have a bath, he will constantly check up on me.
This behaviour wouldn’t bother me so much if he didn’t concern me in regards to his eating. He has a specific spot where his food is, to encourage littler training, with a mixture of hay, greens and pellets. A lot of the time, when I bring the food to this area, he seems excited and begins to eat. The minute I leave, he chases after me. I’m worried that this will eventually become a big problem for my little man! Is there anything I can do?
The second question I have, is in regards to his insistence to share food. I will be enjoying something and Ollivander will hop up onto the lounge – or me, and demand that we share whatever it is that I am eating. If I don’t give it to him, he will take it for himself from the bowl and hop away to eat, only to come back for seconds. I have tried to push him away when he does this, but he is so persistent that I eventually cave. So far, this has included pistachios, plain salt potato chips, premium biscuits, and as of tonight – trying to take maltesers from my mouth as I ate them.
This is my first house bunny, and although he is absolutely beautiful, and I love our relationship and his little eccentricities, I would prefer to be able to have the maltesers to myself. Any advice is more than welcome!
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Welcome to you and Ollivander.
First, it sounds like you may have gotten him the neuter within the last month. Is that the case? It takes at least 4 weeks for the hormones to settle down in a speutered rabbit, and especially in males, they sometimes have a final surge of hormones before it stops completely. It would account for his continued amorous behavior. After that, it’s just personality, and it sounds like he is bonded to you and loves you.
But the food stealing is more serious. You need to stop caving in to his cute theft. He cannot eat those foods you do, and they are not even acceptable treats. If you want him to get into the habit of eating his meals at the right time, you can stay near him for now until he eats it. Don’t expect a bunny to finish a bowl of food like a dog does. They graze, and some small quantity of pellets can last most of a day at times. So he may be eating his fill for that time before he chases after you.
Check out the Info section at the top of the BB site here for the drop down menu for Diet information. There will be a list of the right foods, and quantities, which you can print out as a guideline. Keep your bunny fed with healthy foods to avoid digestive illnesses, blockages, and obesity. When he begs, you can give him a tiny treat, like a raisin, and have routine treat times daily that he can learn. I use the Oxbow Veggie Treats among many others, which are made of good hay as well as other ingredients that are healthy for my bunny. He will live a long and healthy life if you start him off right.
Bunnies are really smart, and creatures of habit. Getting both Ollivander and you used to good habits will last you for the next decade.
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