Looking for advice/need to rant

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 3sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 6 months ago by vanessa.

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- 01/05/2017 at 8:57 PM
  hrose123
  Participant
  15 posts
  Ok this post is like 50% rant and 50% looking for advice so it might get a little lengthy but hang in there because I could really use some help.
  
  Background: I live with three roommates (all girls and all college students) so when I was in the process of adopting I made sure to ask each of them if they were comfortable with me getting a rabbit and made sure no one was allergic and that sort of stuff. My one roommate got really excited with the prospect of having a bun around especially since she has her own rabbit back home she doesn’t see very often since she is from another country. I thought it was good to have her excited about the rabbit until I actually brought her home…
  
  Problem: Now every time I open my bedroom door (Luna stays in my room with me) my roommate is rushing in and getting in Luna’s face basically. Luna HATES this especially since it is usually at night when she is lounging about. I can immediately tell she is uncomfortable because she hops away and sits in her box looking POed as ever. When my roommate was just in my room Luna also took it upon herself to poop everywhere just to let me know how upset she was. It really makes me upset because my roommate is invading my space by entering my room without permission AND invading Luna’s space when she tries to force herself onto Luna by following her around and entering her play pen and even tries to pet her while Luna is in her hide-away box!! Poor Luna just wants to be left alone but my roommate just keeps bugging her. It’s to the point where I don’t even want to open my door when I know this roommate is out in the common area. I understand she probably misses her rabbit very much and things like that but Luna does not come from a good background and had very minimal human contact and when she did it probably wasn’t that pleasant so she is pretty solitary for the most part. Honestly I am lucky Luna even wants to be near me (and it took A LOT of floor time to gain our bond) and I hate stressing her out like that and making her feel unsafe in her own space.
  
  Question: How can I let my roommate know this makes both Luna and I uncomfortable without sounding rude? (I mean I do have to live her for a while). I almost just want to talk her into adopting her own bun but I really don’t think Luna would be happy with another rabbit in the apartment. There is also a bit of a language barrier and I think the major problem is she mentioned she’s had her rabbit since he was a little-bitty bunny so he is probably MUCH more tolerant of people and maybe she is just assuming all rabbits are like that? IDK I just hate stressing Luna out like this and just don’t know what to do about it. PLEASE HELP!!!
- 01/06/2017 at 9:23 PM
  Tay
  Participant
  105 posts
  that’s hard, maybe just try to tell her when she seems scared and suggest that she sit down and let her come to your roommate?
  Charlie’s terrified of everything – I step the wrong way and he’s freaked out so when my friends come over they’re always excited to see him (also all college students). Usually I’m just honest and say he’s scared of EVERYTHING and say “he doesn’t like if you go after him because he thinks you want to eat him hahaha…but if you sit on the floor and give him a few minutes he will probably come hop on your lap!”
  And people generally get the idea. Might be a little harder because it’s not your roommates first time hanging out with Luna, but could be worth a shot to suggest letting Luna warm up to her first.
  good luck!
- 01/06/2017 at 9:44 PM
  hrose123
  Participant
  15 posts
  Yeah I’ll have to give that a try. Usually when I don’t want her bothering Luna I just tell her she’s sleeping in her box but then my roommate takes this as “just shove your face and hand in her face and maybe if you shove lettuce in too she’ll like you!” hopefully if I tell her enough times she’ll understand but like I said there is a bit of a language barrier between us so that makes things a little tougher. Thanks for the help much appreciated!
- 01/06/2017 at 11:08 PM
  vanessa
  Participant
  2212 posts
  That is tough indeed. The language barrier doesn’t make it easier I think the key is explaining it frankly and honestly in a way that conveys what it means to the rabbit, not to you. The fact is – she doesn’t understand rabbit psycology, and is stressing out the bun. So I woudl find a way to word it that she understands it’s not that you don’t want to share your bun. It’s not about you, it’s about the rabbit. That rabbits aren’t social the way dogs are with us, it takes time to gain their trust, and they generally never like to have us in their face. I wouldn’t hold off or wait it out. I’t find a way to expres the bunny-psychology aspect of it, tell her you “appreciate her enthusiasm, but the bunny wants somt time and space to get to know her, just like it wanted time and space to get to now you.”. Invite her to join you in giving veggies to the rabbit, and tell her the rabbit woudl way prefer veggies from adistance, than face in her face. If she tells you that her bunny was sociable etc, tell her that each bunny is different.
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