Hi everyone! 

Almost a month ago my husband and I brought home 2 boy Holland Lops that were 7.5 weeks old from different litters, but the same breeder. One of them, Asriel, I feel hasn’t adjusted. He’s currently 11 weeks old. We’ve done literally everything we’ve been told/read to make him comfortable. I often wonder if he would have been better off staying with the breeder. 

Asriel isn’t aggressive. He just is always in a hunched position, and as far as possible from the cage door when it opens. Whenever we let him out to play he always bolts to the nearest hiding spot and doesn’t budge until it’s time to go back into the cage. There are very rare occasions when he binkies, jumps around the room, flops, or does the bunny 500. If my husband and I are on the couch ignoring him, he’ll get curious and start sniffing into things, and then tears up the carpet with his paws or teeth. He’s a very intelligent bunny. Learned to use the litter box within two days, learned exactly what time he gets fed, and knows our routine to a T. 

Like I’ve said, we’ve done everything we’ve read or have been told by the breeder. We sit on the floor with him at his level. We won’t reach out to pat him when he comes up to us. We’ve sat there with treats (oats and parsley are his favorite) and he won’t eat them until we go away. Sometimes he boops us, but then he quickly runs away as if he regretted that decision. Are we doing something wrong? 

I know bunnies aren’t supposed to be cuddly lap pets, and I’ve never had that expectation. I just want him to not hate me. I want to be able to show him a little love, just a rub on the back. 

His brother, Bombur, is the complete opposite. Bombur rushes up to the cage (they’re in separate cages) for pets and anxiously waits for his turn out. He will flop next to you for all the love you’ll give him. He’ll lick you if you let him. He explores everything and is constantly hopping around. 

I often times feel like we’re neglecting Asriel and giving Bombur so much love because Bombur wants it, and Asriel just never even wants to be in the same vicinity as us. We even spend tons more time with Asriel out of the cage to get him comfortable with us, and he’d much rather just stay in his cage all day.

Please help… honestly any advice will be appreciated at this point.