There’s nothing unusual about your rabbit. People will post pics and videos of their rabbits acting fine in unusual situations, but keep in mind that those are the exception, not the rule. People don’t post about their rabbit freaking out in a stroller because it doesn’t make for cute social media content. Most rabbits won’t like being put in situations like that, and I would bet that even the ones that seem fine are actually just too scared to move. For example, I’ve seen videos of rabbits being put in a pool. They’ll just stay totally still and float around. Looks funny and cute to people who don’t know better, when in fact that rabbit is terrified.

By the way, I wouldn’t recommend you take your bun out on a leash, especially since you know you have hawks in the area. A hungry hawk won’t be discouraged by your presence, and once it grabs your bun it’s already too late. There’s nothing you can do except engage in a tug of war, which would leave your rabbit fatally injured at best. Leashes themselves are dangerous, if the rabbit starts to panic for whatever reason it can get tangled and break it’s back or legs. We’ve heard many such horror stories here unfortunately. X-pens are a great way to allow your bun some outside time if you want to, always supervised of course, and with a cover to keep the hawks away. 🙂

One thing to keep in mind is something you mentioned, which is if you did a video, it wouldn’t turn out that way…. The people who have rabbits who are not that way are not going to post those videos/pictures. In short, there’s a close to 100% hit rate because people self-select into publishing that stuff. They can, because their rabbits have those inclinations. It definitely makes sense that we might translate that to “most rabbit must act like this”, but that’s definitely not the case! We can probably better conclude that social-media friendly rabbits are those that stick around.

I don’t see the “fleeing” behavior you mention as being abnormal or signs that you are a bad owner. Rabbits are prey animals, so being confined or transported against their will will naturally make them want to flee.

I agree 100% with others that your bun is normal! II also refer to my bunnies as gremlins LOL

There are some very prominent rabbit youtube channels that I don’t think portray what most rabbits are like at all, and often promote what I consider to be pretty dangerous activities, without giving any real context or disclaimers. Rabbits are territorial, so they tend to be most comfortable in their home turf. Some do enjoy having some time outside (for example, @Dface’s bunny Moink practically demands garden time), but it’s not strictly necessary, and some seem to hate it! When I would take Bun Jovi to hoppy hours he would just sit in a hide and pout until we went home. The world can be very scary for a rabbit, as they are prey animals. In unfamiliar environments their survival instincts kick in.

Having just driven cross country with 4 bunnies that all have very different personalities, I feel more confident in saying that most bunnies are not “adventure buns” that like to be brought to new places. Even my most outgoing and friendly rabbit showed signs of stress, although they were more subtle.

Each bunny has a different personality, and will have different ways they like to interact with you.

I don’t think you can spoil a rabbit by giving too much space, but I also know some rabbits always want to go in the areas they aren’t allowed in (the grass is always greener). I like to make sure my rabbit’s home turf (the area they spend most of their time in) is at least 12 sq ft, and then they get to roam in a much larger area (like a whole bunny proofed room) for several hours a day. Adding tunnels, hides, and things to climb on will also make the area more exciting. If they are well-behaved during free-roam time, you may consider allowing them to access to that space all the time.  How much space does your bun currently get for exercise time, and for how many hours?

It sounds to me like you are mostly wanting to find ways to bond with your bunny. For a very active bunny, I think clicker training is one of the best ways to engage. For a calm and more timid bunny, they might like it best when you just spend quiet time on the floor with them.