Adopted Bunny Doing Amazing

[BobbiBunnisbaristamomma]

My first thought is that I am amazed at how wonderful my bunny is doing. He is nice and isn’t chewing on anything, or getting into things.  I have him in a side room that is half full with my art desk/studio things.  He doesn’t seem to be litter trained but he hasn’t had a lot of accidents. One pee accident in the week I have had him.  He has pooped three/four times but that was right after eating greens.  

I have to wonder when the chewing and being curious will take the next step?  What is normal behavior and bad behavior? I feel like I adopted an angel. that just wanted a wonderful owner (slave lol) that gives him the space, food and time he really needed.  

[DanaNM]

Welcome, congrats on the new bun!

Hahah hard to say! Some buns are just perfect little angels, some get more destructive when they hit puberty, sometimes they get more curious and mischievous as they settle in. Time will tell though!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Q8bunny]

As Dana said, time will tell. But it IS possible that you got an angel. They’re out there. One’s snuggled up next to me as I type.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Knock on wood I’d say I think he needs to get used to his new surroundings, many buns are shy and need time to adapt to changes.

Do you know how old Bobbi is, and if he’s fixed? Rabbits can have pretty bad puberties with a lot of hormonal behaviour. It’s difficult to get them properly litter-trained when still intact, because they’re going to leave territorial markers. This marking also happens when they’re in a new place, if you put their poop back into their litter box they’ll get the message soon enough. If a rabbit keeps going in one spot you can also put a second litter box there.

There is a very good site about rabbit behaviour and body language: http://language.rabbitspeak.com
You can also copy that body language to communicate with your rabbit (out of sight of everyone else, before the neighbours start making phonecalls )

[Sr. Melangell]

Yes Ellie out of sight of neighbours lol.

[Rabbitpossm]

I second what Ellie said! Sully was a precious angel when I first got him. He was about 7 months and I took him home from the sanctuary as soon as he had healed up from his neuter. For the first few months he wouldn’t chew anything and spent more time snuggling with me than running around during his roam time. But slowly over the last few months he’s gotten a bit more rascally. He’s becoming a regular ol teenager. Cords and clothes are no longer safe from him and he started digging and such. It did also take him some time to feel comfortable enough in his new space to explore and be curious.

In terms of bad behaviour, I’d say the main thing to look out for is biting. Rabbits bite to communicate and groom (tugging fur.) A common problem with buns if biting for one of these reasons, not necessarily out of aggression with intent to harm, but they don’t understand how much pressure is acceptable and that it hurts us hoomans. If this starts just squeal and move away to let him know that it hurts. Sully is a frequent nipper when he wants attention or thinks I’m in his way (because of course the rabbit always has the right of way…) but he’s learned to do it lightly.

[Rabbitpossm]

Also Sully easily litter trained, however there’s always a few stray poops in his pen that I don’t think will ever change. I know that sometimes poops fly out when he excitedly jumps out of his litter box, so I’m not sure if they’re all from that or if he just feels like he needs to keep a few poops around. The first few months he had trouble with pooping around my room, just a one here and there, but he’s recently gotten good about that and it’s only in his pen.

(mind you, there was the time that he jumped out of the shorter pen I was first borrowing, left a neat little mountain of poops on my bed, and then jumped back into his pen when I was gone all day at school. He left a very poignant message for me that I was gone for way too long for his liking.)

[Q8bunny]

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