Adopted bunny terrified of me

[JustAskingAQuestion]

Hello!

I recently adopted  a bunny (1 Year old Female lop). Her previous owner was loving and just couldn’t keep her anymore, I adopted her and it all started great. She was even doing binkys and flopping near me after a day or so!

But her owner did mention she hates being picked up (and that sounds obvious but I soon found out what she meant)

after having her for a week or so I let her roam around while I was getting ready for work and she wouldn’t get back in her cage, I tried treats, waiting near, trying to lure her back with hay. She just wouldn’t go. So eventually it got to the point where I would be late if I didn’t get her in there, so I picked her up and she FREAKED OUT, I’ve owned many bunnies before and I’ve never seen such a bad reaction from being lifted. I did everything I could’ve to make it not a terrifying experience. But she clawed me so bad I started bleeding.

 

anyways she wouldn’t come out of her cage after my shift and seemed scared,

 

the very next day she chewed the zipties keeping the baby barrier around my bed up. And went under

my bed it too low to the ground to go get her so I had to lift it up, and it’s around 150lb~
I started getting tired and had to grab her.

I couldn’t leave her down there because there was some toxic stuff that she couldn’t chew on and same extremely negative reaction.

 

lastly her nails are extremely long (from her last owner)

and I needed to trim them, I know how and have never had a problem or issue, until today. She was ok when I satrted

then randomly squirmed and her mail got caught in my shirt and ripped off.

now she’s terrified of me, I’ve never had these problems before and I feel so gross and bad.

 

idk how to repair our relationship if it’s even possible. I hate that I’ve hurt her and don’t know what to do. Any advice appreciated

[DanaNM]

Aww I’m sorry you’re having a rocky start. I’m sure she will forgive you!

I would just go back to the bonding basics with her. Minimize handling, and spend lots of time with her. Get her area and your room set up so she can come and go from her pen without handling, and block of trouble areas that could cause issues. Having a routine will help. For example I always feed my buns their pellets and salad in their pens, so I can use that to get them to go back in.

I’m sure the initial issues are all just because she is so new. If  her nails are really bad, you could always have the vet do them for now, so the vet can be the “bad guy”, and you can get back on good terms with her.

Using a towel to bun-ritto her might also help if she is really squirmy.

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

Yes! I highly recommend associating her pen with being fed. It’s helpful to time things so they are getting pellets or salad at a time when you want them to go “home”.

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