Advice needed for new bunny owner and her shy bunny!

[Alice in Wonderland]

Hi, me and my partner just got a Netherland Dwarf bunny called Henri a week ago and it’s been a tough time helping him to settle in.  He is 4 months old and not yet desexed.  We got him from a breeder and when we met him he was so friendly and loved being patted and the breeder said she handled him very often.  

Sadly I think the change of environment was very stressful for him and he stopped eating.  We got him checked out by a vet (another stressful car journey) and she said he is very healthy just very stressed.  He is now eating well but he is so scared of us that we have to put his food in the bedroom of his hutch because he doesn’t come out into his living area unless he is sure we aren’t around. If we catch him out of his bedroom he freezes and then bolts back into his bedroom. 

I’m trying to get as much advice as I can on how best to help him to settle in and learn to trust us.  I have been reading to him and we have sometimes been able to give him a small amount of celery from our hands as we give him fresh food and water in his bedroom.  Should we start letting him out into a pen with us (if he will even leave his hutch while we are around) so that he can approach us on his terms?  Or should we wait till he is at least comfortable enough for us to see him out in his living area?  I don’t want to push him too fast but I also want to make sure that we don’t make the situation worse by not socialising him enough, especially considering he was so tame and friendly at the breeders.   And I also want to make sure he isn’t cooped up in his hutch too long.  We intend for him to be practically free range in our home once he is used to us and litter trained!  Any advice is much appreciated!

[Sarita]

Welcome – I’m moving this to behavior.

[Deleted User]

Serious, what a cool username! And even more cool – your bunny’s name!!! My boy is named Henry!
If your bunny is going to be free range (my boy is free range 24/7 too), I would keep everything open while you and your partner are out an about, especially while you are sitting on the floor and let your Henri get used to his surroundings and you both, only putting him to bed (his house) while you are not able to supervise. It can take quite a while for your bunny to get/be comfortable with his new surroundings and you. I remember a year ago thinking ‘is this it’??? Not anymore!!! LOL! My Henry is everywhere!!! Be patient (honestly, it took us (me and my hubby) a year to get to this stage) and don’t hesitate to bribe him with treats (but not too many in a day), my hubby is Henry’s favourite cause he shares his banana (just a bit) with him everyday. SO NOT FAIR! Ha ha ha ha…..
AND don’t make ‘my’ mistake, and grab your Henri to pick him up, always let him come to you for affection. Again (sorry, I hope I’m not boring you) I remember trying to pat him and he ran away which really upset me, but I backed off and let him be – now he demands pats till my hand gets tired, ha ha ha! I only pick Henry up if I ‘have’ too, and we have the best relationship now.

Wishing you all the Henri bunny love. Cheers, Andi.

[Alice in Wonderland]

Ha ha that’s so cute!  I am really looking forward to getting to that stage where he wants to come to us instead of being afraid!  I’m glad to know that it’s pretty normal for them to be scared in the beginning, I know its a big change for him and I want him to be happy and binkying about the living room as soon as possible but I’m learning that you have to be patient with rabbits and give them the time they need! 

[litheandgraphic]

As someone who is also quite new to rabbits (Theodore is my first), I can sympathize with how hard it is to see your bun not immediately taken with his new surroundings and is not showing the personality you know s/he is capable of having! But not to fear. Rabbits, as you know by now, take time to adjust. It takes a while for them to become comfortable enough to trust you. But it sounds like you guys are doing the right things. I would start spending more and more time in the room with the rabbit, now that he’s eating. Just hang out in there and go about your business – don’t put too much attention on him. Just work at your computer or read to yourself for long periods of time. Bring some food like a healthy treat every time you come in, and he will start to learn to associate you with positive things. You don’t necessarily have to hand feed him every time, though once he’s more comfortable with you, hand feeding is a great way to bond.

As far as space goes, it is a good idea to leave him in the pen for a while until he feels secure in that area, so that he knows that he has a place to call his own. Letting him run around too much right now may be a bit daunting for him. I’d say give him a few weeks to adjust, or until he seems more comfortable. Once he starts coming up to the edges to greet you or isn’t bolting from you anymore, then you can start to let him roam a little bit and let him come to you – having more treats to hand feed will help here. Just give him space and time and soon enough you will see that wonderful personality of his blossoming. C:

Good luck and welcome to the forum!!

[Eepster]

Sit on the floor in a relaxed manner, and ignore the bunny. Read a book, play on a lap top (no cords,) do puzzles, whatever.

Share treats and eat socially with him. Sit eating apple slices or a banana, and hand him a slice.

Basically be another bunny.

[Alice in Wonderland]

Thank you all for your advice! He is improving every day, (he looks at me for a second now before hopping back to safety ha ha!) and we have bought a pen so we can start seeing if he will come out of his hutch to explore us and his new home!

[litheandgraphic]

Glad to hear he is beginning to come out of his shell! With a little time and patience, it sounds like you’ll have a lovely little bun.

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