am I un-taming my little boy bunny?

[Meg]

hi there!  

I know this will sound like a silly concern since most bunnies don’t like to be held, but I could swear that when I met my second bunny, a 3-month-old Lionhead boy, at the shelter last week, and in the first few days I had him home, he really didn’t mind!  He didn’t struggle at all when picked up or held, and would just nestle there sniffing you.  The day after I brought him home, even, I could just pick him up when he was lying down on in his pen and he didn’t even bother to sit up or anything; he was totally chill about it.  But in the past few days since then, he’s taken after my other bunny, a 1-year-old Dutch/Lionhead girl, in running away if I even *think* about trying to pick him up (I swear they can read minds), and struggling free right away if I manage to do it.  Am I doing something wrong?  I know I’ve been letting him run free around the exercise pen and the (small) apartment pretty early on, which is not recommended, since my buns are doing so well with bonding and are having so much fun playing together.  He is a very fearless and adventurous little cutie.  But I have to admit I was hoping that *maybe* if I kept handling him all along, he might retain his friendly, snuggly habits.  Is there anything I can do?  Or is he just overexcited by his new digs and his new girlfriend?  

thanks so much for your help,

Meg  

[BinkyBunny]

Bunnies may find comfort in you at first when they are not comfortable with their surroundings. My bunnies will try and get into my arms when I am at the vets office….but at home… FOHGET ‘BOUT IT!

And for your new bunny, that may have played a part – once the taste of freedom and exploration of new place comes into play , it takes priority most of the time. Also, your bunny is 3 months, and the hormones are probably starting to kick in and that “baby snugglefest” time could be moving into  the “All Four on the Floor” adulthood. Totally normal.

There are some bunnies though that are much more tolerant of being picked up and even a few who enjoy it. But if you do have one of those, I would suggest picking him up when he’s more calm and sleepy because right now life is just too exciting for him to be held when he is figuring out his new place and a new buddy!

[Meg]

Thank you so much, BinkyBunny! That makes a lot of sense. Also, he was just neutered about 2 weeks ago… so I’m hoping in another couple weeks he’ll stop doing so much smelly-poop marking? ; p

[Barbie]

Oooo thanks for asking that! I was wondering about that too! I got Leroy from the shelter almost 2 months ago (wow, it feels like I’ve had him forever!) and the first couple weeks he didn’t mind at all about being held, but now the bugger will run away from me if I even think about trying to pick him up (I agree they can definitely read minds! lol). He has a lot more freedom now than when he first came home, and he’s settled in, but I didn’t even think about the possibility that initially he wasn’t comfortable that was why he let me hold him, and now that he’s settled in, he’d rather be exploring and running around! I just assumed I was doing something wrong =(

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I totally agree with BB. Mine are total snugglers at the vet, and when I took two to do pet therapy you would not believe the kisses they gave me in that unfamiliar turf! But that’s what I was thinking-horomones and ‘I have running things to do mom-don’t touch me”

I find just sitting on the floor reading or on my laptop encourages them to come up for pets

[Barbie]

Oh yeah, when I’m sitting on the floor doing anything other than worshiping (petting) Leroy, he always comes over to see what I’m doing. He’ll head butt my arm or try to bite my laptop or book until I give him my undivided attention, and then when he’s “had quite enough, thank you” he’ll run off and do something else. Fickle little guy.

[SirThumpsey]

Binky Bunny- I have also noticed that Sir Thumps loves to try to jump into my arms when he’s at the vet but won’t do it while we’re home. When he was little he was okay with being picked up…and from what my sister tells me Halo LOVED being picked up when she was a baby. Once those hormones kicked in they both said: “Nuh-uh! Oh I don’t think so!”

I’m not sure why that happens but is an interesting occurence.

[Elrohwen]

When I first got Otto I was determined to pick him up a lot and get him used to it. For the first week or so, he let me pick him up any time in any position without a struggle. By the second and third week, he was struggling. Now, 4 months later, he won’t be picked up for anything. Oh well. I think as they get older and more comfortable in your house, they’re more likely to do what they want and not let you pick them up. Your bun’s behavior sounds very normal to me.

ETA: Otto tries to jump into my arms when my fiance is trying to pick him up for nail trims. I find it ironic that the stress of one person trying to pick him up causes him to jump into the arms of the other person  Too bad fiance is terrified to clip nails, otherwise we could probably trick him by me picking him up and fiance clipping instead of the other way around.

[Meg]

thanks, everyone! i really appreciate all this. i’m glad to know it’s not something I’m doing wrong. I’ve decided to just get to know my little bunny boy on his own terms… and right now I’m sitting on the floor with my laptop, as you suggested, and he’s coming by for pets!

thank you so much.

[bunnytowne]

I HAD  Cotton trained that I could pick him up when I needed to go brush him or the like.    Now with his lip and all this vet business he has started growling and boxing or running.  

I would approach him and say         I am going to pick you up   repeating pick you up    so he would know what is about to happen   once picked up I would give him a treat.

 

HE became very calm  about it not even putting up a fuss.   What he would do was move to another spot  for me to pick him up

Now he lost his training.    Drat.     Once this lip stuff is over and he realizes it  I am sure he will get back to the way he was

Maybe you could teach your bunnies too..     It may take a while   and your 3 month old may just be typical phaze and take longer.  Your older one should catch on in about a week.      Just practice 2x a day  and give a nice treat while you are holding them.    They should get the idea this isnt’ all that bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BinkyBunny]

Well, even if they only want us to hold them at the vets office, at least they seek us out for comfort, and that sure says alot. (or maybe they are stress bonding with us. LOL) But either way it’s not like my bunnies try to get into the vets or the techs arms. Their carrier is the place they want to hide but then after that, they just come over and put their front paws on my arms and say “HOLD ME, I’M SCARED!”, and snuggle in when I pick them up.

SirThumps – I don’t know for sure why bunnies aren’t as cuddly when they reach sexual maturity and adulthood, but I think it is just that their hormones are telling them they must go out and compete, fight, mate and protect. And with that they must become alert to predators which may make prey extincts kick in even more which makes them feel more uncomfortable with being held. Also, I am guessing that their instincts are telling them to get to know their surroundings, keep checking for anything new, go explore! All of which helps them feel safe as again prey instincts encourage them to know their territory well so they have a better chance of escape.

Meg – yes, that stinky musky skunky smell will definitely get better. It takes about a month to six weeks for the hormones to die down.
The only other time that a bunnies urine and poos get extra smelly is during bonding, when they purposely add a scent to the poos, and may urinate more to mark.

[bunnytowne]

OH yes those scented poos.    Cotton still leaves some on me when he digs on my shirts but he hasn’t done that in a while.

[Author]

Messages