Don’t know if i should rehome my bunnies

[Rae]

I have two bunnies that were given to me two years ago. Their story is: The previous owners got the bunnies for their daughters who wanted nothing to do with them. They were left in a hutch 90% of yhe time and not held. Since i have had them, i have tried to hold them without much luck. They will freakout and scratch me up with their back legs trying to escape. I try to pet them while they are eating and they tolerate that for a little bit. They have moved out of yhe hutch and into my back yard. They love the freedom. I’m not sure if they are happy or not because i cannot get close to them. Not sure what to do. Love them lots but not sure uf I’m giving them a good life.

[Sleepy]

First off, thanks for taking them out of a bad situation.

Second, bunnies are prey animals. It can be hard to gain trust if they’ve been hurt before. There’s different accounts of how to do it but even just sitting there with them and ignoring them until they come see you is part of the process. It’s also worth keeping in mind they generally don’t like being picked up.

How much time are you spending with them? Do they spend time with you inside the house or are they just in your yard all the time?

[Doodler]

Hi there! Yes thank you for taking these bunnies in. It’s great that your main concern is that you are giving them a good life!!

When trying to make this type of decision I would recommend evaluating what you believe someone else would be able to provide for these bunnies that you can’t.

With bunnies, as with most animals in general, we honestly have to make compromises on what we may want or expect from them. Many people want cuddly animals that can be held but most rabbits don’t fit that description. Is there something specifically you are trying to get them used to be held for? I pick up my rabbits but only when necessary. Some rabbits don’t allow this at all so a workaround would be to teach them to hop into a box or carrier when you need to transport them. Just because they don’t let you hold them doesn’t mean they aren’t happy. If they only let you pet them when they are eating I probably wouldn’t pet them at all for right now. Tolerating something doesn’t mean they enjoy it. With that said you may be able to work with them to get them to enjoy this type of contact. Some bunnies end up never liking being picked up or pet and it’s just something we have to respect.

I know you said you don’t know if they are happy because you can’t get close to them. Is there anything specific that makes you think they might not be happy? Since you have had them for two years is there something that has changed that makes you think this? You say they love the freedom so that sounds promising. I also wanted to clarify their living situation because you said they moved out of the hutch and into the backyard. Do you mean they have free roam of the yard and that is where they live 24×7?

[DarthVadar]

Rabbits love to play in grass and dirt. I’ve never seen my bunnies happier than when I let them run outside. Since there are two of them, they keep each other company. If their previous owners neglected them, they probably want nothing to do with people. Here’s some ways to tell if bunnies are happy: binkying, digging, running, ears up, flopping, self and mutual grooming, and cuddling.

[Rae]

Sleepy, my bunnies come into the house when they want to and the spend time in my screened in porch. I try to spend a few hours a day with them but sometimes they just want to be left alone so i give them their space.
DarthVadar, my bunnies must be really happy because they have dug tunnels in a couple places and their ears are almost always up. They do groom each other as well. They are always together.

[DarthVadar]

They sound very happy; few buns have a better life than they have right now. More interaction with people is not always better. Rabbits can be very content with another rabbit friend and very little human contact, especially if the experience they have had with people is negative.
When you rehome a bunny, you never know who he will end up with and how he will be cared for. Rehoming should be a last resort.

[Rae]

Glad to know my buns are happy. Was a bit worried. Thanks the support.

[Author]

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