Help!

[Willow_Bunny]

Willow lives in a ‘retriever’ sized x-pen where she has plenty of room to play when I’m not home, she has unlimited hay, good quality pellets, and over 3 hours of floor time daily. I guess my problem is that I’m struggling to set boundaries for her while building a bond with her. I got her July and since then we have had several good moments where she let’s me pet her but she will not be held and often when I come into the room or move to remove her from a naughty place she’ll run and kick ‘dirt’ at me. She’ll even thump at me if she gets frustrated at what I’m doing.

I have several bunny proofs around my room blocking her from chords and from going under my bed. When she’s having floor time I feel like she obsessed over these areas. No matter how many toys are available to her. She’ll chew on the metal blockades, dig and several other annoying behaviors. Recently I brought home some cardboard tube from work (they are big enough for her to crawl through) and set them up the length of the metal but she is still obsessive. I guess it’s silly of me but I feel as though whenever I say no or take measures to bunny proof she becomes aggressively obsessive. I want to help her enjoy her life instead of focus on the things she can’t have. How do I do this and still gain her trust?

Also, she is not spayed yet. I’m currently going through a financial struggle lately and those plans have been put on hold until I can get things cleared up (1-2months).

Thanks!

[litheandgraphic]

Isn’t that typical of bunnies? The thing that’s out of their reach is the thing they want most. Rabbits have an insatiable curiousity, is the problem here. You may have to let her figure out that she’s never going to get to those blocked off areas. Is there any chance of her moving the blockades on her own? I find Theodore is way more interested in something if he thinks he has a chance of actually getting to it, whereas if he sees that there’s no way, he’ll give up.

As for the bonding and earning her trust, there are a couple things you can do. Firstly, try not to pick her up so much. Most rabbits abhor being picked up anyway, as the only time they’re being picked up in the wild is when they’re about to be someone’s lunch! It’s an unnatural and scary feeling for many rabbits, and some just never take to being picked up. Obviously you should know HOW, with the football hold or even a bunny burrito if absolutely necessary, but try to avoid this. It sounds like she’s a little scared of you because of this. Instead, try luring her to where you want her to go with healthy treats, or discourage her from going certain places by spraying vinegar around those areas or by snapping your fingers and/or clapping your hands and saying “No!” when she goes there. You could even try the vinegar for those areas she’s obsessed with.

It sounds like you need some more time of sitting quietly and ignoring her until she comes over to you. Offer her some rewards (treats) for coming to you and feed them by hand, and let her figure out that you’re not so scary.

[Pipje]

This is completely normal. I have a great bond with my pair, but if I dare interrupt the “under the sofa digging time” I get growls and lunges. Then a few minutes later they let me pet them and they purr, it’s just their way of communicating ‘no’.

Bunnies like projects, mine are currently obsessed with getting on top of the computer processor to just sit there, that’s literally what they want do, and even though it’s all blocked off they will sit and stare at it from every angle before trying to find a way to jump/climb up or “dig” under (can’t dig up a hard floor but tell them that!). Blocking it off seems to make it more tempting for them to try and find a way in. They are quite smart and seem to enjoy a good challenge, and they usually find a way! Whenever I chase them away from here I also get the foot flicks of annoyance haha.

This is just bunny behaviour and you learn to love it, or tolerate it for the cuteness
Also, most bunnies never like being picked up.. ever. So don’t worry about that. Only pick her up when you have to, and don’t try and pick her up for cuddles because to pet her you should lie or sit on the floor with her, that’s what they like.

Whenever mine are hyper and in the crazy mood where all they want to do is dig and get into the blocked off areas, I just sit on the floor and they usually end up more curious about me instead, so they come over and I can pet them and that also calms them down.

[Willow_Bunny]

Thanks for all the replies!

I try to make it to where she cannot knock them down. Zip ties have been my friends through this all!

Just to clarify, though, I don’t make it a habit to pick her up. Some of the time she does come to me for pets and generally does like me, I think. I only pick her up when she gets into potentially dangerous areas, and believe me she finds those faster than I can.

[Flopsie]

I just want to echo the previous statements. If you bun isn’t allowed to do something best believe he or she will spend their time trying to do that one thing. Every place I have blocked off or restricted has become an obsession for my bun to get into. I almost feel like its a calling of hers to show me up.

Nevermind all the other open areas, toys or things that I have for her, the forbidden fruit is the most desirable.

[Author]

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