How to properly bond with new rabbit.

[Mihawkz]

Hello everyone my girlfriend surprised me yesterday with a pet bunny.

It’s a male dwarf bunny i have no idea what it’s final shape is going to be but it’s very beautiful and fluffy he is 6 weeks old.

He seems extremely intelligent and he seems very happy and settled at my home even though he is here for 3 days only.

Whenever i put him out he is happily running around exploring jumping from beds to beds and launching himself from side to another.

Whenever he binkies  he makes me so happy cause he is very very crazy especially for 6 weeks old.

Onto the main issue now even though he seems comfortable and happy in my home is extremely scared of me when i sit still he sometimes comes to explore me but other than that he is very passive or aggressive for instance once his playtime ended and i moved him back to his cage i have tried to hand feed him with small pellets but he was pushing my fingers away and he even tried to bite me.. Just to clarify i wasn’t forcing him to eat it the distance from his mouth was safe.. Other than that in order to pet him i have to put him at my lap otherwise he will just run away in fear.. I get it that i am a giant in front of him since im relatively tall and he is close to the size of my palm but i genuinely want to bond with him. I’ve had no issues with GF’s rabbit though her rabbit is 1 years old he loved getting petted from me eating from my hands doing tricks and also licking my fingers.. To conclude i understand he is only 3 days in my house and i am doing a lot of studying in order to be the best possible owner to this little lovely rabbit but i need your help with any kind of advice you can give me.. 

Thank you ^_^

[Luna]

First, I don’t know if I can take your word for it that your bun is “beautiful and fluffy” so you’re going to have to post a pic (or a few) to convince me . Second, try to make him feel secure during your bonding time. Instead of holding him in your lap, sit next to his cage and talk to him when he is in there. When he is out of his cage, try to get close to him by laying on your stomach. Put a small pile of pellets on the ground right next to you then acclimate to him eating out of your hand later.

[Mihawkz]

Posted By Luna on 10/26/2016 10:13 AM

First, I don’t know if I can take your word for it that your bun is “beautiful and fluffy” so you’re going to have to post a pic (or a few) to convince me . Second, try to make him feel secure during your bonding time. Instead of holding him in your lap, sit next to his cage and talk to him when he is in there. When he is out of his cage, try to get close to him by laying on your stomach. Put a small pile of pellets on the ground right next to you then acclimate to him eating out of your hand later.

<script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This is him  

Update he took a leak in my pillow which sucked if you ask me how can i teach him not to pee outside of his cage ?

[Mihawkz]

Posted By Luna on 10/26/2016 10:13 AM

First, I don’t know if I can take your word for it that your bun is “beautiful and fluffy” so you’re going to have to post a pic (or a few) to convince me . Second, try to make him feel secure during your bonding time. Instead of holding him in your lap, sit next to his cage and talk to him when he is in there. When he is out of his cage, try to get close to him by laying on your stomach. Put a small pile of pellets on the ground right next to you then acclimate to him eating out of your hand later.

There you go Luna this is him  

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Update he urinated my pillow which kinda sucks i’ve read he is doing that to mark a territory but i want him to pee inside his cage.

[Dface]

Patience is generally the main thing you’ll need. Try not to pull him into your lap to pet him, that will probably teach him to run away from you if he doesnt like being handled.
Rabbits like “hanging out” sit near him, be in the same room as him things like that.
Animals(and people) are trained best with positive reinforcement. Give your bunny something it likes when it comes near you.

All rabbits are different too! My boy I had since 8 weeks took months to get to the point where we were honestly close, but my female rabbit who I only got when she was a year old loved me from day 1. I didnt do anything different, he was just more independent.
They also show it in different ways.
He’ll sit near to me, or hang out in the same room.
She’ll want to be cuddled and petted.

[Mihawkz]

Posted By Luna on 10/26/2016 10:13 AM

First, I don’t know if I can take your word for it that your bun is “beautiful and fluffy” so you’re going to have to post a pic (or a few) to convince me . Second, try to make him feel secure during your bonding time. Instead of holding him in your lap, sit next to his cage and talk to him when he is in there. When he is out of his cage, try to get close to him by laying on your stomach. Put a small pile of pellets on the ground right next to you then acclimate to him eating out of your hand later.

This is him <3

View post on imgur.com

[Mihawkz]

Posted By Dface on 10/26/2016 11:33 AM

Patience is generally the main thing you’ll need. Try not to pull him into your lap to pet him, that will probably teach him to run away from you if he doesnt like being handled.
Rabbits like “hanging out” sit near him, be in the same room as him things like that.
Animals(and people) are trained best with positive reinforcement. Give your bunny something it likes when it comes near you.

All rabbits are different too! My boy I had since 8 weeks took months to get to the point where we were honestly close, but my female rabbit who I only got when she was a year old loved me from day 1. I didnt do anything different, he was just more independent.
They also show it in different ways.
He’ll sit near to me, or hang out in the same room.
She’ll want to be cuddled and petted.

I put him out of his cage he is a little devil he was running all over the house like it was a park he was binkying constantly like crazy he definitely can jump some distance. Moreover i’ve managed to hand feed him a grape and a treat other than that he doesn’t accept getting petted and he always runs away.. Lastly when i try to pick him up to put him in his cage he is scratching me hard with his back legs even though i support his bum with proper handing form… He is a very very crazy rabbit 

[Luna]

AHH he’s so cute! The words “beautiful and fluffy” don’t give him justice.

[Dface]

he took a leak in my pillow which sucked if you ask me how can i teach him not to pee outside of his cage

There’s lots of threads on here about litter training!
Also you said you only just got him, and you’ve given him a lot of space all in one go, he probably has no idea where you even want him to go toilet, or that his cage is where he is supposed to go/
Unfortunately, rabbits do love to use soft furnishings to go toilet it on even if they are litter trained sometimes the temptation is just too much…

he doesn’t accept getting petted and he always runs away

This might be because he is out and busy exploring. Mine dislikes to be annoyed when he’s out.
Try petting him when its “time” for pets, when he is acting calm and sitting down just relaxing.

Lastly when i try to pick him up to put him in his cage he is scratching me hard

Most rabbits HATE to be picked up, so your lil thing is only doing what he’s supposed to do. Try shepherding him back to his cage when you want him to go back in. Or bribing him with food. Both is best. (After herding him into his cage, give him a reward) The learn to go back pretty willingly after a while

[1and2bunns]

I remember with my first rabbit I left her alone for a two days so she can get comfortable in my home. She was really shy at first and I sat near her and had some treats and she would come closer too me. I suggest you sit kinda far away by him and let him come to you. Hope this helps!

[1and2bunns]

Also when I got her she was 2 months old I had been giving her Timothy hay and all sorts of vegetables but a couple of days later she started to get runny poop and didn’t move a lot she mostly laid down somewhere ever if I opened her cage I called a few vets all of them said to change her diet to Alfalfa hay and just give her Romaine lettuce and she started to do better. They said stop doing the diet when your rabbit is about 6 months old.

[1and2bunns]

And I gave her apples and oranges for treats.

[Mihawkz]

It’s been 4 days since i received my little boy..
I am very proud because we have bonded extremely well he is smart as hell i have taught him to obey whenever i call his name..
I named him Flash since he loves to run around like crazy.. Whenever i call him he comes to me i usually make it harder by making him jump to the bed in order to reach me and once he comes i pet him to congratulate him and give him a slice of fruit.. when he is tired he comes and jumps in my lap to get petted.. Lastly he is kissing me whenever i make the move he generally loves to lick my lips… Im so happy and it genuinely feels like i own a dog.

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