I’m concerned!

[colleenbunny]

 My friend just got a rabbit. She keeps the bunny in a hutch, and lets it outside of the hutch sometimes. Just the bunny and a blanket. One time I was over at her house while the bunny was outside. (Don’t worry, we were near her.) Then the young rabbit made a run for it. We chased it for about 2 minutes, until it turned right and into a corner.  I want to discourage them from taking it outside like that, but I don’t want to lose the amazing friendship we have by coming across as controling or rude. And her younger sister takes her rabbit out like that.  I needed advice so I came here.

[RabbitPam]

It’s a very difficult situation that several members have also faced. My only suggestion is to tell her about this terrific site (or sites) you’ve found on line where you’re learning a lot about how to care for your bunnies. Just sound upbeat and fun about it. If she opens up the conversation with you from that point, you can both give her the site name so she can check it out at her leisure (sometimes it’s less embarrassing to learn about this stuff quietly on your own than being lectured) or you can answer her with any tips you’ve learned that she’s asked about.

For example, you could say that you never knew something as simple as going to pet your bunny with your fingers spread out and reaching down from above looks like a claw to a bunny and it scares them because that’s how a bird of prey would swoop down on them. They get more relaxed if they are sheltered where they can’t be attacked, and if you need to catch her again, go after her first with palms up, fingers closed. It may let her know that bunnies are scared out in the open.

But do be careful about lecturing. I know it’s hard. I worked with a woman (I never liked her anyway) who loved having bunnies in common with me. Until I learned that she kept hers, several of them, together in an outdoor hutch. And when that inevitible litter came, she “set them free to experience life as a real bunny”. Thus having a domestic neighborhood overrun with 7 baby bunnies that did not have a safe or happy future. Imagine my being a Forum Leader here and biting my tongue at work to keep from bawling her out on several points. With a friend, it’s much easier to talk, but I agree that you want to be very gentle in your approach.

[BinkyBunny]

A little at a time. That’s how my approach has been. I think that offering site information and making it fun is a great idea. On things that you worry about for their immediate danger, I would approach it as concern that she would be heartbroken if something happened and share a bit of what you know.

After that experience did your friend at least learn not to do that again? That scare should have been enough, but who knows? What was her response to this escape?

Showing by example is also a great way. You can say all the great things about having your bunny inside with you. The snuggles while watching TV, whatever.

Anyway, I have found that little bits of info given over time can help quite a bit.

Good luck! Keep us posted

[colleenbunny]

When it happened, she just put the bunny back. Thanks! I’m rabbit sitting for their rabbits, and I don’t know when she’ll be back.

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