Need advice for Lila from BB saviors!

[OllieBunnysMamma]

Well many of you know I rescued an almost 15th month old holland lop doe. She is underweight and sunbleached which causes the assumption that she was an outdoor and neglected rabbit. So here is the good and not so good info Sorry for the length but I like to be thorough.

Well she does not show an aggressive bone in her body at this point. I am thinking this is because A) she is not aggressive at all B) She is too weak to display aggression. After observation for the last 48 hours, I would say (A).

She seems to be very interested in Mr. Ollie, who mounted her face briefly and lightly sprayed her. (which was within literally less than 10 seconds of a quick intro date) Of course, I picked him right up and put him back in his cage. I can honestly say she didn’t even react to it. She didn’t seem scared. I assume she is just submissive. I don’t really know. They will not be having anymore uncaged dates again until she is adjusted and he is 3 to 4 weeks passed neuter. But even through the cage he licked her ear. She was uncaged and standing right against his cage with her body. (not her face) She seems to want to be close to him even after the face hump.

Ultimately I will not know about them for 100% until after he is neutered and she is spayed.. and the hormones are all gone. She won’t be gettng spayed until I can see she can tolerate the stress and has put weight on. I have nothing but good feelings about the two of them though. I put their cages together on the floor with about 2 inches between them though.

So here is my number one concern with BONDING.

Me. She nuzzles into me when I pick her up. She will even look around a bit after a few minutes of me holding her while keeping her snug and still. She relaxes enough to get curious. I know she is not well socialized with human affections .. ect. I have no experience. I know not to force her. She gets very shy when I put my hand in the cage for something. She immediately tucks her chin into her chest and puts her head down. I don’t let anyone else in the house near her, and my rabbits are kept in the large kitchen which is gated from the kids at all times. My house is generally mellow. I speak to her in the same soft tones I speak to Ollie in. She is beginning to groom herself, eat, and drink in front of me now. I just wonder with her being a mature rabbit who is not socialized, will she always be nervous of my hand in the cage? Will she always tuck her head into her chest?

Another issue. Rabbits need to get excercise… so I want to let her feel she can do so here. Ollie is my binky zoomer dude. I know she is not Ollie and I don’t expect her to be. I just have only had rabbit experience with him. I know she may be weak. I do see her scamper around the cage when she doesnt know I am watching. I think she is too scared on the kitchen floor. I know I need to have patience. I do. I just am reaching out because she needs to feel secure. I know part of that is time. I just need to know if someone can tell me some techniques to teach her she can trust me, or that I am not a threat to her, or that I have the ability to nurture her in some way. It really hurts me to see her feeling insecure. Her little soulful eyes frightened is almost unbarable!

I may make a second post about this but.. if anyone can give me tips on how to fatten her up that would be so appreciaciated! She has put weight on in the three weeks, and seems ok. I just know she needs a little more weight on her. Poor baby.

 

 

[Beka27]

first off, do not put them together AT ALL until after at least one is altered and healed for at least 3-4 weeks. a rabbit can get pregnant in just a couple seconds. they can also get pregnant thru a cage, so make sure that when one is out, they cannot get within 3 inches of the other’s cage.  the only thing you can do at this point to acclimate them to the other is switching cages every night.  but please PLEASE do not put them together again.

i would not recommend that you try to “fatten” her up. just feed her a normal healthy rabbit diet of greens, unlimited tim hay and timothy pellets. you can probably give her a little more pellets, but not too much. over time she will reach a healthy weight with the proper diet.

[Sarita]

Well I definitely would not risk putting them together even for a second if neither are altered – the risk of pregnancy is too great.

I think patience is the best thing you can have with her – just let her come out on her own terms. I imagine she is in sensory overload right now too.

I would do just what Beka says as well – just feed her what you would normally feed her but maybe add a little more pellets (not unlimited however). You might also consider some fresh alfalfa hay as well to supplement and help her gain weight.

[MarkBun]

She could be a rabbit that doesn’t like having lenolium under her feet. Maryann is the same way – Dono used to use the kitchen and bathroom areas as an escape from her because she wouldn’t step on it. Put down a towel or something else that she can walk on and get traction. To get her to trust you more, all I can suggest doing is lying down on the floor with her and letting her hop around you. Don’t make any attempt to pet her, just let her be. The tucking of the chin doesn’t always mean fear, it can also mean submission.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

^^ As Markus said, they’re are actually two different stances; and different interpretations depending. One is (his term) a puddle, totally flat on the ground, the nose will be wiggling crazily and it’s pure scared submission…You can tell. Another is putting the chin on the ground…thats submissioni s the body is raised. If the chin is lowered casually that’s a request for grooming and in an interaction can even be a sign of dominance! It’s context that will help you determine what it is too!

For how you’re feeling about her, take this tidbit from the dog whisperer…dogs do not live in the past, and if you do you are preventing them from moving forward. Your rabbit is no longer in a sad situation and is just settling in. Treat her how you’d treat any rabbit. For her mental well being, don’t feel too sorry for her

I wouldn’t try to fatten her up, as too many treats can cause poopy bum and that will make her lose weight! I am putting ‘weight on’ a couple rabbits at our shelter and to do that I’m just feeding unlimited pellets. Their weight will come up naturally from that (and has been). Since she’s thin, you can throw in some alfalfa based pellets and/or alfalaf hay. Keep what your regularly feeding but you can add that as a pseudo healthy additive.

[OllieBunnysMamma]

Thanks guys! I knew you would have some wonderful things to tell me!

I am going to try Lila on the rug. I think that is best. She grunted at me when I tried to move some of her poops off the floor of the cage today. Maybe she was scared I would take her out. I have some wonderful veggies for her. She seems to like them. Ollie is loving his veggies. I actualy madea video tonight about it. Lila is just going to take some time getting used to things here, and getting well. I am hoping the carpet will make her feel the need to roam. I can only keep trying. I will keep updating and seeing how things go. Ollie and her hace been completely separate. I am keeping it that way as I said in my original post. Monday is the big day for him. He is trying to hump me every chance he gets. This all started when Lila came home last Sunday. He gets “crazy eyes” when he does it too. lol

 

Lila is such a peanut. I am not worried about her and Ollie. I am just worried about her having a bond with me. I hope she starts to warm up a bit over the next few months. I wont give up no matter what.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Is Ollie fixed? Your profile says that it was done today, you must wait several weeks to prevent pregnancy.

[BB Administrator]

This is BinkyBunny in Admin mode:

So, if I am understanding you right, you had them together for less than a minute and he humped her face ONLY, and sprayed her but DIDN’T hump her backend, and you haven’t put them together since and won’t be until a month after surgery. It’s amazing how quick a bunny can get pregnant so that’s why I think everyone is offering quick warnings just in case there was more humping going on.

Ollie may not feel strong enough and confident enough yet show her dominant side. Her true personality will begin to come out as she feels better and becomes confident that this is her forever home. So you will see changes over time. So like you already know,  sometimes just waiting is the biggest key, but spend time with her hanging out without expecting much from her. Hang out the floor with her, read a book or magazine, listen to ipod, whatever that can allow you to be with her without focusing your attention ON her. That way she can feel comfortable with your presence and she can recognize you as completely harmless.  The action of ignoring in the bunny world means “I don’t want to fight with you”. And this can help them feel safe enough with each other to approach bonding/friendship. The same applies to how humans interact with them.

Helloworld!!

[MooBunnay]

It sounds like Ollie is doing pretty well considering she is in a brand new home – many of the shelter bunnies I have brought home have acted in a very similar manner. I ditto the recommendations to just give her a healthy diet and not worry about fattening her up – if you change her diet too drastically, that combined with the stress of a new home could make her sick.

It is pretty normal for a bunny to grunt when you are moving things around in THEIR territory, that sounds to me like she is getting very comfortable in her cage – and confident enough to defend her territory!

I also think you don’t need to worry too much about her tucking her chin in and putting her head down, a lot of my bunnies do this to me as well when I come to see them – if she is doing it the same way mine do, they are actually presenting for grooms, which in bunny bonding can actually be considered a dominant move, so I don’t think its an indication of fear on her part. All the behavior you’ve described to me sounds pretty normal, and I think that you can relax a bit because she sounds like she likes her new home with you!

[bunnytowne]

I was thinking she might be asking you to groom her.  Sounds like she likes it there.  And you too. I wouldn’t worry about the fact that she may not have had much attention or socialization.  She seems fine with you asking for pets from you.  She will settle in and be fine. She is not as delicate as she seems with being indoors.  And she will have a bunny friend too.  Once all the spneuters stuff is taken care of.

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