New Bunny owner, need some help please.

[Missy-Owner of Oreo]

Hi there, I’m Missy, and I just joined this website.

This last Saturday(The 14th) I got my first bunny, Oreo. She is an adorable bunny that I bought from a loving family that had to sell her due to where they had to move to.

 Oreo is just under 1 year old, I believe, and I was told she is very sweet and friendly.So far, she seems shy which is of course suspected and she does seem pretty sweet. She already perks up whenever I talk to her or am putting some food in her bowl. But my conflict comes in because of mixed answers I am getting between books and different stuff online.

First, I will give a bit of information that I am sure someone will ask me;

She is in a rather large cage. Oreo has room to play and hop, stand up, and everything. She lives in my room since she is my new companion and her cage sits on top of my dresser. 

Since her previous owners gave us her bedding and food, I am probably gonna stick to using it since she doesn’t seem to have any issues. Her bedding is pine wood shaving and she is eating that Bonanza gourmet bunny food and she just loves it. I started giving her hay and am slowing adding greens that I know she can have to her diet.

She uses a water-bottle and I bought her a litter-box and am using critter care natural bedding for the litter.

 

My conflict comes in with the fact that even though I know she is still new here, I read so much about how it is important for bunnies to get exercise and to start getting them used to your touch by petting them or just letting them sniff your hand. So far she has only sniffed me once, and I haven’t been able to pet/pat her or really touch her. She just runs and hides. Because she runs, I haven’t been able to let her out in my bunny proof room to explore and play.

I was just wondering if I am doing anything wrong, if I need to be doing something, or if I am just over-reacting?

 

Please, and  thank you.

[LBJ10]

You can pitch the pine shavings. Rabbits don’t need bedding and pine shavings are actually bad for their health. I googled that food because I didn’t know what it was. That stuff isn’t healthy either, I would switch to a plain timothy-based pellet with no “candy” pieces in it. That means no nuts, seeds, colored junk, etc. Just plain pellets, nothing else.

Can you put her cage on the floor and let her come out on her own. If it’s on top of your dresser, then that means you would need to pick her up to move her in and out. Most bunnies don’t like to be picked up. That means you could be hurting your efforts to build trust with her.

[longhairmike]

if she feels the cage is her safe area (and potty),, put it on the floor and build an xpen around it.

[Missy-Owner of Oreo]

@LBJ10: Yeah, I read about that with the food thing, too. I’m mostly only giving her the pellets from it and removing all the other stuff before I pour it into her bowl.
When she is done with this brand of food, I will indeed take your suggestion and buy it for her.

@LBJ10 and @longhairmike: I’ve considered putting the cage on the floor and see how she does. The main reason I kept her up there in her cage was because I thought it would be easier, but so far, it doesn’t seem like it.
I don’t have the biggest room in the world, but I do have enough room to put her cage on my floor and for her to still be able to play and stuff. I’ll try it.

But, so, I am not over-reacting and I should still make an effort?

[jerseygirl]

Welcome Missy

If you haven’t done so already, I recommend reading through the info here:

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/Default.aspx

And on House Rabbit Society:

http://rabbit.org/category/house-rabbits-101/

As already mentioned, they really don’t need bedding. Just some suitable litter in a litter box and that’s all.
Having bedding just becomes a toilet to them.

For gaining her trust, the “Floor, Ignore” technique really works! So you get down at her level but just be occupied doing other things. Just hanging out. After a while, rabbits get curious and come investigate you. May even hop all over you. It takes some time and patience while they are settling into a new home.
I think having her cage on the floor should help and make a ramp or put something near the doorway so she can manage to get in and out by herself.
Good luck!

[Missy-Owner of Oreo]

Thank you all. I put Oreo’s cage on the floor and opened the door and surely, she and I are already making some progress!

Thanks for the suggestions as well (:

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