New Bunny Parent or New Bunny Roommate

[Mahogany1]

First let me say THANK YOU for your very informative and kind posts.  I wish I would have known about you prior to adopoting but I found you and I am grateful.

This is my second bunny and my son’s first.  Very different experiences and guilt for past.  I will agree that a Bunny is not a pet for a child unless the maturity and dedication is there.  Eddie moved in with us the first if May since his arrival he wasmneutered 

(A little over a week ago) and we’re adjusting well.  Eddie is a  Blue Lionhead rescued from the SPCA , he was given up because he was employed as an emotional support animal.  The attendant thought was weird animal for job.  EDDIE WAS ACCUSED OF SCRATCHING, upon n his arrival I realized he was wrongly accused,  on his second day residing in my son’s room he was moving around playing with his toys in his cage, eating and drinking.  He greeted us, he appeared very relax. He throws his ball in the air when he sees us.

After the weekend ended and after reading your website and others I realized Eddie could not just live in a cage(not how I had been raised) .  Eddie personality is showing everyday.  So my son and I allowed Eddie out of his cage and OMG (I FELL IN LOVE?) he started running and sat/flopped down at my son’s feet as he studied and played games.  I  wasn’t expecting this.  Who knew how personable he was?  Eddie really enjoys being out of his cage so much it now takes minimum of 15 minutes to get him in the cage.  So we “bunny proofed” his room , I now realized he has a real personality and he’s kind of determined when he gets focused.  Getting him back in the cage is too traumatic for me as constantly coaxing and redirectiing him I fear will become traumatic as he doesn’t seem to enjoy being corralled.   I’ve decide to buy a pet pen and try to recreate an environment for him to enjoy without being stressed.  After getting him in cage last night he meatloafed instead if stretching out for about 30 minutes. But devoured all his greens immediately.

I realized that when my son is playing his game Eddie is exploring hidden spaces. I’ thinking he needs to be relocated to another part of apartment and allowed access to more of the apartment. NEED BUNNY PROOFING! (I think bunnies are like cats we live with them. Would this be a good assumption)

I have realized Eddie is not very affectionate yet. He does not like being picked up at all.  After the neutering he stopped circling our feet. I can’t  read his body language yet but have seen him binking (yes after surgery) in his cage and he flopped down the other day after I petted him.  

We are so surprised at how personable bunnies can be, I  think Eddie is a family pet now.  After he gets settled he will need a companion so he can do bunny things with.

I took me a long time to post.  I really just wanted to thank you and let you know how much you have helped us.

If you have any suggestions on better way to get him back in cage it would help. I don’t hae space for bunny room as I now understand why people allow them free range of the house.  Any suggestions on him bonding better would be appreciated as i think it will take some time)Who knew ……

[Bunny House]

Congrats on adopting Eddie! 

You are right, bunnies are not supposed to live in cages, and they are not to be picked up unless going to the vet or unless they allow you too. I know, you just wanna scoop them up and love on them, but you don’t want to scare them to death since they think that if they are being picked up that they are going to be eaten. 

I know xpens are the best living conditions (besides living free in the home) and you don’t have to spend time chasing him to get him into his cage. 

Bunnies can live free in the home just like dogs and cats-but you need way more bunny proofing, it has made me an organized freak haha. And they can love you just like a dog can. 

Since you do not have room for a bunny room, I suggest getting an xpen and making that his new house so he can get a lot of exercise.

I hope this helps  

[Gordo and Janice]

Congratulations and welcome. Yes we had no idea either of how incredibly personable rabbits are and how much personality they possess or that they could be litter trained and have the run of the house like a cat or dog. Blew our mind. Icey, our little rabbit, stole our hearts almost instantly and with each new discovery we became more and more endeared to her. Never knew and never would have thought.

I can’t see your space so I don’t really have any advice other than what Bunny House said with the xpen. We let ours free roam the house 24/7, with the exception of closets and one junk room. So ALL cords had to be wrapped or kept up or put behind something where the bunny couldn’t fit to reach them. And we had to make sure the fridge was pushed almost to the wall so she couldn’t get behind (some have openings behind at the bottom or are covered with just a material that can be chewed through). And yes it was like she had a mind like a steel trap. Once she knew about a new space, and new room, a closet, a new hidey hole, new place she shouldn’t be, new place she couldn’t go, she would never forget that it was there and would constantly for the rest of her life inspect and check it out to see if the parents messed up and didn’t keep it inaccessible or forgot to close a door, etc., etc. And because persistence paid off in one instance then she was persistent for eternity.

Janice would just pick her up and tuck her like a football and for whatever reason she tolerated or allowed it and didn’t seem to mind. Me on the other hand, no way. Wasn’t going to happen if she had a say in it and boy did she have a say in it. So I would use food or a treat to get her where I wanted her. Just a waft of it in front of her face or even a lick or bite of it and she followed it to wherever I led her because she knew she would get to enjoy it if she followed it long enough or far enough. I mean I did pick her up every once in a great while when I had to but it was quick. Up and down or up and over or up and in. It was like hot potato. It would happen so fast she wouldn’t have time to react until it was over. And then she would spin around and I would get the stare like, “How dare you! Just try it again right now!”

Anyhow there might be some helpful information on the BUNNY INFO tab up top as well if you haven’t already checked it out. And there are a bunch of bonding aficionados here as well. So you should be in good hands.

Glad to have ya. Hey, throw up a picture of little Eddie if you get a chance. I love to see all the little bunny faces and then I can put them with the bunny names when they are being talked about.

[Mahogany1]

Thank you. I totally agree. 

[Mahogany1]

Thank you. My son and I both agreed on pen. He didn’t want to take him out the cage today. He said it’s too much, I was impressed.?

I’m hoping once the pen arrives he’ll be really happy.

I am having a very difficult time uploading pictures to site.

[Sirius&Luna]

You can also try and teach him a certain cue means he needs to go to his cage/pen (even when he has a pen it will still be good for him to have exercise outside that space).

When I want my bunnies to go into their pen, I put veggies down and rustle the bag, and they all race to get in! There’s very rarely anything other than that needed, as they have a positive association with being put away = veg time.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Mahogany1 on 5/26/2018 9:15 PM

Thank you. My son and I both agreed on pen. He didn’t want to take him out the cage today. He said it’s too much, I was impressed.?

I’m hoping once the pen arrives he’ll be really happy.

I am having a very difficult time uploading pictures to site.

I’m confused, what’s ‘too much’?

[Azerane]

Welcome to the wonderful world of rabbits

Is his cage at ground level or raised up? Being at ground level is best so that they can hop in and out themselves. I find the easiest way to train a rabbit to return to their cage is to have cage time also be mealtime. So feed him his serve of pellets when you want him to go in and put them inside the cage so he has to go in to eat them. He will start to associate the cage with more positive things then too and makes it easier for you so that you don’t have to herd him in, which can be stressful for both.

[Mahogany1]

Very good idea will try to notice what he’s liking.  He hasn’t gotten excited about food yet. 

[Mahogany1]

Sorry you got confused.  He was referring to trying to get him back in the cage.  

[Mahogany1]

Thank you.  Another wonderful idea.  His cage is on top of a dresser and we put on the floor and allow him to exit on his own. 

[Author]

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