New User, New Bunny

[Sarah M]

Hello all! My boyfriend and I just bought our first house rabbit today and we are so excited. He is a 4 month old, white and gray/brown lop named Maxwell. We’ve been reading up on diet and proper housing and such and I think we’ve done well for the first day. He has a brand new bunny cage with all the neccesitiies.

We got him about two hours away from home and he sat nicely in a box all the way. I was even ablet to take him in Petsmart with me and he only got antsy once or twice. He seems to enjoy being held on his back, he is very calm that way. So far today we have just let him hop around the living room with his cage door open and he has used the litter box only, except his wet his bed when we first sat him down in the house. before we even got the littler box set up. All in all, he seems great.

My only concern is that he is a bit skittish of us at the moment. He seems not to mind being held once you get ahold of him but he doesnt enjoy the initial picking up process at all. I really want him to be affectionate and want to be held and such. I want to try clicker training him and playing games and such once he gets more used to us. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for the best ways to get him to enjoy being held more.? Should I just leave him alone if he doesnt want me to pick him up or should I pick him up anyway so that he gets used to it and knows that I wont hurt him? Or will this just make him more scared and make him not want to be around me? Should I give him treats when I pick him up?

Also will is be confusing to him if somethmes his cage is open and other times its not. I just put him inside for the night and he doesnt seem to like it much, I think he wants to  be back out exploring.

Sorry for all the questions, I just dont want to give him any bad habits or confuse him about what I want him to do, which right now is just use the litterbox and cuddle with me.

thanks!

[MooBunnay]

Hello mccluresm! Welcome to Binky Bunny!

It is very normal for bunnies not to enjoy being picked up, since bunnies are a prey animal, it scares them to get lifted up off the ground and not have the feeling that they could get away if they needed too. I would recommend trying to play with your bunny more on his terms. Bunnies like it when you sit down on the floor with them. To get him to trust you, let him come up to you and sniff you, and just sit quietly. Bunnies tell each other that they do not pose a threat by ignoring each other, so by ignoring you bunny you are teaching him that he does not need to be afraid of you. After awhile, try to give him some pets but if he runs away, let him come back to you instead of going after him. He probably won’t be a cuddle bun right away, he needs to get to know you first

When you hold bunnies on their backs it puts them into a kind of “trance” so its OK for cutting nails and grooming and such, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it all the time because the bunny is more in a trance state than really bonding and spending time with you. Also, be careful at the pet store with a bunny just because there can be dogs around, and you never know how they will react to a bunny, and bunnies can be frightened to death.

It sounds like you are off to a great start with Maxwell, so let us know if you have more questions along the way!

[Lightchick]

I’m a relative-newbie, too, but as nobody else has replied yet, I’ll give it a try…

Bunnies mostly don’t like being picked up.  I have 2, and my boyfriend has 2.  One of mine sulks for HOURS  if I pick her up, and one of his cowers like the world is ending if picked up.  They just don’t like it.  (I know you’re probably thinking of the remaining 2 bunnies…his is, well, maybe a little deficient?  I wouldn’t count her as normal.  She’s a little slow.  And my 2nd is 3 days old, in my possession, so I just don’t know yet…)

But basically, I personally wouldn’t push the picking-up thing too much.  Rabbits don’t tend to like having their feet off the ground too much.  They can like being pet and fed and played with in other ways, but they really generally don’t want to be picked up.  I know, it sucks.  I always want to pick Lizzy up and cuddle with her…but she’s much happier if I smooch at her on her own level (the floor) rather than trying to pick her up.  Also, I get clawed a lot less! 

As far as “open” vs “closed” pens, rabbits definitely know the difference.  Bunnies do tend to want to be out-and-about while we’re asleep, thus the nonverbal whining at the closed-gate.  But if you are consistent, he will probably find some other way to entertain himself once bedtime comes and the gate has closed.  Lizzy doesn’t like “bedtime” at all, but I bribe her with a raisin or a papaya tablet, and once I get her in her pen with her treat, all seems forgiven.  I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

Good luck!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Welcome here! Congrats on the new bunny!! Can’t wait to see some pictures…

[TARM]

I recently adopted a 2-3 year old male Rex and two babies (who were only 5 weeks old when I brought them home) AND a female Petco box bunny. What I’ve learned is that my female prefers to be left completely to herself. She will allow my daughter to handle her (not pick her up but pet her) and all of my boys HATE to be picked up BUT they like to be held. My Rex will hop on the couch like a cat and settle into my lap or climb up the back of the couch and crawl down my shoulder, my babies will beg to be lifted onto the couch where they will then climb into our arms and settle in for a good long while.

[Sarah M]

Maxwell is already doing much better. There were no poops in his bed this morning when I woke so he seems to be getting the hang of the litter box. We’ve been getting down on the floor and letting him come to us. It has seemed to really help, he even followed me around the house for a little bit today and he climbs all over me if I sit in the floor and read or use the computer. He has discovered so many new “toys” in the house as well. He loves running behind the floor length curtains and hopping in and out of the rungs of our bar stools and plant stand. His store bought toys are practically untouched lol.
I was wondering if any one knows of any good ways that I can let him dig and burrow, like getting a kids sandbox or something and putting something he’d like to root around in.

[MarkBun]

Posted By mccluresm on 08/27/2008 11:46 AM
I was wondering if any one knows of any good ways that I can let him dig and burrow, like getting a kids sandbox or something and putting something he’d like to root around in.

Check out the bottom of this page – it talks about diggy boxes:

 

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/ToyTest/ArchivedToyTests/tabid/126/Default.aspx

 

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