Personality/Behaviors – Questions!

[Katscarpena]

We’ve had Chipper almost 2 months now. He is the bunny my husband brought home from the SPCA that had initially come in with a wound and then was adopted and returned.

A few things – first, I think he is just by nature a shy bunny. Very cautious overall, and easily overwhelmed. He likes people – and I think he wants to like Licorice, but we overwhelm him. The exception to this is my 7 year old son.(Se below.) He does come out of his cage of his own accord after the amazing advice I received here about flooring. But he does not leave his immediate 3 x 3 area on his own. (Probably because if the hard woods. We have no carpet – just some larger area rugs.) We take him each day to the living room to try and help him get some exercise.

Sometimes he does great – binky’s all around, explores – never leaves they 7×9 area rug or couch. Other times he thumps a whole bunch and then refuses to come out from under the couch. He will only come out if my 7 year old is there. He seems to feel like his lap is a “safe haven.”

I have a couple of questions:

1) Is it possible some of the thumping is because he’s annoyed? He grunts on occasion too – and it seems like a “you are now on my last nerve” rather than a scared one. I think the repeated ones with the running are scared. The grunting and shorter thumps seems to mean – “you’re annoying me.”

2) What else can we do to help the poor guy relax? He is a chewer/ digger. I feel like he’s wary around me because I have to snap my fingers and say “no” about the chewing especially. He already nipped a hole in my $4,000 couch! He also was “sampling” the wood work. He also chews through cords – making me worried he’ll electrocute his cute lil’ self. grrrr….   I can’t let him be bunny devastator! lol

 

Also he has TONS of other chewing/digging options – box with some bedding/hay, a tissue box he LOVES “throwing” around, a willow tunnel he is literally eating, etc.

Should I maybe just leave him in his area rather then putting him in the open living room? It is a rather large room… I just feel like he needs to stretch those legs a bit more.

 

 

 

[Diamond]

I do think thumping can be annoyance. from what I’ve read, it’s an attention-getting gesture. The most common use is to warn others of a a predator, but I could see a rabbit thumping to let someone know they’re annoying him.

[Slowebot]

Usually you can lay out an old fleece blanket or something for him to run on instead of the wood floor, that might help to keep him in his area and away from the couch and cords because you can just move it somewhere safe. Also the fleece is fun to dig on and move around so he might like that. The only advice I’ve seen about bunnies that chew things are to hide/cover everything. Bunnies will usually get to whatever they want. Your bunny is super cute and it’s sweet that he likes your son’s lap! I’m glad they get alone, people don’t usually advise bunnies for kids but it seems your bunny has really taken to your son. Super sweet

[Author]

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