Rabbit that doesn’t like people

[NalaBunny]

I have a rabbit named Nala that I got from a shelter. Her previous owner had a lot of pets and never had the time to be able to handle Nala. She is about 3-4 years old with a big 6′ by 8′ cage. I am hoping to free roam her in my room soon but she hates it when I’m in the room with her. The only time I’m aloud in her cage without her thumping is when it’s food time. I’ve tried several techniques to bond with her but nothing is working. Her favorite thing in the world is other animals and I’m hoping to get another rabbit for her but i can’t do that till she is a free-roam bunny. Does anyone have tips to help me bond with miss Nala?

[DanaNM]

How long have you had her? It can take buns a bit to adjust.

I recommend spending as much time as possible in the room with her, but ignore her completely. Allow her to come out and explore when she feels ready. My recent foster-fail was very shy and cage aggressive at the shelter, and had no interest in coming out of her pen for the first week or so. Then she tentatively came out a bit while we were sleeping, and then a few weeks later she would relax near me, and then a week or so after that she accepted some pets on the head. Now (prob 6 months later) she is just the most lovely rabbit but still prefers to be petted when she isn’t in her pen, so I wait for her to come out and relax in the room before petting her.

Since she is unsure, she might not actually appreciate being free-roam yet. I think most rabbits like having a space that is just theirs, that they feel safe in. Try not to mess with her cage when she is in it, so you might need to remove her for deep cleaning, or lure her out with a treat when it’s time to do the litter box.  Giving her lots of hides will also help her feel safe.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[NalaBunny]

Thank you so much I will definitely try that, I’ve had her for around a year now. I don’t think she has a problem with her cage just because she willingly comes out during her free roam time and loves to jump around as long as I leave her alone.

I think with the free roaming thing I’m gonna keep her cage at first and just leave the door open but I was planning to still have a set area with almost all of her stuff in that area so it’s like a home base. But if she’s not happy with that I will definitely add the cage back. Do you think that would be fine?

Thanks from the Nala bun

[DanaNM]

Oh wow, you’ve had her a while! There are some bunnies that do seem to be somewhat antisocial. But there are also some that just take a really long time to come out of their shell. Forum leader Bam’s bunny Bam decided after about a year that he liked her and suddenly liked exploring.

Other tips for bonding include doing lots of hand-feeding. You can even feed all of her salad and pellets by hand. Clicker training can also be a great way to interact with a bunny that seems to be only motivated by food. It can help provide some enrichment give you a fun way to play and communicate with your bun. (I noticed you had another post about her being bored, so this would help with that as well!).

The housing plan sounds good to me. 🙂

Does everything else seem normal with her? Good appetite for hay, poops, and activity? Just checking because sometimes underlying pain (possibly from dental pain, etc.) can affect behavior in subtle ways. I fostered an extremely shy bunny and failed to bond him with one of my bunnies. We thought maybe he was just antisocial, but then a few weeks later they found he had liver torsion. He recovered very well and seems much more relaxed now in his new home.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[NalaBunny]

She eats super well and her poops are very regular. She loves to binky around and is normally pretty active. We also did get her spayed a little while ago and had a mini check up then and everything was completely fine.
I’m definitely gonna try some of your bonding tips to see if that helps. Thanks you so much for your help

[DanaNM]

You’re welcome 🙂 Some bunnies are tough little nuts to crack!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

If she wasn’t spayed until just recently, that may have played a role. Perhaps she will start coming out of her shell more now?

[NalaBunny]

That’s true, she’s definitely been a little more friendly and active since I’ve gotten her spayed. After she healed she started to come out of her cage a lot more. She’s also been let scared to come toward me as long as I stay semi still. Still not aloud to pet her often but hopefully that’ll come one day.

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