scared lionheads

[Ester Yeh]

I just got these two 2 month old lionhead bunnies a few days ago. One’s a girl and ones a boy.   They are very easily frightened.  If i let them run around and i make even a small movement of moving my head slightly they run like crazy.  and when i try to pet them they keep shaking especially the girl. My first bunny was never like that when i got him.  do you have any good tips  for me to help them ease their fears?

by the way, i LOVE this site!

[Elena Niznik]

HIYA! I have had my rabbit not long over a month and when I got her she was’nt scared at all then i gave her a huge fright by dropping alot of pots and pans on a wooden floor DOH! I found this link which offered good advice and it did the trick she is back to her old self. It gives advice on how to win over shy and timid bunnies.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/shybun.html

If these dnt work try lying on the floor covered in some pellets or hay and just let them sniff you dnt reach out to pet them until they are comfortable being around you. I would limit their amount of freedom just till the become acustomed to their new environment.

Hope that helps. Other will be able to offer more great advice i’m sure.

[BinkyBunny]

Welcome new_obsession!  We’re happy to have you here.  The person or place  that you got the bunnies from – do you know if they handled the bunnies much?  

I’m just wondering if it’s that or if it’s just the fact they are in a new place.  Tallullu gave some great advice which is especially helpful since she had a very similar experience.  It can be scary for them, and if you JUST got them, meaning only a few days with you, just let them stay in one place for a little bit – let them be able to feel safe in a smaller place first that they can find comfort in, and then let them out, but at their own pace.  

When they approach you, don’t try to touch them at first, offer treats, let them sniff you, talk to them, hang out by them when they are in their area, but just have a book, magazine or whatever to distract.  "Ignoring" is a form of bonding.  It signals to them that you are not going to harm them.  This is how rabbits signal to each other that they are not wanting to fight. 

  It’s like saying "I’m not giving you the evil eye, look here, a piece of interesting lint on the floor is more interesting than you, see I don’t want you to think I want anything from you, or want to fight, oooh, look I have that lint now on my nose, I need to groom myself, still ignoring you, see…I mean no harm"

So by ignoring them at first, you are offering a peace sign.  They will begin to check you out..  But just give it time and not too much freedom yet (plus that is better for litter training purposes as well)

Keep us updated.   Patience is key, it can take days, and weeks for them to come around.

P.S.  IF, and only IF, you don’t plan on breeding them, just know that a female can actually get pregant by a male as early as 3 months.  And even if you do plan on breeding them, that really is too young for her.   So just be very careful. You will need to separate them soon,    Discussion of intentional breeding is not allowed on this site so I know I am sort of breaking our own rules here, but it is only to inform you that this could happen JUST in case you didn’t know.   : )

 

[fiona]

ive had lionheads that were like this give them time the more you pick them up the more they will get used to it

[Ester Yeh]

thanks so much for all the tips!! and for that warning… when is a good age for bunnies to get spayed and neutered..they’re only about 2-3 months..and im worried that might be too young.  

[Ester Yeh]

 

Here’s a few pictures of them when i first got them..I know they’re in a cardboard box  i didnt have a carrier for them when I got them.  The white one is Nala and the tiger striped one is Simba.  He’s like two different bunnies since his stripes stop in the middle of his back.  haha

[BinkyBunny]

CUTE!!!!!!!  And I can tell Simba is really freaked out.  Look at those eyes, and his ear position. He’s like AHHHHH!!!! 

Ah well, they will calm down once they feel safe.    My own school fo thought is don’t pick them up right away unless you have too.  Let them be with you for a week before you get them used being handled.  

It’s better for them to calm down, feel safe before you start freaking them out again.   So even though it is a good idea to handle them while they are young so it will be easier to do nail trims etc, first let them feel safe in their new home.

Males are usually neutered between 4 – 6 months (whenever their testicles drop) and Females are usually spayed closer to 6 months.  Though some rabbit savvy vets will do it earlier.

If you do separate them, let them still be near each other so they can lay next to each other even if they have their own cages or pens.   This will also help keep them bonded so the won’t unbond and possibly fight later.

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