Scaredy bun

[OverthinkingBun]

Any ideas on how to help an anxious bunny be calmer?  My girl Polly Oliver is happy and playful overall, but startles easily.  She’s a 6 month old single bunny.  I live alone, and it’s already a quiet household, and I usually try not to upset her (short of vacuum time…).  Because my apartment is very small, moving her enclosure isn’t a practical option (she’s already hogging all the best real estate &nbsp  It’s not that she doesn’t like me.  When she gets scared, sometimes she will run to me like for protection, and will calm down if told repeatedly that things are okay.

Do you think a stuffed toy rabbit would help, if she didn’t eat it? Is she likely to get more fearful or less fearful with age?  And do bonded pairs tend to be less fearful?

[sarahthegemini]

It varies from bun to bun. My Buttercup isn’t really startled by much, she usually only jumps if it’s really quiet and then she hears me walking past whereas Peanut is a lot more sensitive to noise and is much more easily startled. He’s just a more timid bun. Having some background noise might help. I found having the tv on at all times helped Peanut a little. I don’t have to do that now as he’s gotten a lot better.

[joea64]

Panda is somewhat more easily startled than Fernando. She always goes running up or down when I move their condo around to fill up the hay or take the litterbox out to empty it. Fernando is made of sterner stuff; he’ll usually stand his ground, especially if he’s eating. What’s funny is that if either of them is occupying the litterbox when I take it out, I have to shoo them out of it to get the work done because they won’t necessarily move when I move the box!

[LittlePuffyTail]

My little Bridge bun was always very high-stress/fearful during the 8 years she was with me. I think it all depends on personality and bunny’s background. In her case, I strongly suspect she had been mistreated before she came to live with me. It was strange with her and Bindi because it was like black and white. She was very nervous and high-stress while Bindi is really chill and laid back.

[OverthinkingBun]

Having some background noise might help. I found having the tv on at all times helped Peanut a little.

I’m afraid I would lose my mind with that one, even if I owned a tv… But I have an air purifier that might help with white noise.

What’s funny is that if either of them is occupying the litterbox when I take it out, I have to shoo them out of it to get the work done because they won’t necessarily move when I move the box!

Haha, what is it with rabbits and their litterboxes? Mine will stay in even if I pick up the box sometimes. This is also how I trick her into calmly sitting on the scale to be weighed.

My little Bridge bun was always very high-stress/fearful during the 8 years she was with me. I think it all depends on personality and bunny’s background. In her case, I strongly suspect she had been mistreated before she came to live with me. It was strange with her and Bindi because it was like black and white. She was very nervous and high-stress while Bindi is really chill and laid back.

Aww. Were Bridge and Bindi bonded? I’m only asking because I was wondering if bonding a chill bunny to a nervous bunny ever helps the nervous one, or if the nervous one is likely to get bullied. It sounds like all of you have a mix of bunny personalities in your homes.

Polly Oliver was a stray at only about five weeks old, so I think her skittishness kept her alive for a while. But like I said, she seems to love life, just not random sounds outside. She’s my first rabbit, so I don’t really know what all to expect. Thanks for your help!

[LittlePuffyTail]

No, Bindi and Olivia were never bonded. I tried but she was so nervous and stressed out, also very territorial, so she was very aggressive with both Bindi and my other little Bridge guy, Stormy. I had tried bonding her with both boys but she was just terrified and angry. One of those buns that is happier being alone.

[Author]

Messages