Timid Bunny

[Clezzi]

Hi Everyone
We got our new little bunny a few days ago and he is very timid. Sometimes he will run around and not be scared and other times he is hiding under the lounge. Today he got such a fright when someone walked past him that he did a wee and sprinted away. He isn’t very affectionate, he won’t take treats for us or really eat in front of us. I know it will take some time for him to warm up to us and his new surroundings. Has anyone got any suggestions to help him relax or not be so afraid of everything? I’ve never had such a timid little guy before.
Thank you!

[Bladesmith]

It takes a lot of time and effort to gain a bunnies trust. Consult the FAQ on this board for bonding suggestions. But for a primer, rabbits are suckers for treats (In MODERATION!) and are very curious creatures.

Lay on the floor in your buns general area. Bring treats. Healthy treats.

I know this sounds counterintuitive, but IGNORE the rabbit. DON’T try to reach out or touch the rabbit. Let them come to you. Their natural curiousity will get the better of them, and they will come out to investigate you.

When it does, offer treats. It’ll learn to associate your hands with good things, not bad, as long as you resist the urge to grab it and pick it up.

Which leads me to the most important point, unless you absolutely HAVE to, for medical or necessary reasons, do NOT pick up your rabbit. They’re prey animals, and associate picking up with being eaten. Full stop. Up=Eaten in a rabbits mind. Very very few rabbits will think otherwise.

Over time, and it varies from rabbit to rabbit, your rabbit will reach out to you, and initiate contact. Let your rabbit lead. If it nudges you, it’s seeking your attention. Speak to it in a calm, happy voice, get down to it’s level (You’re going to spend a LOT of time on the floor, so fer cryin’ out loud, vacuum!), and let it get to know you. You’ll get nudged, pulled at, maybe nipped, and then you’ll find your rabbit nudging your hands and demanding pets. Maybe it will even jump up on you, chin you (Which means you’re now owned by the bun, welcome to the world of bunny slaves), and eventually, it will sit on or with you and snuggle.

My large rabbit, Clover, is unusual, in that she doesn’t mind being picked up and even demands it from time to time, and loves her cuddles. Our little dwarf, Dawn, is easily frightened and stand offish, and after a year or more, the best we can get from her is taking treats from our hands, nudging and tugging on us, and being willing to share space nearby us. Only recently, within the last month, has started allowing us to pet her from time to time.

Bottom line, it takes time and infinite patience. Rabbits aren’t like cats or dogs, they have a whole different mindset and thought process. But if you’re willing to put the time in, it’s SO worth it.

Oh, and one more thing. NEVER hit or yell at your rabbit. NEVER. it will utterly destroy any and all trust you may have built up to this point and you’ll have to start all over. Best of luck.

[Deleted User]

I agree with Bladesmith. Asriel was extremely shy and timid when we first got him and it lasted about 6 months before he really started coming around. It was a good 3 months before we could even touch him and another month after that before he allowed pets. We got him and Bombur in May 2017 and finally by December Asriel was comfortable enough to hop in your face frantically sniffing for a treat and climbing all over your face and head. He’s still more independent and a bit shy, but he’s also super loving and will lay on my chest for a half hour getting snoot rubs. Bombur has always been a love bug, so he’s quite unique. But I just say have patience, as hard as it is.

[Taloan7]

My other bit of advice is check out info on bunny’s body language! That was one thing that was a big learning curve for me. I was used to cats and dogs who communicate happiness, irritation, fear, etc. very different than bunnies do. In the beginning I wasn’t sure if the bunny liked what I was doing, hated it or was completely indifferent. Read some articles and watch some youtube videos, then you can tell when your bunny wants more of a certain interaction or when they want you to back off.

[kurottabun]

Like what everyone has said, some extra patience is needed Everybun is different so some warm up faster while others take longer. You can put some hidey places (e.g. cardboard boxes) around the house so he can have somewhere to hide if he feels scared. Many will also recommend keeping new bunnies confined to a smaller area first, then gradually increasing the space. Too much space from the start may intimidate them.

As Bladesmith mentioned, DO NOT pick him up. I once did that to my rabbit when he was still fairly new (first two weeks of being in our home), and he freaked out so much that he hid in his cage for 3 days straight even though the cage door was wide open.

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