When can I start taking my new bunny places?

[Mimzy]

I just got my new baby bunny yesterday around 4pm, & was a little nervous about the car ride but did pretty well, she didn’t seem too scared. She’s 8 weeks old, & I’m hoping to get her used to going places (not super frequently by any means…at least once a month?).

So I work at a pet store that is literally a 5 minute drive from my house & I’m off tomorrow. I was thinking about bringing her to the store with me tomorrow for a short trip, & by that time, she will have been home for a full 48 hours. She seems to have adjusted pretty well so far, she’s not been timid or skittish, & this morning I let her out of her cage for a couple hours & she was doing mini zoomies already. She seems pretty active & outgoing, so would a short trip to the pet store be ok? Or is it still too soon & be too stressful?

 

Also, here’s a few pictures of my new girl!! ^-^

   

[sarahthegemini]

She’s beautiful ?

I would leave it for a couple of weeks tbh. It will allow her to develop some trust in you which might help it not be so scary. Is there a reason you want to be able to take her out and about? We do have bunnies here that go out and about regularly but for some rabbits, it would be too stressful.

[Mimzy]

I want to be able to do more things with her than I was able to with my past 2. Like if I want to take her out to get photos with Santa or in a pumpkin patch lol, it will be less scary of a thing to do if she’s already used to going places.

So in short, it will make mandatory car rides (like to the vet) or rides to get certain photo ops a little less stressful. Plus…there’s a chance I may be moving to Tennessee next year, & that will be SO helpful if she was a little more used to car rides xD Cuz that’s a long trip (with pitstops of course)

[Q8bunny]

She’s an adorable floofnugget!

But please keep in mind that while there are super outgoing bunnies out there (therapy buns, Instagram celebrities, etc), it probably has a lot more to do with the bun’s personality than with the bun being conditioned to the activity.

Bunnies are prey animals. Which means that car rides and outings for cute photo ops are far from their natural behaviours. My little guy hates being picked up, held, and transported even after three years, even though I know that once we get to wherever we’re going (and we have been to the stores, to the cinema, to the beach or park), he’s very happy and outgoing, curious and friendly. But that’s unusual for a rabbit.

So my suggestion would be, give your little girl lots of time to get used to her new home and to YOU. Because right now, she does’t know you from a wedge of cheese. This way, you’ll be able to discover her true personality, and hopefully build a bond and some real trust. Eventually, build up to handling her (for grooming, nail trims, putting in carrier, etc). Then, if she’s ok with it, you can get her used to a safe harness etc.

By all means, photograph her as she grows more comfortable with all this, but the idea is to capture all the cute things she’ll do naturally, rather than forcing certain behaviours by way of a prematurely unnatural situation/place.

Hope that makes sense…

[Gordo and Janice]

@Q8bunny – “doesn’t know you from a wedge of cheese” – Lol

@Mimzy – no advice here, but she is so adorable. There is something about youth. Funny how big her back foot looks in that “Ole hat” picture. It looks enormous!

[Muj Mom N Bun]

I think she is absolutely a sweet beauty flooofy pooof! Now… I’m hardly any sort of expert… but I am going to agree with Q8, we need to be careful to understand rabbits are prey animals and they have very certain needs that usually need to be met for them to feel safe and secure with us and their surroundings. I feel that a pet store may have too many unsafe triggers for her… sounds of dogs barking, loud overhead speakers, bright lights, unfamiliar people, too much stimulation. This is just my opinion added in on top of what has also already been stated….she may be a baby now who may appear as if to be able to tolerate such circumstances… but you don’t know if in the long run maybe you are causing your bunnny to not build a solid trusting bond with you or her home.

[Mimzy]

Those are fair points I will wait a while longer to try & take her anywhere. Definitely want her to trust me & feel safe with me. We’ll see how she does after some more time to adjust to her new home ^-^

[Q8bunny]

Well, she is obviously loved, so I’m sure that given time, you two will build a wonderful bond.

[Author]

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