Shy rabbit

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

carrots

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2004
Messages
388
Reaction score
0
Location
Middlesbrough, , United Kingdom
Hi, I'm having a problem. I have a 1 1/2 year old Netherland dwarf called Poppy. Every time I hold her she freezes, she seems scared of me. When I put food in for her she growls at me and tries to bite me. When I first got her she was so sweet. I think her shyness and anger may come from me not spending enough time with her but when i have her out i put her back shortly after because she is so scared, her little heart beats so fast. I have had such a great bond with all my other animals but i don't get that bond with Poppy (sitting on my knee as i type). Is it just a case of spending more time withher? :?



Carrots x:)
 
Hi Carrots,

How long have you had her? Is she spayed?

I have a Holland Lop who is just now allowing us to touchher. We've had her for three months. She used torun every time we came near her. We spent a lot of time inthe floor, letting her come to us and check usout.We didn't pick her up or even pet her mosttimes because she would run. She's finally warmed up tous. You have to teach them to trust you sometimes.

Laura


 
i was having the same problem with Cinn.. but now shes good!

what Lissa told me was to lay on the floor when shes out and let hercome up to you and sniff you.. and if you dont already have Crasins getsome! LOL.. thats another thing that helpped me and Cinn! LOL
 
Maybe you should not make her come out, just siton the floor next to the cage and wait until she comes to you. It maytake her time to come out of the cage on her own, but then she won't bescared.
Our bunny is terrified when we pick him up, so we usually don't unlesswe need to cut his nails. He runs away from me the next day after wecut his nails.
Let her come to you and check you out, bunnies are curious.
 
You know, rabbits sometimes don't like anything or anyone to disturb their homes.

They don't like people cleaning them, changing things around and/or even reaching into the cage to feed them.

Bo is quite angry each time we move all of his toys around.He immediately goes and throws them someplace else! LOL (Ok, we do itjust to tick him off :pbut he doesn't bite us for it!)

Actually, get down on the floor at her level .... layingflat. Have some foodsies that she likes and talk verygently. It might take some time, and she might never comearound, but that's the best way i think.
 
bi1526 wrote:
Wespent a lot of time in the floor, letting her come to us and check usout.We didn't pick her up or even pet her mosttimes because she would run. She's finally warmed up tous. You have to teach them to trust you sometimes.
Very good advice. Spend lots of time at your bunny'slevel. They like it better when we're "their size".:) Just let Poppy come up and sniff you and run aroundyou. You have to earn his/her trust. Goodluck.
 
I still do that with Bo, too! I like tolay on the floor (of course now it's on the hardwood which isn'tcomfy!) and he will come over and honk and jump on me and tug on myshirt. Sometimes I get my hair groomed! :D
 
Bo B Bunny wrote:
I still do that with Bo, too! I like to lay on thefloor (of course now it's on the hardwood which isn't comfy!) and hewill come over and honk and jump on me and tug on my shirt.Sometimes I get my hair groomed! :D
I do that with Wrigley too and I think it definitely helps him trust memore. His favorite things is to come and sit on my back whileI am laying on the floor. :D

Jenn
 
Babylikes to chew on my hair.She makesloud sniffing noises when she smells me and herwhiskers tickle. I'm always laughing when I'm in the floorwith them.If I'm on my side, Snuggles sometimesgooses me! I think she gets a kick out of surprising me andmaking me squeal and jump.

Cinnabun is right about the Craisins! They will crawl all over you!

Laura




 
Yes treats, treats. and more treats.Pebbles thought her pellets were treats as we fed them one byone.....ha ha. To get real close to them, I sitPebbles on our stairs and I would sit a few stairs below her.We would be eyeball to eyeball,and she would love the petting.

Rainbows! :D
 
babybunnywrigley wrote:
Bo B Bunny wrote:
I still dothat with Bo, too! I like to lay on the floor (of course nowit's on the hardwood which isn't comfy!) and he will come over and honkand jump on me and tug on my shirt. Sometimes I get my hairgroomed! :D
I do that with Wrigley too and I think it definitely helps him trust memore. His favorite things is to come and sit on my back whileI am laying on the floor. :D

Jenn
Don't you love that! I don't mind Bo laying orsitting on my back. When he starts digging on me it sometimeshurts but mostly tickles !
 
Pet_Bunny wrote:
Yes treats, treats. and more treats. Pebblesthought her pellets were treats as we fed them one by one.....haha. To get real close to them, I sit Pebbles on ourstairs and I would sit a few stairs below her. We would beeyeball to eyeball,and she would love the petting.

Rainbows! :D
We use oats that way! I will hold the oats and if he pees or poos in his litterbox outside his cage, we give him an oat.

If he comes when we call him (which he does if I call usually) he gets an oat.

He'll do about anything for his oats! :)
 
Bo B Bunny wrote:
babybunnywrigley wrote:
Bo B Bunny wrote:
I still dothat with Bo, too! I like to lay on the floor (of course nowit's on the hardwood which isn't comfy!) and he will come over and honkand jump on me and tug on my shirt. Sometimes I get my hairgroomed! :D
I do that with Wrigley too and I think it definitely helps him trust memore. His favorite things is to come and sit on my back whileI am laying on the floor. :D

Jenn
Don't you love that! I don't mind Bo laying orsitting on my back. When he starts digging on me it sometimeshurts but mostly tickles !
Wrigley is like a little back massager lol...except for when he decideshe wants to pull on the belt loops on my jeans or go after myhair :shock::)
 
carrots wrote:
Hi,i'm having a problem. I have a 1 1/2 year old neatherland dwarf calledPoppy. Every time i hold her she freezes, she seems scared of me. Wheni put food in for her she growls at me and tries to bite me. When ifirst got her she was so sweet. I think her shyness and anger may comefrom me not spending enough time with her but when i have her out i puther back shortly after because she is so scared, her little heart beatsso fast. I have had such a great bond with all my other animals but idon't get that bond with Poppy (sitting on my knee as i type). Is itjust a case of spending more time with her? :?
Time and patience is the key. I had one shy bunny because he wasn'thandled as a real young baby and was very shy around people. Now he'scome out of his shell not only around me, but some others, too.

The secret is not to rush things. Take things slowly by just sitting onthe floor and letting her come to you to sniff. Don't attempt to pether unless she nudges your hand for pats. After like a week of doingthis then try petting her and if she runs away then start back from thebeginning. In the first week hand feeding her may help her to acceptyour hand as a good thing. When she likes to be pet try to find hersweet spot and simply spend as much time as you can petting that spot.Avoid picking her up if at all possible.

It does take a very long time, it took me over a year to get Spice to come around but now he's a brat but very loving!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top