New Bunny- HELP

[Gizmo14]

I'm new to this site and new to having a bunny! I just got a 2 year old male lion head and have done lots of research! He was unwanted by his previous owners and when meeting them could tell he was very neglected. They never trained him.

FIRST- I currently have a towel in his cage because he seemed to really respond to it when we brought him home. However he has began chewing at is quite frequently and I'm not sure if he is eating it which I have read is bad! Should I remove it from his cage??

SECOND- I am trying to teach him that we are good and that he shouldn't fear us. He has nipped at me twice while trying to get him into his cage. I have been opening his cage and letting him run around the room however he still seems to be afraid of us. What can I do to change this??

THIRD- What do I need to put in his cage?? The only thing he currently has is a cardboard box (what the owners claimed he used as a litter box), his food and water, a blanket, and some generic bedding. What should I remove and include??


ANY ADIVCE OR HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED… I AM A TAD BIT CONFUSED! THANKS!! :bunnyheart

 

[PaGal]

If he is chewing on the towel I would suggest removing it. You can try using fleece which is less dangerous if chewed on. However, a bun does not necessarily need a soft spot to lay. My male prefers to lay on the bottom of his cage. Maybe it's cooler for him.

To bond with your bun you can sit in the room with him. You can talk to him or even read out loud. Keep some pellets with you and try hand feeding him some. Bribery goes a long way. Keep in mind rabbits are prey animals so give him time. he's in a new place with new people and it may take him some time to settle in. Also, remember that not all buns are alike some are more skittish than others.

Do you have hay for him? Buns should eat lots and lots of hay for the fiber and to keep their gut moving. When you say generic bedding do you mean litter?

If he is litter trained or if you want to litter train him then you should have litter in a litter box only. If you fill the cage with it he will be confused.

For toys you could provide him with empty toilet paper and paper towel tubes. These you can also stuff with hay. Hard plastic baby keys. Plastic slinky. Whiffle ball. Cat balls or any of the made for bun toys such as willow balls.

 

[whiskylollipop]

He needs a proper plastic litter tray, like those for cats. He doesn't need bedding, or blankets unless it's cold. You can put down puppy wee pads for easy clean-up if his litter habits aren't perfect.

It's natural for a bunny to feel scared and nippy in a new environment. Give him a couple weeks to settle down. Spend lots of time with him being gentle and non-threatening.

I second hay, he needs hay. Timothy hay is best.

 

[FlutterShy]

The bunny needs lots of love and patience from you. Its going to take some time for him to trust you. 2 years of neglect is not easy to forget. Glad the bunny now has someone to take good care of it =0).