new rabbit, i need some help please

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Midnight01

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
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Location
Livingston, New Jersey, USA
hey, im justin and new to this site, im15and i just got a rabbit named midnight (due to his blackcolor:p)about 2 months ago, he was great, i went to the petshop since he was going to be there for a few weeks before i got himfor my birthday, i visited him everyday just so he wouldn't forget me.when i went he would lick me, and he would let me hold him how ever iwanted to (not in bad uncomforatable positions). When i got him alittle bit before my birthday (this year, february 23, 2005) he seemeda little squeemish. i figured he was just getting used to the place.lately he has been pooping alot on my floor when i let him out, usuallywhen i leave the room so i figured hes lonely. im wondering, did heforget me. does he think im someone else, not the person who came tothe petshop everyday. he would let me pick him up frequently, but nowhe wont e ven let me. he jsut keeps grunting at me, which i know is asign of aggression and saying stay away. i put my hand out after hedoes to let him no im making peace, so then he lets me pet him. he letsme pet him and he lies by me alot and falls asleep when i pet him, butwhy doesn't he let me pick him up anymore. i'de appreciate it ifsomeone cal tell me :), thanks. Click the attatched linktoseemidnight when i was holding him in the petshop, he fits inthe palms of my hands :D, well, thanks guys talk to you soon.

P.S- if this is posted twice, its because im not sure if it went through
 
Hi Justin welcome to t he forum ,

first off check the cheetsheets for rabbits ; lotsofusefull imfo in there

second try getting d own tohis level and let him come toyou . i think in time he willwarm back up to you , he isgetting into the terrible 2'snow lol and the independenceis setting in , Do you have sometoys he can play with , ifso try rolling one acrossedthe floor and see howhe acts ,

Pet stores well are just thatpet stores, a babies memoryis short maybe hethinks your someone else maybe not but iwould try the floor level thingand see what happens . good luck keepus posted . your link didntshow up , sorry /
 
thanks, i rolled my dogs ball and her cahsed ityet didnt bring it back, how unexpecting lol :p, ill try the gettingdown thing, thanks, about my post not showin up, what do i do aboutthat, anyways, im goin to the pet store this week to get sometoys, adn ill check the cheet sheet, thanks
 
your welcome :

as for posting links howi usually do it andit may not be the correct waybut it works is to bringup the site , right dlick onhte address bar hit copy, thengo back to the post right clickagain and click paste .
 
Welcome to the forum!

How old is your bunny? They are often cuddly when they arelittle things, but when they get older, most bunnies don't like to beheld. Rabbits, by nature, are prey animals, so being pickedup can seem like being picked up by a bird or another predatoryanimal. Most bunnies love pets and will give kisses, but notoften. My little guy Saphy is only 6 wks and he gives kisses,but I think that will probably stop when he reaches sexualmaturity. Orion is getting there, and he isn't as cuddlyanymore. Elvis gave me kisses when I brought him home, but hehasn't since. He is my cuddle bunny. I also thinkthat larger rabbits are more cuddly, at least in my experience.

Jen
 
The other thing that I would probably add is thatdropping pellets everywhere is his way of marking his territory it doesimprove but u may find as soon as he hits the 4 month mark he may getmore territorial and you may have to talk to your parents about gettinghim neutered as this can help litter train him and make him calmer buti wouldnt reccomend it before he is 4 months old.

My rabbits Jack and hetti dont let me pick them up either but jack willlet me lie next to him and give him kisses, hetti is still a bit toojumpy but if u give them the occasional bit of dried papaya, pineappleor mango u can sometimes stroke them while they eat it...also they lovetreats so they will sometimes come to u for one :)dont overfeed him on treats though.

Hope this info helps. keep your chin up, i know its almost irresistableto wanna pick ur baby up but there can be alot of respect in just lyingtogether and stroking :)i wouldnt be without my buns.

As for midnight getting lonely i think he should be fine as long ashe's got u :)toys help but getting a second rabbit can causequite a stir and can be a lengthy process of trying to bond them, ifyou can at all. If you choose this route it is best that uwait until midnight is old enough to be neutered get that done and thentry rescue homes because they sometimes let u take ur bunny over sothat they can see if any will bond with him. The best paringis male to female... then female to female and then lastly male to malesometimes they just wont bond at all :(.

HTH
 
to everyone who has yet posted on this page,thank you so much, i will keep my chin up ;)and i will give uguys pictures, click the link in this one for his pic. and you alllhave been a big help to midnight and i. well time to play with midnightlol. thanks again
 
hey guys, just updating again, hey gypsy i triedgetting down to his level, but he still wont come to me or let me pickhim up. i know that they are uncomforatable being help, so i guess imok with it; but how do i disipline him, i know never to hit a rabbit(god for bid, i would NEVER EVER do that heh) so i just give him asharp loud no, not too loud though; to stop him from doing bad actions.i cant get him to stop poo'ing on the floor. i tried the whole litterbox thing and it wont work. He also just chews on it. plus if i cantpickhim up, how do i get him into his cage, h e does go in byhimself, but i might start disiplining him by giving him a5minute time out in his cage, he used to not go outside the cage, but hestill is, what do i do?

Thanks, to anyone who can help
 
He is so cute!

I had a hard time getting some of my rabbits to want anything to dowith me. Basil hadn't had much contact, so she was a bit of awild child, although she has settled down and now comes to getpets. Daisy has become a real brat lately. Shetries to bite the other buns when she is caged and they are having playtime, but she is slowly getting over this. She won't comeanywhere near me if she is out of the cage, she usually goes behindElvis's cage when she thinks I want to give her some love so I can'tget to her at all. Sage is a big love, he always has been, sohe hasn't been a problem. Orion, is being rebellious rightnow, he is about 12 wks and so it's just a tough age. Elvishas just started to let me pay him attention. He would alwaysaccept pets if I went to him, but he has just started coming to me forthem. I think food is really helpful. They all,even Daisy, come to me if they think I have treats. Lastnight, I got attacked by Elvis because he saw me get theCheerios! He was a crazy man and followed me around trying tosteal all the other buns' cheerios.

Try some "healthy" treats. Those work pretty well.And be patient, sometimes it takes them a long time to adjust.

Jen
 
Hey Midnight, posted some tips from PetBunny (hope she doesn't mind) about litterbox training that should be helpful.

http://http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6470&forum_id=1&jump_to=91530#p91530]http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6470&forum_id=1&jump_to=91530#p91530]http://http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6470&forum_id=1&jump_to=91530#p91530[/url]

http://http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6340&forum_id=1&jump_to=89921#p89921]http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6340&forum_id=1&jump_to=89921#p89921]http://http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=6340&forum_id=1&jump_to=89921#p89921[/url]

Best advice I can give you is to remember that your rabbit is ayoungster, a baby if you will, and babies take a while to learn newthings like litterbox training,so be patient. If hemanages to go and do #1 in the box,use positive reinforcementand praise him and give him a small treat.
 
hahaha, i like the cheerio story, well thanks forthe info,i appreciate it cirrus (for short), and thanks to you too jenn(for short as well) :p. talk to you guys later
 
Midnight01 wrote:
hey guys, just updating again, hey gypsy i tried gettingdown to his level, but he still wont come to me or let me pick him up.i know that they are uncomforatable being help, so i guess im ok withit; but how do i disipline him, i know never to hit a rabbit (god forbid, i would NEVER EVER do that heh) so i just give him a sharp loudno, not too loud though; to stop him from doing bad actions. i cant gethim to stop poo'ing on the floor. i tried the whole litter box thingand it wont work. He also just chews on it. plus if i cantpickhim up, how do i get him into his cage, h e does go in byhimself, but i might start disiplining him by giving him a5minute time out in his cage, he used to not go outside the cage, but hestill is, what do i do?

Thanks, to anyone who can help
Click to expand...


Try putting some of his poop IN the litter box. How are youpicking him up? Rabbits don't really like to be off of theground, BUT if you start handling them early and loving and pettingthem early, they will trust you and won't freak out when you pick themup. Try picking him up and holding him like afootball. Hold him firm, so he feels snug up againstyou. Talk to him gently and he will know your voiceeventually.

With litter training, maybe you should get another litterbox. (Leave his 'cage' litter box in the cage).Find his favorite corner in the house (or in your room) and when youtake him out of the cage, put him IN the 'house' litter box and carryhim to his corner, put the litter box down, and hopefully he will comeout of the box on his own.

Do you hand feed him? I have heard hand-feeding helps to establish trust and love.

About discipline, it has been suggested that also a loud STOMP on thefloor with your foot and a sharp NO! Might get theirattention. Use your foot like they do.

About getting him to come to you, try laying down on thefloor. Imitate him and talk to him. His curiositymight get to him and he'll come around. You alsomight want to consider getting him spayed. That might helpwith his attitude.



Good luck , Justin! Keep us posted! :)
 
thanks kricket, i appreciate it, once again toevery lol, :D, i tried putting his poop in the cage, but about pickinghim up, like ive tried every way, even when i first got him, he stillwont let me, he jumps out fo the way, grunts, and today tried to biteme, but i put my hand out and let him no i made peice, so when i sawhim on my bed later, i petted him into a nice relaxing...sleep, well hewas awake, btu ya get the point lol.
 
Jenniblu wrote:
Hey Midnight, posted some tips from PetBunny (hope shedoesn't mind) about litterbox training that should be helpful.
Click to expand...
Don't mind at all, Jenniblu. Glad you could share it with others.

Rainbows! :D
 
Oh I'm glad, Pet_Bunny. You alwaysexplain things so clearly and simply.:D Plus, you always endyour posts with "Rainbows" which I think is so positive.
 
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