Second home rabbits?

About 5 months ago I got my first rabbit, a male mini-lop who was 18 months old at the time and I named him Rumple. I'm his second home so at first I figured him being wary of me was just normal and I'd give it some time but it hasn't seemed to have improved much (except now he'll let me pet him in the cage and doesn't thump whenever I come near him, sometimes he'll follow me around while I clean his cage and whatnot). I lay on the floor while he has play time and just do my homework for an hour or so and let him come up to me and sniff around but the second I try to pet him however slow I go he bolts. I figured maybe he's afraid I'll put him back in the cage, so I try to pick him up and sit him on my lap at least once during his floor time and pet him and give him treats and then let him run around again so he doesn't associate interacting with me as going back to the cage.

He's very well litter trained too (except for the occasional poop pile in the cage, but spot on with his peeing) but he's found a corner of my room where he poops and pees constantly which he never used to do. He loves my dogs, I just cant seem to get him to love me haha. The girl I got him from said he was very cuddly so I'm not sure what the deal is, he'll tolerate being held just fine for a little bit anyways. Do any of you have experience with this kind of thing/ have any tips on building good relationships with your rabbits? I'm not sure where/if I'm going wrong

Time and patience, but most important is bribery. All of ours are rescues and most have been either shy or attack oriented. With the shy ones I always have a treat handy. Bambi used to go as far away as she could and now she comes when I call her and is always under foot or scritching at my leg for a rub and some cilantro and she loves to be held and carried--go figure! Of course this took a couple of years, but, well worth it.

When you say time, how long exactly do you mean? I'm just curious at the ballpark here. I know it depends per rabbit but are we talking months? Years?

Nancy McClelland said:

Time and patience, but most important is bribery. All of ours are rescues and most have been either shy or attack oriented. With the shy ones I always have a treat handy. Bambi used to go as far away as she could and now she comes when I call her and is always under foot or scritching at my leg for a rub and some cilantro and she loves to be held and carried--go figure! Of course this took a couple of years, but, well worth it.

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Glad to know that it's doable! Everybody keeps telling me to just sell him but I definitely do not want to just give up on him like that. Today I bribed him with carrots and by the end he let me pet him outside of the cage which almost never happens, he even closed his eyes and relaxed a bit so I'll take that as a good sign

I wouldn't worry too much, rabbits really do take some time to adjust to their owners and have a secure bond. I have had my rabbit Pipkin for almost 3 years and for nearly half of that time, he was extremely resistant to being held or pet anywhere other than his head. Now I can take him to my room, desk, and hold him for hours and he loves it and the new areas to explore. He even lets me hold his little paws (For very short periods of time )

Especially being a 2nd home, I think you just need to give him some time. But I do agree with the bribery! :carrot Sometimes working on more handfeeding will help create a better bond because not only will the thought of you not be; oh no time to go back in my cage, but it will now be: Yay! Treats! and he will run to you as soon as he hears that bag or sees the fresh veggie. Just be patient! He'll come around! :bunnyheart

PipkinbunRibb said:

I wouldn't worry too much, rabbits really do take some time to adjust to their owners and have a secure bond. I have had my rabbit Pipkin for almost 3 years and for nearly half of that time, he was extremely resistant to being held or pet anywhere other than his head. Now I can take him to my room, desk, and hold him for hours and he loves it and the new areas to explore. He even lets me hold his little paws (For very short periods of time )

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wow a year and a half is definitely a long time, lets hope Rumple's a little easier to persuade hahah. He's definitely having a good day today so I'm hopeful :big wink:

With one exception, all of my rabbits have been second home rabbits. I believe there are many others here who have rescue rabbits. Each one is unique and I really don't think there is any detriment to a rabbit being in second home. They are what they are. The shy ones will be shy regardless of whether they've been in the same home their whole lives. The outgoing ones will be outgoing. It is just a matter of adjusting to a new environment (whether that's a new home with new owners or a new home with same owners [like from moving]).

My current male took probably a year to seem fully relaxed and comfortable in our home. He and his mate are free range, but he preferred to stay near the cage and not wander too far. It took him awhile to get comfortable enough to binky and dash about. Unfortunately, we happened to move shortly after he got comfortable. It hasn't been quite a year since and he has had to go through the same process over again. It's more the change of environment than us (since we haven't changed - lol). My girl took no time at all (maybe a couple weeks) to seem perfectly at home in the new place.

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Just be patient and accept your rabbit for the unique personality he has. Not all rabbits are cuddlers and not all are lap-sitters. That's half the intrigue of owning rabbits - they are each unique.

kyliegp said:

wow a year and a half is definitely a long time, lets hope Rumple's a little easier to persuade hahah. He's definitely having a good day today so I'm hopeful :big wink:

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Hahah believe me, I know it is a long time ullhair: but most rabbits don't take that long, and either way, the wait is usually worth it. Just be patient with your bun :bunnyhug:

Treats are a big help!! :bunny24

Today he actually let me pick him up while he was out on floor time without having to corner him first, never happens, but unfortunately it was when I had to put him back in the cage so I hope he doesnt hold it against me and never let me do it again

Kylie - just don't be too pushy about picking him up. Some buns don't mind it, but most do. Rabbits are prey animals and prefer their feet on the floor. I see that your little guy is a Holland Lop. He looks just like our little Bun Jovi did. Jovi was a diva and she loved her floor snuggles, but if you tried to pick her up, she'd hop away and flick her feet at us. Anytime you see a bun flick it's back feet at you, they're annoyed. Give him pets on the head and ears. This is called grooming. It's a hierarchy thing. You groom me, and eventually I may groom you back. Maybe. If not, it's ok. Treats are a plus. When the others here speak of bribery, they mean by treats. Jovi really enjoyed a slice of banana...but only one slice since sugar is not good for them, so you want to limit it. Also 50% less sugar Craisins for every bun we've been owned by is pure bunny crack. You can give your bun 4 or 5 of these a couple of times per week if you get the 50% less sugar ones. They can be found by the raisins, they're dehydrated cranberries. Just give him time. Be patient.

Yeah I get the prey thing, I try to limit picking him up since I don't really need to unless he has to go back in the cage and I try not to do it from above because I don't want to startle him, but I want him to know he can trust me when I do have to pick him up, I know he just needs time thanks for all the great advice everyone, gotta say I was losing hope but now that I know this is totally normal I feel way better

kyliegp said:

Today he actually let me pick him up while he was out on floor time without having to corner him first, never happens, but unfortunately it was when I had to put him back in the cage so I hope he doesnt hold it against me and never let me do it again

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kyliegp said:

Yeah I get the prey thing, I try to limit picking him up since I don't really need to unless he has to go back in the cage and I try not to do it from above because I don't want to startle him, but I want him to know he can trust me when I do have to pick him up, I know he just needs time thanks for all the great advice everyone, gotta say I was losing hope but now that I know this is totally normal I feel way better

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I would really suggest that you don't pick him up to put him back in his cage. Otherwise I do fear that he will associate you picking him up with him being forced back into his cage.

I usually advise that one tricks their rabbit into thinking that they are the one deciding to go back in the cage. This can be done a few ways. Hopefully your cage is on the floor anyway so that he can be hopping back in whenever he is out roaming.

But they can be bribed to go in with their pellets or greens. They can be corralled (sp?) in, for example, with an x-pen that is gradually closed in closer to the cage door until he has no choice but to hop in on his own. And once I even clapped nearby my rabbit and he kept trying to get away from me. I didn't stop clapping until he hopped in his cage. My current pair hop right it at night when I put in their nighttime hay and their pellets.

Unfortunately his cage is raised off the ground because I have other pets I don't want harassing him and trying to break into his cage so I have to pick him up to put him back :/

You could create a ramp or box steps. Its important for a bunny to be able to hop back in his cage at will.

What other pets? We have had dogs with our rsbbits. Most can be trained how to treat the cage.

I will try a ramp, I have dogs and one of them absolutely cannot be trusted around the bun, she lives for chasing rabbits and squirrels outside and whenever she sees rumple its like she turns into a different dog and totally loses her mind. There could be bombs going off around her and she wouldn't notice lol, she's come a long way since I first got rumple and can focus on other things as long as rumple isnt moving around too much. Rumple shows absolutely no fear of her (he grew up on a dog ranch), if he seemed at all uncomfortable or stressed by her I wouldn't let her in the room

Yes. Certain dogs seem to be much more excitable around rabbits. Our labradoodle will instantly chase any cottontail or jackrabbit he sees outside. The other day he took off after a cottontail and totally tuned me out when I was calling him. So I know what you mean. That incident was unexpected since we haven't lived in this place all that long.

But inside the house, he is absolutely fine with our free-range rabbits. My one girl has even binkied and landed on top of our dog. He knows he cannot bother the rabbits. If you're interested, I have a page on my site that shows how I trained my dog with our rabbits. Perhaps it will have some ideas you may not have thought about.

I'll definitely check that out thanks I'd love to be able to trust her around him eventually

1 1/2 years isn't too bad--We had one that took 4 years to get him usable as he would attack and bite, and by bite I mean you might bleed a little or profusely. Sounds like you have things in hand now. I prefer cilantro as a treat as they all love it and I don't have to worry about sugar or other "chemicals". Bambi will walk on her back feet for it and Coal used to do that to--they both really like it and will do almost anything for it. Cosmo is like speed racer when you give it to him. He'll take it and eat it and then it's 2 or 3 laps around the room and then begging for more.

You're definitely much more patient than I am hahah, 4 years is crazy