Bunny is scared

[maisy&layla]

We bought a mini Lop 2 weeks ago.

For the first two weeks she has been very out going and adventurous. Enjoys climbing and is very loving towards my partner and I.

However, this morning she has been startled by something(don't know what) and has thumped several times and is going into corners etc to hide.

We have brought her out by offering her food which she is taking and also put a massive bag of hay on the floor.

She still seems nervous.

Is there anything that we can do to make her like her old self again ?

 

[ZRabbits]

Hi,

I've had times where my bunnies get startled by something. It could be anything really. And they get upset and skittish like your sweet lop. What I've done is allow them time to settle down. I would sit outside their crate and just talk to them, or just be there. It might take a day or two for them to realize that the scary thing they heard or saw is gone, and then I would see them relax and start being their usual self again.

Plus with a bunny that I've only had for two weeks, things will set them off easily. They were still in that settling in stage. Most of my bunnies took a good two months to really know where they are, really know they were safe.

Keep doing what you are doing. Just let her take her time. At her own pace. She will come around and I find when things like this happen, it strengthens the bond between me and my bunnies.

Hope this helps a bit.

K

 

[maisy&layla]

Thank you she does seem to be a little better. Like you say Patience is the key

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/254/laylalazy.jpg/

 

[ZRabbits]

Aww, my heart just melted. What a precious baby. Love her little face.

Congratulations on this bundle of joy!

K

 

[Ape337]

Look at that face!!! Once I turned on the ceiling fans in the bunny room and they were terrified! I felt so horrible I jumped up and used my hands to stop the blades! Who knew? I guess they looked like huge birds of prey?? We had thumping for several minutes there and no bunnies in sight, everyone was in their cardboard boxes

If you have a nice box for buns to run to when they get startled it seems to help them (they also play in them too). I just have 2 holes, entrance and exit, they will create more of their own. I make my apologies if I'm the cause of the stress (like the time I tripped, fell on my face, veggies flying) or just use baby talk. :biggrin:

 

[LakeCondo]

April's right, a hide box helps with scared rabbits. Use a cardboard box with the ends held together without tape by inter-folding them. Or non-plastic, non-strapping tape would be ok. Make at least 1 of the 2 holes just barely big enough, so bunny can have the joy of making it bigger without destroying the box too soon. Chewing cardboard is ok for them.

 

[maisy&layla]

Thanks everyone, she has a house in her cage which she tends to sleep in.
She seems a lot better now.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:inlove: