First Vet Visit & Question

[JerzeyQT98]

Hi all,

Ozzy went to the vet this weekend to get his first exam. All is well! The vet knew we had gotten him from a breeder, she said it the second she walked in the door... saying how you can "just tell"... anyway, we took him to the vet in hopes to get him neutered (2 weeks!)... but she had asked if we definitely wanted to neuter him and if we thought about showing him... talk about a tough choice. I guess Ozzy is a really well bred bun. Too bad... he's getting neutered

Anyway, my question was... does anyone have a problem with your buns being scared of you? Not sure if Ozzy is playing games or what. But anytime you go to pet him, he runs away... but then he comes back. He'll crawl all over you and always wants to be near you, but when you go to pet him, he runs away. He's getting better and will let you pet him in his cage, while he's eating and also when he's around our other bunny, but sometimes he just runs away.

He was handled ever since he was a baby, so he doesnt mind being held, however his heart rate picks up and he breathes 20x's faster when you do... he's very weird.

Any suggestions?

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Glad to hear he's healthy! Yay.

As far as the running away, if he comes up to you and crawls on you, but runs away when you try to pet him, it sounds like he's playing a game with you. "You can't get me", being silly.

 

[JerzeyQT98]

Sometimes I think he's playing, but other times (and most of the time) I want to say he's not. He looks scared when he runs away... and he runs FAST. His eyes get back and when he stands still he breathes extremely fast and heavy. He does the same thing when he's in his cage and you pet him or if he'd held. Just seems like a scaredy cat.

However, when he's out and about, like I said he'll crawl all over you and come near you, but the second you go to touch him.... BAM, he's gone. lol

 

[JimD]

It may also be triggering his natural prey instinct if you're reaching down to him from above.
Try getting down on his level.
Even more extreme....act like a bunny when you're down there. Imitate a bunnie grooming and wanting to nuzzle. You might be surprised.
And have someone take pictures....(just kidding).

Seriously now....I did this with one of my VERY insecure buns. I don't know if it was curiosity...or that she felt sorry for me, but it seemed to help sometimes.

~Jim

 

[Bunnicula]

JimD wrote:

It may also be triggering his natural prey instinct if you're reaching down to him from above.
Try getting down on his level.
Even more extreme....act like a bunny when you're down there. Imitate a bunnie grooming and wanting to nuzzle. You might be surprised.
And have someone take pictures....(just kidding).

Very, cute, JimD (hehehe) :upsidedown:

Seriously now....I did this with one of my VERY insecure buns. I don't know if it was curiosity...or that she felt sorry for me, but it seemed to help sometimes.

Anyone take pictures of YOU? Feel free to post those....:bunny17:

~Jim

Yes, seriously, what Jim says...:yeahthat: 2 of our 3 bunnies are "scurriers". It's part play, part escape from predator instinct, and part rabbitude (they know that sometimes when I pick them up it means return to their houses...and they would rather be free range). But if I lie on the floor they will come right up to me, nip me, kiss me, hop ON me... They've got a great sense, too, for when this is play time and when it's "back in the cage" time. When they realize I'm faking them out using a play time posture to capture them...they pull out all the stops with their bunny agility and speed skills. :bunnydance:Gingivere is almost 5 and she still will take off at top speed if she thinks my intentions are "less than honorable."

So it's probably just natural that your bunny runs from you. Just keep working at it...holding, handling, and picking him up a lot. I can't guarantee that Ozzy will change his behavior (Gingivere sure hasn't), but through practice you'll learn what is best and easiest for both you and him.

Oh, and congrats on having such a beautiful show-quality bun. Got pctures????? :stikpoke

-Mary Ellen

 

[JerzeyQT98]

I do!! But need to upload more. Hopefully this link works:

http://pets.webshots.com/album/250525689iqLzim?start=0

THere's pictures of my very first bunny, Shoz, and then the two that I currently have, Kayleigh and Ozzy :biggrin2:

 

[Bunnicula]

OMG JerzeyQT, what adorable bunnies!!!!!!

I LOVE the pic of Kayleigh at the computer keyboard. Was that staged or did she do that on her own and you just happened to catch it? And Ozzy is a love! (He is definitely added to my bunnynapping list! :bunnyheart) I can see the little cutie zooming off when you go to pick him up. He's got that impish little face that you can't help but love.:heart:

Thanks for sharing the link to the pics. They are all fabulous.

 

[MsBinky]

That sure sounds like a game to me. Lol. Try getting on your fours and crawling towards him when he scampers. If he runs but then comes back and crawls under you or even on top of you (my 3 climb up on my back when I do this LOL) then it really is a game. Don't run after him because if i is his instinct, you'll scare him more. Lol. I really suggest you let him familiarize himself with your hands. I always present an open hand to my buns for them to sniff when we are new to each other. I do this with my pregnant Wiggles now too, because when she recognizes the hand as being mine, she lets me do pretty much anything without lunging at me as she is doing with others or when I startle her.

As JimD wrote, you'll need to spend a lot of time down there on the floor with your bun. Lol. I know it sounds weird but you'll learn a lot from your bun once he's less intimidated by someone being much bigger than him.