foster bun issues

[swanlake]

I need help with my new foster bun. he is 7 years old and was bonded for that long with another bunny who was attacked by a dog about two weeks ago. the lady who owned them said she didn't think he saw or heard anything.

he is agressive. he will start pawing at you if you go to pet him. he doesn't like being petted, and he doesn't seem to know how to be held. anytime i hold him he starts breathing really fast.

he is also not eating much. he barely touches his letuce or his pellets.

help please

 

[tonyshuman]

The fast breathing thing I think is being scared. Did his bonded bunny make it? If not, you might want to give him a stuffy to play with--a lot of people give those to rabbits when their bondmate dies and it seems to comfort them a little. It just sounds like he's had a very sad and scary experience and he needs some time to calm down. Gentle petting, as little picking up as possible, slow movements around him, no loud noises, and just lying on the ground while he gets to run around can help him learn to trust you more. Even if he didn't see it happen, he knows something bad happened because his bondmate isn't there anymore, not to mention that his human of several years gave him up for adoption (I'm assuming that's the situation). Poor little guy.

I'd try other veggies to see if he'll eat something. My bf's foster wouldn't eat much when we first got him, but we discovered he loved those organic baby greens in a "spring mix" or whatever(they didn't have to be organic, that's just all we could find then), and he got as much of them as he could eat. Now that he's settled in, he'll eat things he wouldn't before (like romaine lettuce and celery), and he's eating more of his pellets. It took at least a couple of weeks for his appetite to become normal.

Good luck!

 

[Orchid]

Just wanted to say I hope things calm down and ease for you guys.

Best wishes for all!

 

[naturestee]

Poor little guy.

First off, how is his cage set up? Does he have a box to hide in, and can he get in and out on his own for play time? Some rabbits need multiple boxes/hiding spots, there's one at the shelter here that needs two plastic houses to hide in or he's a quivering ball of fear.

How long has he been with you?

Are you feeding him what he used to eat? It might just take a while for him to settle in and eat more, another one of the shelter buns barely eats for the first few days after being moved and he went to the shelter to a pet store and back and it happens every time. Also, try putting the food in the hiding boxes or near their entrances, or near the litter box.

That's it for now, the aggression (more a fear of hands I'm guessing) is something that will need time and trust. I can't pet my foster momma yet and it's been a week and a half. I know the shelter rabbits I've worked with sometimes take a while to come around too. The first step is usually to find a small treat they like, then get them to take it from your hand. You need to get him to associate your hand with good things, not scary things.

Best of luck! It may take some time but hopefully he'll come around. Most of them do.

 

[swanlake]

thanks for all the advice.

he does have a box to hide in, it came with him.

i tried giving him a stuffy, it was even a lop like him but he just attacked it.

his buddy did not make it.

i will try some of the things you suggested.

oh and i went down to check on him today and most of his pellets and lettuce were gone, so that is good.

 

[naturestee]

I imagine being in a strange place he might think the stuffy was a threat to his territory. Maybe try again when he settles in more?

Just lots of time then, at least for now. And if you don't do it normally, sit or lay on the floor when it's his play time so he'll feel less threatened by you. My first few play sessions with my foster mama Jazzy I had to lay flat on the floor or she'd run and hide. Now she'll give me nose bumps even if I'm sitting up and she seems curious about my offers to pet her but doesn't allow it yet. Yay for progress!

BTW my darling Sprite acted similarly and never got over her fear of hands but she did come to really like people. She'd tug on our pants for attention (even strangers), use us as playground equipment, play reverse fetch (she threw toys, I'd fetch), and lick my face. But no hands, not ever.

 

[Maureen Las]

I think this is a really sad situation.

The bunny not only lost his companion but also the familarity of his home.

it will take a lot of time for him to adapt

Why was he surrendred?

 

[swanlake]

i don't know why he was surrendered, probably because of economical issues. our shelter has gotten alot of surrendered buns because people can not pay for them anymore. times are getting hard here.

he actually is not tecnically in our rescue. he was surrendered to a petco. they contacted the lady who runs our rescue as the managers were worried about him, so i don't really know his story.

 

[Haley]

Poor little guy! Im so glad to hear he's eating ok now. Sometimes it does take a little time for them to settle down in a new place. I would try the stuffed animal again to see how he does- try rubbing it on him a little so it has his scent.

Are you volunteering for Tiny Paws? Im so glad you are able to foster out that way- I know all our MI rabbit rescues need all the help they can get.

 

[swanlake]

yea i am working with Tiny Paws. thats where i got shadow and my angel bun fuzzy wuzzy.

she lives right around where my grandma lives and where my church is. its only about a half hour away

i really love fostering, its great. although people think i am wacko. do you ever get that? once in a class a guy said i think saving rabbits are more important than saving people. i thought that was the stupidest thing i ever heard. there are so many organizations that help people around the world, but for rabbits there is so few. its just what i am into and it drives me crazy that people are so insensitive.

sorry had to get that out.

thanks for all of your tips, all my other fosters were pretty easy, didn't mind petting or cuddling all that much. this poor guy is different. he is such a cutie though, i will have to post a picture

 

[naturestee]

Yes! We need pictures!

And I hear the same crud you do. I ask them how many orgs there are in southeastern WI that help people (more than most can count),compared toonly one rabbit rescue. I donate to the food pantry but I foster and volunteer with rabbits. The shelter here calls me directly when they have a rabbit problem and I've only been volunteering there for a few months. Obviously there's a big need.

 

[naturestee]

One thing I forgot-

When he threatens you or slaps you with his paws, DO NOT FLINCH. At least, try not to. Tell him no firmly but not loudly andmove your hand away slowly and deliberately. He needs to see that his scare tactics do not work (some buns will take advantage of them) and that you also will not lash back at him. Fey and Sprite quickly learned that growls, lunges, and slapsdidn't get them anything.

 

[swanlake]

here are the pics, his name is buddy.

 

[tonyshuman]

[align=left]Oh, he is so cute! I hope you can help him not be so afraid and know that he won't have to deal with scary situations like that again.
[/align]

 

[juliew19673]

I can't really help w/the bunny Psychology but his photo suggests to me (the lookon his face)that his "aggressive" nature is a survival tactic.. He's probably sad and scared and has no other tools in his "repitoire" (spelling probably off) to make himself feel secure..

Give himALOT of time, love and he may just begin to let down his guard. With Feral Cats that I took in (when sick, injured or I could capture them to get fixed) were always SO fearful and I would always just talk to them like they were the calm, loving pet I'd always had;after a few days you could begin to see the wall come down (mind you - very few ever became docile enough to keep as indoor pet, but they would not be as aggessive as they were in the begining, which I always championed) I could see "some" trust that would begin..

Good for you for taking Buddy and good luck!

 

[undergunfire]

Aww, I think he needs to make friends with my 8.5 year old foster .


Is he neutered?

 

[Pipp]

Good advice from everyone in this thread.

Sherry is reacting in a similar fashion afterthe loss of her mate Dill. She's boxing, grunting and 'laying on teeth'.I thought she was reverting to her former ways --she was actually like that when she first arrived-- but she's getting over itnow, it's been over a week. I have to assume it was a stress reaction.

As with most ofmy rabbits,she mostly reacted to hands -- something I realized way back when Naturestee pointedit out -- so to help her get over it, I mostly 'nuzzled' her and didn't reach for her hands-first, itwas head first. And when I did use my hands,they camebearing treats or grooming perks -- all my buns react very well topettingthecorner of their eyes and inside their ears.

I should also mention that Sherry onlyhas half a lip (I assume from sticking it where it didn't belong sometime in her past) so she's particularly sensitive about that area. Ditto with Radar's half a nose. You have to be aware of sensitive body parts and concentrate on areasthat calm them down.

Darry is also a very aggressive bunny, and it takes a bit of courage, but I have her hay box and bed on top of a cabinetthat I have easy access to, and she has no problem with being nuzzled while up there, and if I approach her calmly and slowly, I can pet her with no problem after the nuzzle -- which is daunting, but never a problem. Reaching for her on the ground, though, isa different story. She's a disgruntled Mike Tyson. She's never bitten me, just npped a bit, but she sank her teeth very deeply into my roommate's hand, and all he was doing was cleaning out some old hay from her hay box. Radar has picked up the same habits -- he never used to grunt and box until Darry came along. -- although he'd never bite, he's a sweetheart.

Bottom line is to be brave,don't flinch (as noted),talk calmly and soothingly. A firm hand on the head is a good thing, but not aggressively and not timidly.

Patience is the biggest virtue you can have around rabbits.

PS: Julie? Did you notice we have a spell check?

sas et: