Getting my rescue bunny tomorrow (Cookie)!

[1357bunnylover]

I've never had a rescue before and i just need to ask some questions..

How should i be with him for the first day or so? I don't know if i should just leave him be? If so, how long for?

He is used to living outside but should i bring him in and let him stay in my room so i can bond with him for a few days/weeks? Or put him outside to where he is used to?

I am thinking of changing his name in case it means something bad or scary to him when he hears it? Do you think i should?

Should i let him out for a run and for strokes each day or should i leave him in his cage for a couple of days first?

Thanks in advance

 

[SilentTearsAnimalRescue]

Hi, I think it would help if you knew more about the rabbit's history before coming to you. Is there any abuse or neglect involved, is he used to being handled, is he curious, nervous, etc.
Personally, I would keep him inside for a while, especially as the weather is so bitterly cold right now, and maybe just carry him outside for a run around and to explore for an hour or two at first.
The first day or so I would be tempted to keep him in his hutch indoors, but away from much hustle and bustle and just sit alongside his hutch regularly, talking to him, singing to him, passing him bits of cabbage or slithers of carrot in order to start building trust. Also, if you can, find out what he is used to eating, as a sudden change of diet on top of the stress of moving to a new home could unbalance his digestion and make him poorly. If his previous diet was poor, only change it very gradually, and not at all for the first 2 or 3 days. You can however add to it with good fresh straw and hay, that wont hurt.
Regarding his name, again depends on his past. If he is likely to have bad name association, then change it, but if not, keep it. It's a sweet name. Use it softly and gently to him.
Hope this helps a bit, and I hope you dont mind me hopping in here as this is my first public post. Your post just caught my eye immediately
Annie x

 

[1357bunnylover]

Thank you yeah I know about his past, he used to be my cousins bunny but then her son was allergic so she found him a new home and the found pictures on the new owners Facebook of Cookie being help by the ears and videos of him running away from them and they caught him by his back legs and he was kicking and kicking so I can't imagine what else happened to him the owner is getting done for it though! About the food, they said all he ate was grass and carrots! But the RSPCA where he has been for a few days have been gradually putting him on the pellets I give my bunnies and hay and he has coped pretty good, he's eating it everyday now so he's used to it I'll see if he associats the name cookie to anything bad and then if it does I will change it. Thanks for your help

 

[JBun]

Whether or not he needs space and not to be handled a lot, really depends on how he is around people, or reacts to you. If he likes it when you pet him and give him nose rubs, or seems interested in you and comes up to the front of the cage to see what's going on, then I would say to interact with him from the beginning. But if he seems scared and is hiding at the back of his cage, then probably give him space and don't handle to much at first or it can really stress them out. I've found that with a stressed rabbit in a new home, putting a bunny friend in a cage next to them can really help, if they both seem friendly towards each other. The opposite sex usually works out the best that way. Sometimes giving a little treat can also kind of break the ice and help them get over their nervousness too.

The indoors/outdoors thing also depends on whether he's nervous or not, and also the conditions he's used to. I'm guessing that he's been kept indoors since being rescued. Just keep in mind that rabbits gradually get used to the temperatures in their environment. So if a rabbit is kept outdoors when it's cold, then bringing it into a warm home could cause it to overheat. Same for if it's used to indoor temps and you put it out when it's really cold, it won't be used to those kind of temperatures. So you just have to help him keep warm or cool depending on what you do and what he's used to. Being inside and around people all the time can sometimes be overly stressful for a rabbit if it's not used to it, but if he seems ok, then being indoors and around people will be of the most benefit to him. He'll get a lot more interaction that way.

Good luck! Can't wait to see pictures of him

 

[LakeCondo]

It sounds like the food change is being handled ok, & as the shelter surely has him inside, I'd stick with that.

As to the name, change it if you don't like the current name, by all means change it. Honey wasn't Honey before I got her from a shelter, but I didn't like the name.

 

[Imbrium]

as far as inside vs outside, I would house him where you intend to keep him in the long run so that he doesn't have to adjust to a new environment twice - just take precautions against the weather if you keep him outside and keep an eye out for signs that he's feeling warm if you keep him inside.

as others have said, whether or not you interact with him beyond sitting near the cage and talking to him depends on his demeanor. as far as whether to let him out to run around, it's best to keep him confined to the cage for the first couple days so that he can establish that as "his" area. after that, let him out to run around in a small space at first, then gradually increase the amount of space he's given to roam in. if you give a bunny too much new space too fast, they tend to go a little nuts with poop (and sometimes pee) marking everything.

 

[1357bunnylover]

Thank you a lot for your answers. I am going to keep him inside over winter just because he was kept inside with in previous home.
I'm just going to make a new post to introduce him to you all