Head Shy

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

So I was working on bonding with Magic just now and I was laying in an awkward position in his x-pen to see if he'd notice me, which he did - YAY! and he nuzzled me on my face and legs, and hands, etc.

Well I got up to go get some treats (and pull up the bonding thread) and so I reached out to pet Magic's nose to pet him to sleep, and he just completely jerked his head away at the touch of my hand on his nose....so I'm wondering, why is my boy head shy? He hates having his face, head, chin touched...I know they don't like their chin touched, but I want to use him in 4-H as my fitting& showing rabbit (and I need to get him good by May!) but he hates me looking in his mouth as well.

So, why is he head shy? And is there anything I can do to get him to be the perfect 4-H bunny - flipping him on his back, he freaks out; touching his mouth, he freaks out; HELP!

Emily

 

[Spring]

Some bunnies just don't like to be fiddled with around their head. My guys are the total opposite though, love their cheeks, forehead, ears and noses rubbed. They just naturally love it!

You might have just startled him? My guys sometimes jerk back if I surprise them, but then they realize they are just going to get nose rubs and then settle down into the 'pet me!' position.

I don't have much experience with 4H handling, butsome bunnies just don't do well with handling or fiddling. I can see why you would like him used to handling for 4H, but for myself personally I would just work with him to gain trust and build on his confidence with being held.I personallywouldn't forcea bunnyto do anything they freak out over or is uncomfortablefor themif it isn't necessary.

Maybe start a routine of checking him over daily, making sure he's okwith what you are doing to start off with,and giving him a treat.Then try gradually working withmore handling, rewarding after each one.I was reading in thehouse rabbithand book it's great to do these kind of things (to make sure what's normal for your bunny/what's not). You do something that might feel weird, then follow that with a nose rub or a treat.Then as he gets morecomfortable with things that might feel weird to him like you checking his teethor holding him onhis back etc. he will gain confidence in those things being done to him.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Spring wrote:

Some bunnies just don't like to be fiddled with around their head. My guys are the total opposite though, love their cheeks, forehead, ears and noses rubbed. They just naturally love it!

He likes his body rubbed, and sometimes he'll let me pet his nose, etc. He's naturally a lover-boy and he's soo shy, which is why i'm trying to gain his trust more, but he does love to be pet. You'd really have to be here to see what he does, since it's so difficult to explain

You might have just startled him? My guys sometimes jerk back if I surprise them, but then they realize they are just going to get nose rubs and then settle down into the 'pet me!' position.

I think that might have been the case, but I'm not sure. I was rubbing his nose (with my chin) while I was holding him and he was ok.

I don't have much experience with 4H handling, butsome bunnies just don't do well with handling or fiddling. I can see why you would like him used to handling for 4H, but for myself personally I would just work with him to gain trust and build on his confidence with being held.I personallywouldn't forcea bunnyto do anything they freak out over or is uncomfortablefor themif it isn't necessary.

Well I don't -have- to use him as a Fitt & Show rabbit, as I have 3 others to choose from, but since he's my first bunny and my heart bunny, I'd just like to. He's gotten better about somethings though, he's just shy and jumpy.

Maybe start a routine of checking him over daily, making sure he's okwith what you are doing to start off with,and giving him a treat.Then try gradually working withmore handling, rewarding after each one.I was reading in thehouse rabbithand book it's great to do these kind of things (to make sure what's normal for your bunny/what's not). You do something that might feel weird, then follow that with a nose rub or a treat.Then as he gets morecomfortable with things that might feel weird to him like you checking his teethor holding him onhis back etc. he will gain confidence in those things being done to him.

That's actually a good idea. I also printed off Flashy's "Bonding With your Bunny" guide, so I am going to read that over tonight and see if I can work further with Magic tomorrow... Also, by me gaining his trust/confidence, we will be a better team on the jumping course, and he should listen to me much better.

 

[Spring]

Oh definitely!

Always good to give the bunny a once over regularly, to gain trust and confidence and tomake sure they are healthy. Good tobe aware ofany possiblebumps, scratches or things that don't seem right early in case theyare a problem.I make an effort to do this regularly with my guys. I just do it while I'm sitting in their cage giving them pets, and they usually cooperate. As you do more and more of the check overs, they get more patient and will sit through them better.

Good luck with Magic!

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Thanks Spring.

Yay, I think my mini rex buck Bruce may be taking a trip to the vet soon - I was grooming him at the show and noticed like a little bump on his right back foot, I thought it was for a claw, then I thought, no, but then I looked again and was sure that he just was missing a claw. I'm gonna take a look at it tomorrow and I'll see if I think he needs the vet...might just go anyhow to be safe

Thanks, I hope Magic will form a great bond w/ me!

Emily

 

[gentle giants]

Has your buck been picked up by the scuff a lot? Either by you or a previous owner? That can make some bunnies pretty head shy, I've noticed with a lot of my abused rescues that it can take a long time to be able to touch their heads.

 

[maherwoman]

With my buns, I wind up doing something I like to call "Reach and Withdraw". Basically, this is where I reach my hand out and just hold it there, palm up, non-threatening...and let them come to it if they want to. If they don't come to it, I try a few times, and then take a break. Eventually in the process, the bun will come over, curious as to what I'm doing (if nothing else), and sniff my fingers. It might take a couple weeks, but eventually, he'll get used to you reaching your hand out, and get used to the idea that you WILL do it now and then, and that it's not a threatening thing...and you'll be able to lightly touch him. He'll pull away at first, probably...but he'll come around after a while of trying. My suggestion: only try this for about ten or fifteen minutes at a time, and then give him a couple hours or so as a break in between. And when you see him being uncomfortable in your presence from it, just take a break and try more later.

This is what I did with my Velveteen, my mini-rex boy, and with him it took about a month...hopefully with Magic it takes less time.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Well for fair they require us to hold the scruff and support the bottom to place them in football hold....but normally I just scoop him into my arms into the football hold...and the football hold works wonders for setting your rabbt on the grooming stand or returning him to the floor/cage/ex. pen because they don't kick off you, they just "exit" underneath your armpit and stuff.

I normally don't pick them up by the scruff...I do it too Sippi sometimes because he can be a little nasty booger (Like this morning I did it too him, but I just set him on the floor afterwards, and plus i justremoved him from a cage, so it's not like he was level with my shoulders, more like level with my calves (he was in Savvy's cage, which is about 1 1/2 feet off the ground)and then usually I rub where I picked them up, so it doesn't hurt and feels better, and it's fair treatment to rub their necks after that, IMO.)

He does let me reach out and pet him but he's shy of my approach and I think your advice Rosie, will work great! Also, it will work great for when I start target-training with him this summer

I will try it with him today and then I'll see how it goes *Crosses fingers*

Emily

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

That's a great idea Rosie! I will try that later. I never thought of doing that, and that's what he's afraid ofI think - my hand approaching him. I don't know a lot of his history, but from what I can tell he was a very well behaved rabbit and then somebody abused him , possibly the personwhom I got him from, but I'm unsure and I will not blame anyone if I don't know; all I know is he must of be abused at some point.


Haha, double post, sorry! Just had to write -something- down

Emily