How Can I Get Closer to my Bunny?

[ninetoes01]

My Bunny is almost 3 months old now, and I've had him since he was 4 weeks old. He doesn't have a cage, he is free to roam when I am home, but he has to stay in my room when I'm out.

He's fine with me petting him but he's nervous and a little jumpy a lot of the time. I never pick him up because I don't want to break the trust that we already have.
I unfortunately had to leave him for 2 and a half weeks just recently, and got back last Sunday. He was definitely happy to see me, doing binkies like crazy and even jumped onto my back as I often lay on my belly to say hello to him.

He's almost back to normal, but I just don't know how to get closer to him. I want him to trust me more and I want to be able to pick him up to trim his nails... I would also really like to get a harness on him and take him into my little yard, if we ever got close enough.

What can I do? And how can I do all this without completely ruining the trust that we have already?

p.s. my dream is to one day get him to do some bunny showjumping or agility. If you think I'm crazy, just search it on youtube!
[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/quER8_tjI6Q&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

 

[JeffS]

Other than continuing to be kind and patient, I'm not sure what to say, but I love videos like that. Thanks!

I'm not sure if I have the patience to train either of my rabbits to do rabbit agility, though I'm sure it's a blast.

 

[SkyBaby]

I don't have a bunny, so sorry I can't help you with the bonding process. Good luck!

That video is awesome though.

 

[SweetSassy]

Hi Nikki! Sounds like your gonna need to handle your bunny quite a bit. (for future activities) I would slowly get him use to you picking him up. Really you should handle your bunny as much as you can. In my opinion. So when you have to do the nails or go to the vet, etc...



My bunnies will be jumpy too when I go to pick them up but sometimes they will hunker down for me too. I don't think you will ruin the trust you have. Just take it slow. Hold himfor short periods of times sitting on the floor.



Them jumps are really TALL!! I can't believe bunnies jump them. LOl.

Good Luck, ...April

 

[JeffS]

Sassy I think your plan of handling a rabbit to get them used to it is probably right. I handle Riley more than Pancake and he definitely is less panicky about being picked up than Pancake. Either he just doesn't mind being picked up so I've not felt as bad about doing it, or Pancake is soooooooooooooo cute that I have more trouble making her feel uncomfortable.


Bunnies are so precious it's hard to do things to them that they don't like. :tears2:

 

[MagnoliaDee]

The best way I've found to gain trust is to ignore them completely. Lay on the floor, perhaps read a book, and just let your bunny explore you... he needs time to gain confidence that you're not always going to be reaching out with your hands. Talk soothingly to him too... but no hands. This is JMO, based on experience... and takes time (weeks/months, it really just depends on your bunny).

My one bunny girl (my current bunny) Lego was very skittish when I first got her. So I did just this... and it helped a LOT. I would also encourage hand feeding of all pellets and veggies, if you have the time. You need to associate your hands with good things.

Once your bunny is laying comfortably beside you of his own accord, then it's time to sneak some pets in.

My girl is now good about being picked up. She doesn't love it and will try to sneak away before I have my hands on her, but once I've got her she trusts me that I won't hurt her. One thing I've done to show her that it's o'kay is this... while I'm stroking her with both hands on either side of her (i.e. full body petting), then I pick up her front half and place that part of her in my left hand. Then I continue to stroke her with my right hand. I can feel her heartbeat increase... but at the same timeshe knows it's o'kay, and doesn't struggle to get away. And a few seconds later I put her back on the ground and continue petting with both hands. Once your bun is comfortable with this, then you can work on picking him up, entirely off the floor. Hold onto him firmly, so he knows he's secure.

Anyways... just keep working up further and further... the longer he gets to know and gain confidence in you, the better it will get.

Until you have this trust, perhaps you can entice your bunny into a carrier... so that you can move him that way to a place where you can work on his nails, etc. Let him hop back into the carrier when you're done, and then back into his home.

Hope this is helpful.

Best of luck... he sure is one lucky guy to have someone who cares so much about his feelings/needs.

 

[MagnoliaDee]

That video is sooo precious btw... I wonder how they teach them to do that???

 

[ninetoes01]

hey thanks a lot, that means a lot. I'm going to try the whole front end thing. He's fine with me petting him most of the time, but when he's full of energy i.e. first thing in the morning, he runs over to me like he wants me to pat him, but then as soon as I do he runs away, shaking his head and sometimes doing little binkies.
I actually have an ebook that I bought for $2.50 CAD all about doing the agility thing!! Cinder will need lots more handling before we get there though...once he trusts me enough to pick him up we'll try it out.
Thanks again, I'll try it and let you know how it goes!

 

[ninetoes01]

hey, where in Ontario are you from? I just moved to BC 2 months ago from THunder bay, but I've lived all over

 

[SweetSassy]

I agree, if you ignore your bunny he will prob come to you in time. (ex: sit in the floor reading or watching TV)But also, after you gain their trust, your gonna have to pick them up. Their gonna run, be jumpy. No way to advoid that.

You have to get the bunny use to being touched and picking them up. Or in the future it's gonna be really hard to handle your rabbit. Good Luck.

 

[ninetoes01]

oh he's plenty comfortable with being touched, I pet him all the time, he's quite tame. When I got him neutered, everyone that worked at the clinic ranted about how tame he was. It's the picking him up that makes him just terrified!