Nervous bunny

[3Bears]

Hello everyone!

I have two rabbits right now who are bonded. I got my Jacubone year ago and he's a real sweetie. His heart is just pure gold. However, he got a bad start in life, as he was rescued from a bunny hoarder. He was starved and neglected.Luckily he was rescued by a good friend of mine, who got him back up to weight and played with him a lot.

My question is how do I get him to trust me more?

I've had him for a year now, and each day I pet him (which he lets me do for a second or two). He is absolutely terrified ofbeing picked up.When you do pick him up he starts to chew your clothes. I "think" it's a nervous habbit. He is deaf unfortunately, so the "oouch" method does not work for him.

Now that he's bonded with my girl Lego he has become her shadow. He follows her everywhere, which is adorable... but I'd still like to have a relationship with him myself.

Any advice?

Thanks!

Sandra

 

[Lissa]

Most bunnies do not like being pickedup. In fact, my Pristine kicks and bites and squirms when Ihold her. I know it's going to take some time for her totrust me and for your bunny to trust you. When you have topick him up, try covering his eyes so he doesn't get afraid of theheight. Just take it slow, pet him and talk to him.Make sure he knows he is okay with you.

One thing I noticed with both my bunnies is that if the person holdingthem is nervous, uncomfortable or not in control, my bunnies will freakout. I scold my husband for this all the time. Theyknow when you're afraid.

 

[3Bears]

Well I'm not really that bent on holding him andhaving him like it... I'd just like to have him get more comfortablewith me. Like let me pet him, and kiss him etc. without fearya know?

It's difficult b/c he's deaf, b/c he scares sooo easily if Iaccidentally let him see my shadow first... he really freaks out easy.

My bunnies have their own room, nice spacious area, and are not caged,so I'd like to gain his trust more. I've tried hand feedinghim to get him used to the idea about my hands being a good thing.

I think he'd be more willing if he didn't think his girfriend was thecats a$$ hehehe... so I'm thinking about taking him to another area andjust spending some one on one time with him. Perhaps he'lllearn that I'm o'kay too??

 

[Snuggys Mom]

Can you get in the floor with him? Ihave a nervous girl, too who hates being picked up. But, if Ilay in the floor, she crawls all over me and gives me kisses.

Laura

 

[jordiwes]

I've been petting my bunnies while they eattheir lettuce. It's the only way they will let me brush them. Also, ifI approach Jordi really slowly while she's falling asleep, she acceptsa head/ear rub and loves it! But since I got Wesley, she craves hisattention mostly.

 

[doodle]

I'mno expert by any means, but I would think taking him to another area,away from the girl he loves , might cause him to be even moredistressed. I would just try spending a lot of time laying inthe floor in their room and let him come up to you on hisown. If your other bunny isn't afraid of you, she might helphim learn to trust you too.

I used to lay in the floor and read a book, just doing my own thing andnot reaching for the bunnies or anything. Before long, theywere both crawling all over me, and eventually would accept me pettingthem. Now they aren't scared of me at all and love pets andkisses. They still don't like being picked up, but at leastwhen I have to do it, they don't freak out as much.

 

[Lissa]

I agree with the others. Get down to his level on the carpet and just let him check you out. Patience.....

 

[Carolyn]

No doubt, the way to get the little one morecomfortable with you is to get on his level as he has a hard timegetting up to yours. I don't even use my furnitureanymore. I'm always sitting on the floor - more visitors thatway.

It may take longer than you wish because when they're bonded withanother rabbit, they really don't seem to care much about anyoneelse. Not knowing how old he is and how long he was at theplace before you, I'd settle in for a good spell of time before youexpect anything to happen. Just let him sniff you andapproach you without trying to pet him. He'll come to learnthat you not out to get him.

My rabbit, Fauna, was 4 years old when she came to me from a veryneglected environment. She would face the corner of her cage- all day - 24/7. Poor little thing didn't know what treats,hay, or toys were. She was petrified of anything/anyone goingnear her.

Today, 2 years later, she sits at my side and won't leave me.She's the Queen of the other rabbits in my house - 2 of them - and sheis so in tune to me that I'm continuously saying "Aww."Yesterday when I got home from work, I let her and my other rabbit outto be free and went to take a nap as I've been sick. Faunadidn't come out of her cage until I wokeup.As soon as I entered the room,shecame barreling down her ramp to take her place: at myRight Hand Side.

It takes a lot of time, but it's worth every minute. It seemsthat one day, when you least expect it, they come up to you and sayhello. It'll happen for you and the Little One.

-Carolyn

 

[naturestee]

Getting to their level is definately amust. All of my rabbits love that, and some come rushing overto jump on me when I lay down on the floor! My two dwarfhotots were badly neglected when I got them in September.They were terrified of being touched and movement scared themtoo. I would just sit on the floor with them (not much roomto lay down when they were quarantined in the bathroom) and let themcome to me. I wouldn't try to touch them except every once ina while to see if they would let me, and I would stop moving my handtowards them when they started to shy off. When they learnedthat I was not going to hurt them or steal their food and water, theystarted licking my jeans a lot.

Fey now likes to be petted, but Sprite still doesn't like to betouched. She adores me though and likes to circle myfeet. I think the "no touchy" thing is part of herpersonality as she is very grumpy. I'm hoping that might belessened when she is spayed. I'm still working with them onpicking them up. Treats help. Sprite gets veryupset about being picked up right now because I clipped her nails lastweek, but she'll forget that in time.

 

[3Bears]

Thank you soo much to everyone whoreplied. I really appreciate your personal stories of winningbunnies over. I know that I have a bad habbit... when I see atuft of fur coming loose I wanna pull it out. Soeverytime I got the chance I would take them off Jakie... and he justHATES it.... lol! I just prefer it off than in hissystem.

Anyways, the past few days I have only been petting him (mainly hishead) and he's accepting this o'kay. He's even letting me petfurther down his body. But no pulling of tufts or picking himup. He's moulting right now so I really wanna brush him, buthe hates that as well. I wish I could get him to understandthat it's in his best interest that I get that loose fur offhim. He hates to be brushed so if I wanna do a goodjobI have to put him in his carrier (to avoid picking himup), put him on the washing machine (so he can't run away) and brushhim good. Unfortunately this really gets him all worked upand extremely heart racing. I feel soo bad for the littleman... b/c heIS such a sweetie.

so thanks for all the ideas... I have been and will continue to spendlots of time on his level. As well as continue to hand feed afew of his pellets.

Sandra

 

[Carolyn]

If he has a lot of tufts, you may just have toforget the love right now and deal with the issue of molting athand. It's more important. Definitely the lesser ofthe two evils because you don't want to have to face GIStasis. I don't mean to confuse you, but I would be concernedabout his heavy molt.

I'm glad he's starting to come around. He'll do so again, butsome things have to be dealt with, as you know, whether they like it ornot. Continue to do what you're doing. It sounds like youhave it already well on your way to the start of a good friendship withthe little one.

-Carolyn

 

[doodle]

I agree, there are situations where handling thebunny is a must, and dealing with a heavy molt is one ofthem.

Like Lissa said, gently covering his eyes may help. I've tried it, and it does seem to calm my bunnies.

 

[Bassetluv]

He hates to be brushed so if I wanna do agood jobI have to put him in his carrier (to avoid pickinghim up), put him on the washing machine (so he can't run away) andbrush him good. Unfortunately this really gets him all workedup and extremely heart racing.

I have a suggestion...doesyour rabbithave afavorite treat you could give to him? A lot of bunniesseem tolove Craisins (Raph, my rabbit, will knock down walls to get at one!).If you have a treat for your bunny that he really looks forward to, trygiving it to him while you are grooming him....put the treat down forhim as you gently stroke him with the brush, for the first time or twokeep the session short and focus on him relaxing and getting his treatas you brush, barely even putting any pressure on the brush when youdo. Perhaps by doing this, he will start to associate brushing with apleasurable treat, and will relax enough so he is no longer in panicmode.

~Di

 

[3Bears]

Thanks again everyone... I really appreciateyour comments. Tonight I'll give him a good brush-up... andthen some treaties to make it all better

Bassetluv I like your method... I'll have to try that. I justhate making him soo nervous. Oh hey!Ijust had an idea.... perhaps I'll put my Lego-girl up on the washerwith him, to help keep him calm and reassure him.