No matter what...my bunnies hate me!

[Silkybunny]

My family and I got two Flemish giant rabbits about a year ago, and I was so excited. We got them from a family friend breeder, and while we were there they seemed like really nice, calm bunnies. In fact, that was one of the reasons we chose the ones we did. We took them home, got them a hutch built immediately, and tried to spend as much time as possible with them. While they were younger, they played inside, but they now have a playpen outside in the grass. The only problem is, to get them into the pen I have to take them out of the hutch and carry them over. No matter what I do- how I carry them, how much time I spend with them, the treats I give them, etc.- they just seem to hate me. I've tried laying with them in their playpen to bond, I've held them and let them come to me so I wouldn't scare them, but nothing really seems to work. When they were younger, they really did seem to like me, but now they seriously seem to hate me. The other day, I took them out to play (and I do think they get out an adequate amount of time) and they were fine while in there. But when I tried to put the away, the more aggressive one tried to attack my boot. She then growled and thumped at me, not letting me come near for quite a while. I have read that flemish giants simply dont like to be held, but she'd never done anything like that before. And then the next day, I played with them for a while and then went to put them back in the cage, and the first, more aggressive rabbit did fine, but the second one definitely did not. While playing, they came up to me and seemed like they liked me, but while holding her to put her back in, she scratched and bit me, and then cowered in her hutch and wouldn't let me come near. Right when I thought we we were finally getting somewhere, I now feel like they just plain hate me. I thought maybe we just needed to spend more time together, but now I'm not so sure we'll ever get along well, even though I really love them...
What should I do?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Give them to someone with more experience.

 

[HoneyBunnys34]

Maybe there is something you are doing that upsets them. Could you be reaching in to their face, or holding them wrong. If you've spent a lot of time I dont think you should just give them to someone with more experience unless you for some reason really have too and nothing else is working. I've heard that getting themed sprayed is supposed to help calm down hormones which could be the reason they are biting at your hands. Whenever my doe was in ger werid rabbit heat thing when I went to grab her out of her cage she scratched and bit at my hand. I hope this helps a little.

 

[JBun]

You are completely misinterpreting their behavior. Most rabbits don't like being picked up or held, especially adult rabbits. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not they like you. Rabbits like to be in contact with the ground or a solid surface. They are ground dwellers and prey animals, and being picked up makes them feel nervous, like they've been snatched up by a predator. Even my friendliest rabbit that loves to give me 'kisses', dislikes me picking her up and will nip me if I do it.

Just the fact that your rabbits come up to you when they are playing, tells me they like you and feel comfortable with you. You just need to find a different way of moving them in and out of their hutch, like luring them into a pet carrier instead.

Try looking at these links on bonding with your rabbits and how rabbits communicate to better understand your rabbits behavior and how to have a better bond with them.
https://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

 

[Silkybunny]

Maybe there is something you are doing that upsets them. Could you be reaching in to their face, or holding them wrong. If you've spent a lot of time I dont think you should just give them to someone with more experience unless you for some reason really have too and nothing else is working. I've heard that getting themed sprayed is supposed to help calm down hormones which could be the reason they are biting at your hands. Whenever my doe was in ger werid rabbit heat thing when I went to grab her out of her cage she scratched and bit at my hand. I hope this helps a little.

Thanks! I'll keep this in mind!

 

[Silkybunny]

You are completely misinterpreting their behavior. Most rabbits don't like being picked up or held, especially adult rabbits. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not they like you. Rabbits like to be in contact with the ground or a solid surface. They are ground dwellers and prey animals, and being picked up makes them feel nervous, like they've been snatched up by a predator. Even my friendliest rabbit that loves to give me 'kisses', dislikes me picking her up and will nip me if I do it.

Just the fact that your rabbits come up to you when they are playing, tells me they like you and feel comfortable with you. You just need to find a different way of moving them in and out of their hutch, like luring them into a pet carrier instead.

Try looking at these links on bonding with your rabbits and how rabbits communicate to better understand your rabbits behavior and how to have a better bond with them.
https://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

Thank you so much! I will try to remember these things, and I'll definitely have to try a carrier!

 

[Blue eyes]

How much actual time do they get each day with you? Is it every day? What size is their hutch (perhaps post a photo)?

Jenny has great advice and those links are worth the time to check out.

 

[Hermelin]

Can you try and have the hutch attached to the pen instead. They can easily jump in and out from hutches.

Maybe you will be able to teach your giants to tolerate being picked up at least but they won’t like it. Will help a lot if they go to the vet and need to be handle. But you will first have to earn their trust more and let them get used being touched everywhere.

My own giant dosen’t like being picked up, she will be tense but will stay calm until I put her down. Then she will ask for head rubs as her reward for being calm. Or else I will have clothes with holes in them if I ignore her head rubs or she dosen’t get a reward. She’s a little bunny queen but the best of my bunnies when being handled.

Most of my bunnies except one will always get treats or rewards when being calm while picking up or being handled.

It’s just to make it a positive experience while being handled and teach them how they should act when up in the arms.

How do you carry your Flemish giant, does their feet rest on something. But I wouldn’t start with picking up until you have managed to bond with them better.

How I carry my french lop (5 kg), the only way she will tolerate being picked up and I have to pick her up so she can come in that position directly:


In the picture, I’m petting her so she’s a little more relax but often the arm will support her back, a little like a hug.

 

[My Bunny Drake]

I heard u have to put your hand on their butt, one under their stomach, lift them, and sort of cradle them.

 

[Hermelin]

I heard u have to put your hand on their butt, one under their stomach, lift them, and sort of cradle them.

Rabbits have different way how they like being picked up and how they will want to rest up in the arms.

All three of my bunnies have different way they want to rest in the arms and being picked up.

If I do it wrong, I might get bitten and they will struggle. While doing it in their way, they will be calm like a doll. Letting me do whatever I want with them.

For example my french lop she will have to face me, while I lift her upper body and support the butt, I will have to start from the ground and position her first in my arms. I carry her like how you carry a kid.

The other one want cuddles before being picked up and I will have to carry him like a football in one arm.

So it’s only learn what your bunnies likes and read their signals. While slowly training them to be picked up.

Giant rabbits are more prone to not like being picked up but it’s really understandable. Because you can’t really pick them up as comfortable as for the smaller breeds.

I can also just put a travel cage in front of them and all my rabbits will directly jump into the travel cage. While my french lop will do the same with baskets . But I rather pick them up because I have no place in the house to have a travel cage laying around.