Regaining bunnies trust

[BunnyMummy]

Guys, i am looking for some advice on handling extremely timid bunnies. As you may or may not know, we have had Pebbles and Bambam since february.

We've never had bunnies before so I know we have made many mistakes in handling them, homing them, being noisy around them etc, now they are really timid and I want to bring them out of themselves.

They are in a massive double decker indoor cage in the hallway and it is always open so they can come and go as they please, however they choose to stay in, well Bambam does come out when we're nowhere around but as soon as we appear she runs straight back in and hides from us.

The new bunnies are fine and even come up to the cage to greet us, well more to see if we have something delicious for them anyway. But they are really friendy and not adverse to the odd scritch on the head.

Now that the others are coming to adulthood they have thier food measured ou for them and at several point during the day I hold the pellets in my hand in the cage and they are eatingout of my hand, more due to needing to eat than anything else, but as soon as Bamam is finisheshed she nudges my hand away to say she wants me out.

We are being as quiet as we can around thier cage and even speaking softly to them whilst holding raisins, but sometimes they'll take them, sometimes they'll run and hide.

Just as I was posting this, Bambam came into the living room and started attacking the younger buns through the bars of thier cage.

Taking the advice of another RO member I was going to put her in the bathroom on her own for the night but as I had her in my arms she wriggled, jumped down and hit the corner of the table on her way down, I am 5'3" so that's a fair way for a bunny to fall. She is running okay but I feel sick at the thought that she could be seriously hurt as they are so delicate, has anyone else had a bunny fall from that height before, because I'm really worried that soemthing is wrong, she seems fine for the moment, as in she is hopping okay, but there could be some internal damage.


Any help please??

Many thanks

Sammi and the buns.

 

[Maureen Las]

I think that you are going to need to check her out yourself to see if she got cut on the table. If she is behaving normally she probably is alright.

can someone help you go over her . You can hold her on the floor and with assistance check out her head face neck , feel around to see if there is a cut anywhere. Do this over her whole body and underside.
If she is timid I know that you will hate to do something to upset her but in a case of a possible injury it really is necessary

Sounds like you go to great measures to make sure that you do not frighten them.

That is good but you may not to be as careful and soft toned as you are.. they do adapt to regular sounds (tv,radio, other pets, kids etc)
A good way to get a rabbit's interest is to sit down in their area and read a book ,mag or newspaper. The bun senses that your interest is elsewhere and often times will come over and explore you as you read. it is a good way to bond but just don't try to touch them right away.

Please let us know if she is injured in any way

 

[BunnyMummy]

We did check her over whilst she was on the table, we checked her ribs, back and front legs, made sure her spine was okay, she is hopping around okay and has even resumed picking on the little'uns.

Will keep an eye on her and if there are any signs of distress take her to the vet.

We are moving the dining room table next week and will move thier cage into the dining room, I'll spend a lot more time by the cage reading on the laptop etc.

See how I go. xx

 

[Maureen Las]

glad that she seems OK
check her over again in a few days as sometimes a small wound will not be detectable until it scabs over and you can feel the bump

 

[BunnyMummy]

Today Bambam still looks okay, she's running around in the run outside with Pebbles, so thankfully nothing seems broken, she's eating and drinking okay too.

Will spend a few hours with them this afternoon and let you know my progress.

xx

 

[Rosies_mammy]

Just give them time to learn to trust you. Eventually they should start to see you are not there to hurt them, and see you more as a carer and provider.



As for the fall, she should be ok as long as shes moving ok. I dropped my old bunny Aaron badly once, I was carrying him downstairs when he decided to do a massive kick and leapt from my arms- over the stair banister and into the hallway!!!!what a fall!!He looked pretty suprised but was unhurt- I think theyre hardier than they look these buns