REW rabbit scanning

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Amy27

Amy27

Task Force
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Oct 29, 2008
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Columbus, Ohio, USA
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The above picture is of Alfred. A bunny at the humane society who is currently being fostered by Allison, who may come and chime in on this thread. Alfred is a huge scanner. He scans all the time. He is also crabby. He grunts and acts like he will bite you. Though I don't think he has ever actually biten anyone.

Anyway, I thought he scanned because he was a REW rabbit. But reading about it, REW rabbits are all white and he has black on him. So, if he is not a REW, why would he be scanning? He has red eyes. Can any red eyed bunny scan?

I guess the bottom line is his crabbiness as I call it. He is never going to be adopted. I am trying to find the cause of his crabbiness and believed it was because he had problems seeing. I am 100% sure I have seen him scan side to side. I would like to see him find a home or stay with Allison. But him being crabby isn't helping him. I think if I could figure out why, it may help. I thought it was because he was a REW rabbit but now that I know he isn't. I am confused about the scanning and crabbiness. Though he can be crabby. He is also sooooo adorable.

I know Allison has had some problems with him grunting and lundging at her (correct me if I am wrong Allison). But then she will give him a grape and he will steal it from her hand. Could he just be crabby? Afraid to trust? Or does it probably have something to do with his scanning. What can you do for a rabbit who scans? To make them more comfortable. Everything I have read on here is about REW rabbits. I am so confused lol

 
hmmm I am trying to think of a way to explain it. It is when a rabbit moves it's head side to side or up and down, scanning an area so that it can see it better. Someone else might have a better definition. lol that is the only way I can think to explain it.
 
"Scanning" is like watching a tennis match. Common in rabbits with diminished pigment in the eyes. Alfred is a Himalayan pattern aka pointed white.

Rews and Himis scanned as well as some shaded varieties.
 
Thanks Pam. So I am not crazy knowing that he was scanning even though he isn't a REW. Do you have any advice on how to best handle a rabbit who scans and is crabby? Should you move slower? Is it okay to pick them up?
 
My Snowball is a REW and scans all of the time. She started out as a very crabby bunny. I got the h*** bit out of me for around the first 6 months I had her. I even got a free eyebrow piercing from her! I just worked on loving her up and now she is the best bun ever. Her wonderful personality allows her to be our pet therapy bunny at a local nursing home. I would never say that Alfred is unadoptable. Most any bunny can be rehabbed with a little love and understanding.
 
Patti, your Snowball sounds adorable. Thank you for sharing your story.

I think I should clarify why I said Alfred isn't adoptable. I think he is a sweet amazing bun even when he is cranky. However, he is owned by a kill shelter. Meaning if they feel an animal is not adoptable, they will put them to sleep. I am afraid because of Alfred's crabby attitude that they will feel he will never be adopted and put him to sleep. He has been there a long time compared to the other rabbits. I would love to give him a home if I had the money. But my current bladder stone/sludge bunny is taking all my money right now. I think Alfred would be a wonderful house rabbit. I just don't think the humane society will think like I do. They have already taken Alfred out of the humane society and paid for him to see an outside vet due to his urine scald. I just feel like soon they are going to say enough is enough, this rabbit will not find a home and needs to be put to sleep. I hope that makes better sense then what I put in my first post about Alfred being unadoptable. I just mean the right person has to come along or it may be to late for Alfred.

ETA: What I am trying to say is it isn't that I think Alfred is unadoptable. I am just afraid the humane society which is a kill humane society will think he is unadoptable. I think Alfred would be a wonderful house rabbit.
 
Now don't take my word as the bunny bible, it's just my personal experience.

But, it always seemed to calm my red-eyed bunnies if it was darker when I approached them. I've had 4 Californians and 6 New Zealands((in terms of my red-eyed bunnies)), and when I kept them in the garage I learned to keep the lights off except the heat lamp so it's not too bright. They were a lot less flighty and a tad more receptive to me this way.

He just needs some patience and love, and he'll be a good little bunny in no time. :) My only remaining New Zealand was how you describe Alfred- she lunged, tried to bite, grunted a couple times. I got out a big pen and just sat with her. Eventually she learned I wasn't a threat, and that I also was the bringer of good things-food, water, ice bottles((oh how she loves those!)), and her chew toys. She gradually became calmer and a lot more accepting- even my 9 year old cousin held her once!
 
Any rabbit with red eyes may scan, that includes those that have quite dark eyes rather than the pinky red. Most red eyed rabbits have white fur (in which case the are called REW - Red-Eyed White) but it's not exclusively white rabbits.

The scanning is because their depth perception is effected. Moving their head from side to side helps them judge distance by offsetting the angle of what they are looking at. Red eyed rabbits can have generally poorer vision too.

Rabbits usually compensate well for vision impairment but they will do less well in noisey environments, changing environments or if they are already nervous.

Some of his aggressive behaviour could be fear aggression or territorial behaviour (is he neutered?), or even from pain if he's being treated for urine scold.

The poor vision could contribute towards the aggression but it doesn't mean the aggression is untreatable. I would try to make friends the same way you would with any other nervous rabbit, ensuring you don't respond to aggression (so he learns it's not a useful reaction), in addition make sure you announce your intentions clearly.. don't sneak up :)

Tam
 
Thanks Tamsin! You explained it great. I know Allison will appreciate that.

If a rabbit is territorial, will they show the aggresion right away when moved to a new environment? At the humane society, Alfred was only aggresive in his cage, which makes me think he is territorial. When we bring him out in the x-pen, he is fine. I believe he was crabby and aggresive right after Allison took him in. Could he have made that his territory so quickly? But I believe Allison said he is aggresive only when he is in his cottage or litter box.
 
Hey..it's Alfred's foster mom. I cant figure him out. I blamed the grunting & lunging on the eye sight but now I think it is a trust issue as well. He definitely does not like for me to reach in his cottontail cottage. He will grunt & lunge. Sometimes run out of it & grunt & then sniff my hand and run back in. One time I felt his tooth (not hard). It was like once he realized what my hand was..then he backed off. So then I blamed his eyesight. He uses his litter box perfect but at the humane society barely used it. I found out he was adopted from the hs a couple years ago & just returned due to allergies. They didn't notice the aggression when he was at the humane society the first time. He does run aroundthe room when I let him out of his pen. I get to see binkies.

i guess the question is what can i do to help with the aggression. I agree with Amy & thatit will be hard to find someone to adopt him.Anyone reaching into his cage will not get to see the bun I see running around all happy. They will only see a bun whogrunts & doesn't use his litter box.I have to return himthis week.I only had him for his feet to heal. My hubby said it isn't something that I can resolvein two weeks.What can Amy& I doto help when he is back at the humane society. I could always ask to foster him again to work on his aggression. I'm not that experienced with what to do. Maybe time is the only answer??
 
I really think time may be the only answer. I think he needs to trust and feel comfortable. He has been moved around so much before you got him. With going to the vets, then a day or two later going to Danielle's, and then a couple days later going to your house. I think his aggression was probably worse by the time you got him because he was so freaked out with everything going on. We also know he has been in at least two homes previously.

BTW, I sent you an email back.
 
My bun does this too - my daughter calls it "Parrotting" he moves his head like a parrot does. I think it's cute. I find him skittish sometimes too - but then again my son does move pretty fast (but Peaches is much faster than he is and will run away)
 
You are right. I just hope we can find him a home whether it is me or not. It didnt help that he lunged at my hubby this morning while he was putting lettuce next to his cottontail cottage. Although Dave understands it isnt personal, but was surprised by it. He has been good & patient about letting Alfred come to him. I am going to continue with praises & positive reinforcement for the bun man.We just need to figure out what to do when he is back at the shelter.
 
I will watch him at the shelter while you are on vacation. If need be and if the shelter agrees, I can foster him. Once you get back and know whether you want to take him or not, we can go from there. But I promise to keep an eye on him while you are gone.

I don't blame your hubby for being surprised by Alfred going after him when he was given him greens. I do think if Alfred was in a home for a longer time he would become better. He has been in so many homes and has been taking back to the shelter so many times, I think it will take awhile for him to trust anyone. He can be such a sweet bunny. I know he has it in him to be a loving bunny. If you think about it from the bunny's perspective. He has been moved around a lot. He has probably trusted previous owners, which is why they had no complaints on his attitude, but they dumped him at the humane society. He has been moved around so much. Has so many people trying to touch him and love on him. I think it will take awhile for him to feel comfortable to trust someone that they won't take him back, that they won't hurt him. I think right now, he is in defense mode. He is trying to protect himself from being hurt. It doesn't help that his eye sight is bad.
 
Amy27 wrote:
Patti, your Snowball sounds adorable. Thank you for sharing your story.

I think I should clarify why I said Alfred isn't adoptable. I think he is a sweet amazing bun even when he is cranky. However, he is owned by a kill shelter. Meaning if they feel an animal is not adoptable, they will put them to sleep. I am afraid because of Alfred's crabby attitude that they will feel he will never be adopted and put him to sleep. He has been there a long time compared to the other rabbits. I would love to give him a home if I had the money. But my current bladder stone/sludge bunny is taking all my money right now. I think Alfred would be a wonderful house rabbit. I just don't think the humane society will think like I do. They have already taken Alfred out of the humane society and paid for him to see an outside vet due to his urine scald. I just feel like soon they are going to say enough is enough, this rabbit will not find a home and needs to be put to sleep. I hope that makes better sense then what I put in my first post about Alfred being unadoptable. I just mean the right person has to come along or it may be to late for Alfred.

ETA: What I am trying to say is it isn't that I think Alfred is unadoptable. I am just afraid the humane society which is a kill humane society will think he is unadoptable. I think Alfred would be a wonderful house rabbit.
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This is exactly the way my humane society is also; they cannot adopt out a bunnywhois aggressive ; most of my rabbitswere "unadoptable" to the general public soI adopted them. Unless a bun is viscious I am happy to have a bun who is not perfectly sweet. Sometimes welook for adults who are rabbit saavy to adopt rabbits like this but rabbit saavy adults are hard to find in the general public.
I havebeen through a lot of stress and worry when we have this kind of rabbit because many times a really good patient owner and home are the key to success and other times it may just be the disposition of that particular rabbit and almost nothing will change it.
it would be really nice if this rabbit could go back into foster...

What was the urine scald all about???
 
A rabbit will quite quickly claim a safe spot as their territory, it could be a mix of nerves and territorial behaviour. If you think of the cage as their safe spot but it is also (usually) a corner they can't escape from so if they are scared (backed into a corner) they will pounce on anything entering it to make it go away.

If he's fine when he's exploring the pen/room rather than in the cage that points towards at least an element of territorial behaviour. Often territorial rabbits will be well behaved away from their 'den' so that can be one way to work out the cause behind the behaviour.

I don't know if it helps, but when he went for your hubby (or you) he's probably not stopping to work out who it is first. It will be an instinctive reaction not thought out. Opening the cage but keeping your hand outside it, then letting him come over and take a treat may help. That way cage opening stops being the signal for someone invading, and it gives him time to get over the instinctive reaction (attack invader), calm down and realise it's you.

I completely agree, there isn't really a quick fix (neutering may help if he's not already) but it will take time to relearn appropriate behaviour :)
 
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