Shy, skittish bunny

[MszGenevieve]

Hi everyone, I hope this is the right area. I just got my first bunny on Monday, he's about 6 weeks old right now & very shy & skittish since I brought him home. I played with him for about an hour before deciding I wanted to bring him to his forever home, he was extremely sweet & playful & even licked my hands and cheek. I won't lie the car ride was probably stressful for him, I ended up getting stuck in traffic & the road was bumpy.

Once I got home I took him out of the carrier & put him in his cage & then went back out to get him some more hay & a couple of chewing toys. When I got home I put some hay in his cage as well as a toy, & then I went to go pet him & he just darted away. I figured he was still just stressed out over the ride & put a blanket over his cage & left him alone for the rest of the night to calm down. Yesterday I decided to try to see if he was calm &/or remembered me, I went to pet him and again he darted so I just opened his cage & let him come out on his own terms & played the "I don't see you & feel you trying to get pet" game until he jumped onto my lap like he had done when I brought him home. The rest of the day he played out of his cage with my boyfriend & I, he had gotten used to his smell and jumped into his lap as well. This morning when I went to change his food & water he seemed okay but when I went to put his food back into his cage & pet him so he can see it as a positive thing he completely darted away from my hand again. So again I did the same thing all morning until about an hr ago but he just seemed more skittish towards me then yesterday, I did the same thing let him come out on his terms, did the ignore game & still nothing, he did eat some treats out of my hand and allowed me to pet him. I let him run around and play & didn't really mind that I didn't get to pet him since I do know not all bunnies like it at all. But are there any other tips to get him to trust me more & not be afraid of me or my boyfriend ? I am being patient but I just don't want to do anything to mess the progress up, so I just need some tips on what not to do & what I can do more to help him realize I'm not going to hurt him.

Also with fruits and veggies, for the life of me & can't figure out what he really CAN eat, most things I read will say they can have this then another says do NOT feed it to them (ie. broccoli & carrots). With the fruits I just don't know what all he can have, I know he can only have limited amounts of fruit because of the sugar, but I don't know all the safe fruits and veggies he can have.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Hi! congrats on your little man.

First bit of advice, give him time. He will come around. Make slow movements around him so as not to spook him and be slow and gentle about "intruding" on his cage. The only thing he knows now that's steady is his cage because he peed in there. It's his only "safe" place for now until he learns that you come every day and want him to integrate with the family. Never crawl into or over his cage to get him out, because bunnies are very territorial and you could end up bitten, scratched or frightened in another way which would shatter any trust he has of you and his home. So, be patient and let him come out of his cage on his own. Offer treats from your hand (raisins are a favorite) and then gently praise him when he comes around. Remember, he doesn't know who you are and is not as enthusiastic about playing with you or your bf. So be patient and gentle in voice and movement.

He's only 6 weeks. He's barely old enough to be away from his mom! I'm not sure he's even fully weaned yet so you want to be on standby for any upset bellies from food changes. At his age he only needs alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. Nothing else. He shouldn't get fruits and veggies until he's a year so don't worry about that now. If you do feed him raisins and other fruit based treats for positive re-enforcement don't make it more than one raisin cut up into multiple pieces.

 

[curiouscarrot]

but he just seemed more skittish towards me then yesterday, ....
....but I just don't want to do anything to mess the progress up, so I just need some tips on what not to do & what I can do more to help him realize I'm not going to hurt him.

I'm in the same boat with new adopted bunnies and never having had rabbits before, but I can suggest something from having dealt with/trained other animals. Try not to feel anxious when you interact with him. Animals can pick up on subconscious things. Tell yourself that your new bunny will come to you and you'll pet him and give him some nice grass and it'll all be lovely, smile and relax. If you tell yourself he's not going to let you near him and go in all tentatively, he may pick up on that and think "what's this hesitant hand going to do?". Approach with confidence, relaxed, and positive. As I said, this works with horses and dogs (and human babies). I'm not sure how it applies to bunnies but it can't hurt. (I need to take my own advice, I've been anxious as well )

Also with fruits and veggies, for the life of me & can't figure out what he really CAN eat,

I was feeling the same way. I was searching and reading yesterday and found this page helpful. It seemed to explain things well.
http://www.gladesvillevet.com.au/pages/newsletters/newsletter/article.php?idArticle=9608 Somebody on here advised me to "think like a rabbit" in relation to feeding and that helped me understand how rabbits "think". EDIT: obviously take Acacia-berry's knowledgeable advice for feeding him now he's still a baby

 

[MszGenevieve]

Hi! congrats on your little man.

First bit of advice, give him time. He will come around. Make slow movements around him so as not to spook him and be slow and gentle about "intruding" on his cage. The only thing he knows now that's steady is his cage because he peed in there. It's his only "safe" place for now until he learns that you come every day and want him to integrate with the family. Never crawl into or over his cage to get him out, because bunnies are very territorial and you could end up bitten, scratched or frightened in another way which would shatter any trust he has of you and his home. So, be patient and let him come out of his cage on his own. Offer treats from your hand (raisins are a favorite) and then gently praise him when he comes around. Remember, he doesn't know who you are and is not as enthusiastic about playing with you or your bf. So be patient and gentle in voice and movement.

He's only 6 weeks. He's barely old enough to be away from his mom! I'm not sure he's even fully weaned yet so you want to be on standby for any upset bellies from food changes. At his age he only needs alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets. Nothing else. He shouldn't get fruits and veggies until he's a year so don't worry about that now. If you do feed him raisins and other fruit based treats for positive re-enforcement don't make it more than one raisin cut up into multiple pieces.

Thank you ! I was worried as to his age too, it was just him & his sister in a xpen & I saw mom in another cage by herself, so I'm not sure when she weaned them off. I asked and she said they had just been weaned & were eating pellets, she gave me a little sandwich baggie of the timothy hay pellets & I picked up a bag at the pet store as well. I do try not to go over his cage, I try to crouch and take his bowl out slowly as well at putting it back in. I did notice he's more likely to come to me if I have a fleece blanket out on my lap, is there a reason he enjoys the fleece blanket more then just my skin/clothes ?

If he shouldn't have fruits at his age then what could I use as a treat to use as praise & positive reinforcement for coming out and letting me pet him ?

Also his little nails are like daggers ! I bought some nail clippers for when he's more trusting of me but how in the world would I even go about clipping them ? I know like dogs & cats you can't cut past a certain area or he will bleed, but I don't even know how I'd go about cutting his little nails

 

[MszGenevieve]

I'm in the same boat with new adopted bunnies and never having had rabbits before, but I can suggest something from having dealt with/trained other animals. Try not to feel anxious when you interact with him. Animals can pick up on subconscious things. Tell yourself that your new bunny will come to you and you'll pet him and give him some nice grass and it'll all be lovely, smile and relax. If you tell yourself he's not going to let you near him and go in all tentatively, he may pick up on that and think "what's this hesitant hand going to do?". Approach with confidence, relaxed, and positive. As I said, this works with horses and dogs (and human babies). I'm not sure how it applies to bunnies but it can't hurt. (I need to take my own advice, I've been anxious as well )

I was feeling the same way. I was searching and reading yesterday and found this page helpful. It seemed to explain things well.
http://www.gladesvillevet.com.au/pages/newsletters/newsletter/article.php?idArticle=9608 Somebody on here advised me to "think like a rabbit" in relation to feeding and that helped me understand how rabbits "think". EDIT: obviously take Acacia-berry's knowledgeable advice for feeding him now he's still a baby

I hadn't even thought about my body language or my thinking, I need to remember that next time I let him out to bounce off everything possible lol. Thank you for the link ! I'm going to start looking at it right now

 

[ladysown]

Don't be so timid with your bunny. Seriously. This is how one gets bunnies that decide they are boss and on what terms they will allow things. Seriously.

I do NOT get cage protective does simply because any space is MY SPACE. I handle my buns whenever and however I want. They go OH... right, we're cool. And they are. Be in charge. Be confident. Be reassuring (aka hold you close hand over your head...relax, see you are good, okay and release). This is how you train a bunny. You do not let them go skittering out of your grasp, you hold them firmly and release them when YOU are ready to do so. This gets bunny confident and aware that you truly do know what you are doing and will keep them safe.

As to trimming the nails.
There are numerous ways to do it. The easiest with little buns is to set them up on their bums HOLD THEM SECURELY and one foot at the time do their back feet. Then slide them down a bit, take a front foot and get all five nails, each foot. I really need to do to video to show folks how to do this well.

The biggest thing is be confident. have SHARP clippers and just get the job done. Don't be weensie about it, be confident, hold your bunny securely (setting them up on their bum like you'd shear a sheep) and then you have control. Bunnies LIKE being held securely and helps them to settle. If you need to, cover the head. That helps newbies a lot.

 

[MszGenevieve]

Don't be so timid with your bunny. Seriously. This is how one gets bunnies that decide they are boss and on what terms they will allow things. Seriously.

I do NOT get cage protective does simply because any space is MY SPACE. I handle my buns whenever and however I want. They go OH... right, we're cool. And they are. Be in charge. Be confident. Be reassuring (aka hold you close hand over your head...relax, see you are good, okay and release). This is how you train a bunny. You do not let them go skittering out of your grasp, you hold them firmly and release them when YOU are ready to do so. This gets bunny confident and aware that you truly do know what you are doing and will keep them safe.

As to trimming the nails.
There are numerous ways to do it. The easiest with little buns is to set them up on their bums HOLD THEM SECURELY and one foot at the time do their back feet. Then slide them down a bit, take a front foot and get all five nails, each foot. I really need to do to video to show folks how to do this well.

The biggest thing is be confident. have SHARP clippers and just get the job done. Don't be weensie about it, be confident, hold your bunny securely (setting them up on their bum like you'd shear a sheep) and then you have control. Bunnies LIKE being held securely and helps them to settle. If you need to, cover the head. That helps newbies a lot.

Thank you for the advice, I will try to remember that when I go into his cage next to change food ect .

What kind of nail clippers are good ? I got some basic scissors nail clipper that I was recommended to get at the pet store, but if there's better ones out there I wouldn't mind getting whats best for him

 

[ladysown]

For six week old bunnies regular nail clippers tend to be the easiest to use. Just make sure they are sharp.

 

[Katielovesleo3]

Ladysown, I would love for you to make a video! If you ever do be sure to let us know! I am getting much more confident about holding my rabbits and I think I am ready to learn instead if taking them to the vet!
Also, I agree with everyone's advice, and don't get your hopes up thinking that the rabbit will always want to be held or petted or even touched at all. I know I got my hopes up with my first rabbit. But every rabbit is different so you may have a cuddler one day you never know!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

As to clipping nails, my son holds them on his lap in an upright "prairie dog" position and I do one foot at a time. You have to handle them a lot and get them used to you and being handled or you'll have no end of problems. No veggies till 4 months old, but give unlimited alfalfa till 6 months then transition to regular hay. Best to remember that you are the alpha, but most bunnies that age are fairly sweet and clingy and even our shyest is now a pest. She follows me all around and begs--I use cilantro as a treat and can get her to walk around on her back legs.

 

[curiouscarrot]

She follows me all around and begs--I use cilantro as a treat and can get her to walk around on her back legs.

I'd love to see that on a video. Also the nail clipping. My new dog is a rescue who goes nuts when you touch his feet. Nail clipping is not my favourite thing...

 

[JBun]

His nails are going to be really tiny at that age, and there won't be much to clip. Just don't cut into the quick. Having a helper can make it LOTS easier. It helps me when I go to cut a nail, to squeeze gently on the nail before cutting. If you are cutting into the quick, your rabbit will flinch and you'll need to cut a little further down. If he doesn't flinch, then go ahead and finish the cut. If you accidentally cut into the quick, you'll need to stop the bleeding. I use cornstarch, but there are pet products for it too. There are some good instructions and videos on clipping, in this link. You can also find some more nail clipping videos on youtube. There are a lot of different methods, you just have to find the one that works best for your bun.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/nail-clipping-10519/

There is a lot of varying info on rabbit diets. Some rabbits do better on a specific diet than other rabbits. I have a rabbit that can't have pellets, as they make him sick. So you can just start with the basic diet and see how your bun does with it. It would probably be a good idea not to give your bunny sugary treats at such a young age. To much sugar can really mess up their digestive flora and could cause serious problems. There's some good info in these links, but also some info that isn't exactly right or explained well. One site mentions cruciferous veggies won't cause gas with rabbits, but I've found that with some it can cause digestive upset, and that can really be a serious problem. Though alfalfa hay is often recommended for young bunnies, it can sometimes cause issues. It needs to be introduced slowly into the diet to minimize the chance of digestive upset, and you should watch for signs of mushy poop or digestive upset. It can also make for picky bunnies when it comes time to switch them to grass hay. I didn't find it necessary with my bunnies. With feeding unlimited or close to unlimited alfalfa pellets, bunnies will get plenty of protein, so feeding grass hay would be fine. If you want to feed alfalfa hay, I would suggest also feeding a little grass hay like timothy, as well, to keep him used to eating it so it will be easier to transition him off the alfalfa when he is full grown. Also it's usually best to wait til a bunny is at least 12 weeks of age before introducing veggies and fruit, but if your bun is already used to eating some veggies and it isn't causing soft poop, then he is probably ok to continue to get them. When you switch him to the new pellet, you will want to make sure it is a gradual transition. You start with a small amount of the new food added to the old food, and gradually increase that amount over 2 weeks, while reducing the amount of old pellets at the same time, watching for signs of digestive upset. Basically any new food should be gradually introduced and watch for signs of changes in the poop. You may never have a problem with your bun, but some rabbits can be sensitive to digestive issues, so it's good to know what to look out for. Hopefully everything will go smoothly with your little guy, and he'll soon get over his skittishness.
http://www.lagomorphs.com/greenspellets.pdf
http://rabbit.org/category/care/diet/
http://www.3bunnies.org/feeding.htm
http://www.lagomorphs.com/mainpage.html
http://ontariorabbits.org/diet/hay
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f28/vegetables-12009/
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/drop/Drp_en.htm

 

[TimothytheNetherlandDwarf]

I got 2 buns a few months ago and although they weren't very skittish I kept doing the same few things each day until the seemed unafraid. One, open the cage door slowly so it doesn't clank and freak him out. Two, speak to him in a soft but upbeat tone something like "Hi bunny bun bun bun (that's how I greet them in the A.M.). When you can hold him, let his back feet rest on your chest and hold him so his face is to the ceiling and nuzzle him a little and scratch him gently on the back of his neck (keep a firm grip on him because he might squirm and wiggle to get free and dropping him would be disastrous). Remember, rabbits have to gain your trust, right now he thinks your a big bad thing that might eat him. So, it'll take awhile before he understands your a friend and not a foe. Although, I'm not sure why he wasn't afraid of you before but he is now, maybe his memory isn't fully developed yet since he's still so young.


:happybunny:
Toodles and Bunny Doodles

 

[MszGenevieve]

Thank you everyone for your replies ! I'll try to respond to everyone on here .

ladysown- if you could ever make a video that'd be really helpful !

Katielovesleo3- I'm starting to be more confident when I pick him up but I'm still scared I'd hurt him. Boyfriend however is good at picking the little guy up, he's more confident which I honestly didn't think he would be lol .

Nancy McClelland- I might have to try that when he trusts me some more. He's fine with me putting my hand in his cage & petting him on the head or back, but once hes out bouncing & running around he's extremely skittish, even if he approaches me first & I move slowly . I'd love to see your bunny walk on its hindlegs too

JBun- I looked at his nails & saw just how teeny tiny they were, I just need the littlest tip cut off since that's where his weapon is lol. Thank you for all the links ! That's going to be my homework in the morning . I haven't fed him anything sweet like fruits, the woman who I got him from was feeding him veggies already as well as timothy hay & pellets . I haven't given him any veggies yet since I'm not sure if I should just wait till he's older or go ahead & give him little portions of veggies . I have given him little amounts of hay to chew on & he hasn't had any problems yet that I've seen. I will be on the look out to see if he has any soft poop or diarrhea.

TimothytheNetherlandDwarf- I try to do the same thing every morning as well, I usually greet him & change his food & water and try to pet him. I've tried holding him by his scruff & I never know if its hurting him since he does squirm & I usually just put him back down. The only thing I can think of as to why he may of forgotten me or is just plain scared of me, is because I was where he was already used to, as to smells & how everything looked & then the car ride I know was horrible for him from the traffic & bumpy road . I just hope he remembers or realizes that I'm the same person again :sigh:

 

[JBun]

When my bunnies are out playing, they don't usually want me touching them either, and it's not cause they are skittish or anything. They are busy exploring and playing and don't want me bugging them until they are tired, then they let me pet them, haha. Plus they don't want me ruining their fun and end playtime

You don't want to be holding a rabbit by it's scruff. It can cause damage to the tissue. Scruffing could be a possible cause for the change of his behavior. It's best to pick them up by scooping one hand under the butt and the other under the belly, and bringing right up to your body. There are a few different ways to hold rabbits. Some rabbits may prefer one particular way over another. I hold all of mine right up on my chest with a hand under the bum and a hand securely over the shoulders so they can't squirm loose.
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/5-2/scruffing.html

Timothy and other non grain grass hays, are well tolerated by rabbits and don't need to be slowly introduced. Hay is really good for their digestion, so you should be good giving him as much as he wants to eat in a day. All rabbits should have access to unlimited hay.

I waited a while to trim my own bunnies nails, til around 3 mo. old. I tried doing it at 8 weeks, but I have dwarfs, and their nails were so tiny, it was hard to even see where the quick was. But yeah, those little nails are like needles, and just poke right through things. You'll find jeans and sweatshirts work really well, for protection against those sharp nails

 

[MszGenevieve]

When my bunnies are out playing, they don't usually want me touching them either, and it's not cause they are skittish or anything. They are busy exploring and playing and don't want me bugging them until they are tired, then they let me pet them, haha. Plus they don't want me ruining their fun and end playtime

You don't want to be holding a rabbit by it's scruff. It can cause damage to the tissue. Scruffing could be a possible cause for the change of his behavior. It's best to pick them up by scooping one hand under the butt and the other under the belly, and bringing right up to your body. There are a few different ways to hold rabbits. Some rabbits may prefer one particular way over another. I hold all of mine right up on my chest with a hand under the bum and a hand securely over the shoulders so they can't squirm loose.
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/5-2/scruffing.html

Timothy and other non grain grass hays, are well tolerated by rabbits and don't need to be slowly introduced. Hay is really good for their digestion, so you should be good giving him as much as he wants to eat in a day. All rabbits should have access to unlimited hay.

I waited a while to trim my own bunnies nails, til around 3 mo. old. I tried doing it at 8 weeks, but I have dwarfs, and their nails were so tiny, it was hard to even see where the quick was. But yeah, those little nails are like needles, and just poke right through things. You'll find jeans and sweatshirts work really well, for protection against those sharp nails

Oh jeeze I didn't even realize that, I won't anymore, I'm glad I didn't try more then twice .

We've made some progress this morning though ! I greeted him as I usually do in the mornings, grabbed his bowl slowly & took his bottle & changed the food and water, & when I put it back into his cage I put my hand up to him slowly to smell it & he let me pet him without darting across the cage ! I was even able to pick him up for awhile & praise him for being a good boy

I'll probably go ahead & wait to clip his nails until he's older then, I guess I'm going to have to get love scratches till then lol

 

[JBun]

Yeah, I knew scruffing wasn't good but I didn't know why until I looked it up. Rabbits are a pretty new house pet, so people don't generally know as much about them as they do about cats and dogs. I'm sure it's not the end of the world if they are held like that once in a while, but it's probably pretty uncomfortable for them and best avoided.

That's so great that he's feelling more comfortable with you I bet it was nice to be able to pet and hold him without him being scared. Some rabbits can get pretty scared being in a new home, and it can sometimes take a while for them to feel comfortable and safe. But it sounds to me that he is doing pretty well.

 

[curiouscarrot]

I'll probably go ahead & wait to clip his nails until he's older then, I guess I'm going to have to get love scratches till then lol

Even though his nails are too little to do yet, you could start training him to accept having his feet touched and the clippers being brought out, etc. By the time he needs his "manicure", he'll be all used to the procedure so the actual clipping part shouldn't freak him out.

 

[MszGenevieve]

Even though his nails are too little to do yet, you could start training him to accept having his feet touched and the clippers being brought out, etc. By the time he needs his "manicure", he'll be all used to the procedure so the actual clipping part shouldn't freak him out.

I actually touch his feet alot cause theyre so cute lol . He doesn't really seem to mind it, he never nips me or anything. So hopefully when it comes to nail clipping time he wont get so upset

 

[MszGenevieve]

Yeah, I knew scruffing wasn't good but I didn't know why until I looked it up. Rabbits are a pretty new house pet, so people don't generally know as much about them as they do about cats and dogs. I'm sure it's not the end of the world if they are held like that once in a while, but it's probably pretty uncomfortable for them and best avoided.

That's so great that he's feelling more comfortable with you I bet it was nice to be able to pet and hold him without him being scared. Some rabbits can get pretty scared being in a new home, and it can sometimes take a while for them to feel comfortable and safe. But it sounds to me that he is doing pretty well.

It was a good feeling , he's still skittish when hes running around in the room but once hes winding down he comes towards me and tries to get treats from me & wants some screetchies on his head & some hay