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M

Maisy

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May 27, 2011
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Location
Tasmania, , Australia
I was wondering if I could get some advice on getting Maisy more used to me? I spend time with her every day, I try not to pick her up too much and I always offer her treats so she knows I dont mean any harm, but she is still quite skittish. Do you have any advice on how I could get her more used to me?
Cheers
Georgia
 
How long have you had Masiy for? It can take quite a long time for rabbits to feel truly comfortable with their owners, it took about 6 months for mine to trust me finally. Just give it time, and keep doing what your doing
 
I'm having similar problems with my boys, one of them is pretty comfortable with me but the other is very skittish. I guess bunnies are more standoffish because they're prey animals but it would be great if they were more like puppies- puppies love everyone! But on the other hand, binkies are cuter than puppies and bunnies stay little and don't eat your shoes and are WAY easier to house train, lol!
 
Bunnies don't eat your shoes? ... tell that to my bun please :D and my bird while you're at it...

Takes some time for bunnies to warm up completely, I have had mine a bit and they still aren't quite there. Just be patient.
 
Thanks for the advicce guys I will just keep doing what im doing. She has her good days and bad days, today is a good one :) She ate out of my hand and played with my fingers (she tried to pick them up and throw them...didnt work so well) hehe :p
 
ignore her :) get down on the ground, draw/read/watch tv/play with legos :) and just ignore her when she comes up sniffing. eventually shell get upset your ignoring her and demand attention. and ground time is good for any animal.
 
I'm having trouble with my bunny as well. I got him a little over a month ago and he was a baby when I got him. When I first got him I was able to pick him up no problem. I'm not sure if it was because he was so frightened he didn't want to do anything or what. He would just lick lick lick me. He started off with a lot of problems. Within two days of having him he wasn't eating his pellet food and only wanted his hay and his droppings seemed to get smaller so I had to bring him back to where I got him and they took him for 2 nights to force feed him a little so he wouldn't get dehydrated and get him to eat the pellets on his own. It seemed like ever since I got him back he isn't the same. He is very skittish and it seems like he changes all the time. I really don't blame him for being scared but I would think by now he might have been better. One day he'll seem to like me by coming over and licking me all over. The next day he won't even come near me and if I make any movement at all he darts under my bed. He also likes to nip a bit and sometimes I swear he does it on purpose if he is irritated by something It's never painful though. I want him to be more comfortable with me and actually like me. He will NOT let me pick him up at all. I don't even do it just because I want to hold him because I know most of them don't like it. But sometimes he doesn't cooperate going into his cage when I have to go to work and I have to get him. he doesn't seem to be a "social" rabbit either like they are supposed to be. He doesn't seem to like when people are around he'll just go and hide under my bed. Can someone give me some advice?? Whats the longest it will take for him to trust me?
 
I have had Cindi and Houdini for about 6 months. I have to pick him up to brush because he's an angora and I think that hampers my progress, but they are still very shy. I lay on the floor and ignore them, as advised above. They will come and nibble on the book I'm reading and use me as a speed bump. Cindi will even climb on my back and lick my neck. If I go to pet them they bolt. If I put my hand out with a treat I have to move very slowly. Sometimes they eat it, sometimes they run away. I'm just happy when they let me watch them play while I'm laying there.
 
I find that the best way to have a bunny get used to you is to talk to them. Don't force yourself on them, let them come to you, and when you do approach them, do it with yummy veggies (parsley is always a bunny crowd-pleaser). When you pet a rabbit that isn't used to being handled, it's a lot like being grabbed by a predator to them. Rub them across their eyes and make slow movements around them. I let my bunnies know when I come home and get up from bed by talking to them, because otherwise I find they scatter and stomp.
 
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