What has happend to my rabbit :/ !!!

[kayla123]

I have a male rabbit (muffin) he's only 4 months old I am planning on getting him neutered in December or January

He is a very laid back rabbit and loved being petted and didn't mind being held when I had to bring him in and out of his cage for free range time and loves being brushed ,but a couple of days ago he suddenly has become frightened of me .

when he is free ranging and I come in the room he would just go and run and hid under the wardrobe and won't come out until I'm gone

he runs away when I pet him and i can't think of anything Iv done wrong for him to all of a sudden hate me so I'm trying to win over his trust again and this is a real challenge ! I have started by just feeding his pellets in my hand rather then put it in his food bowl same with his veggies .. He takes forever to come out to eat his pellets and veggies in my hand and when he finally come out he is so alert his ears constantly twitching to ever sound he hears and normally he would not care and is extremely hesitant towards everything now?

I also have a female rabbit that's muffins sister they are separated until I get them both neuterd but in the meantime I let muffin out in the morning and nibbles in the afternoon and I can't give nibbles a turn to free rang cause muffin won't let me pick him up or even let me pet him to go back to his cage and i don't want to run after him cause i know that would only make the situation worse and probably won't trust again after that

I don't think there's anything wrong with him health wise cause he is still eating and drinks and going to the toilet like normal

So I'm very confused on what happend and how can i get him back into his cage for nibbles to free range also .. his cage is shared with his sister but one half is hers the other is his and it's off the floor so he can't just hop in and there's no way i can put in on the floor

Pleas anyone help me !
Any advise would be greatfull !
Thxs micaela

 

[lopsofloverabbitry]

Rabbit dont ushually pick or chose who they like and don't like. He may have reached his "I'm a buck now" age and changed a little.

Rabbit depend on Smell and sight. Have you change you appearance? (Hair cut, different perfume, ect?)
Hope this helps!


~Breeding Quality Holland Lops Since 2012~

 

[whiskylollipop]

Baby rabbits are usually quite clueless and don't mind a lot of things like being picked up and petted. But Muffin is a big boy now, and he's starting to be more aware that he is a tiny prey animal and you are a huge, tall predator animal who might eat him! It's on you to teach him, now an older smarter bunny, that just because you are big doesn't mean you are going to hurt him.

Spend lots of time in his room with him quietly, just sitting down and reading or playing a game or surfing the internet. Have some veggies beside you. Let him approach you on his own time, and slowly offer him veggies as a reward if he hops near you. Never chase him, that will just teach him to fear you. He'll slowly learn that you won't hurt him. When you have built up enough trust with him, you can then pick him up a few times a day, and give him a treat when you do.

Also, why can't his cage be on the floor? I think it worsens his insecurity when his home is unreachable and he doesn't have a safe place to go back to. It would be like a giant taking you out of your house and putting you in France every day. You'd feel lost, alone, and scared with nowhere to go. It would really help if he had a covered home base on the floor he could feel safe in.

In the meantime, if you have trouble catching him to put him away, try taking a bathrobe/towel and gently dropping it over him when he runs by. He'll stop and try to figure a way out. Quickly pick him up before he gets too scared, remove him from the bathrobe and plop him back in his cage, with a veggie treat to say sorry!

 

[kayla123]

Thanks this has help alot .... his cage is a homemade one made out of old wardrobe and where the drawers was on the wardrobe I use for storage so I can't put the cage on the floor but I'm thinking of taking the drawers out and making that part of his cage ill work on and see what I can do
Thxs alot for the help
this morning when I went to him he went up to me and was hoping around me until I gave him food so um definitely making progress thxs again

 

[Blue eyes]

I totally agree with Whiskeylollipop about the cage situation. And I have heard from sooo many past rabbit owners. When the rabbits were young, they were routinely picked up to put them in or out of their cage. Eventually, and as the rabbits got older, the rabbits came to despise this action. It is just not a good situation. Adult rabbits just aren't going to tolerate it (or they just will decide to avoid you whenever possible) if it continues.

A rabbit's cage is its sanctuary and he/she should be able to return to its cage anytime it wants during playtime. For this reason the cage really should be on the floor. The door should be open and that way the bunny can decide when/if they want to come out. And they can choose to go back in when they want to.

If the cage just cannot go on the floor, then a series of steps or ramps should be put up to the cage to allow in and out access. The idea is that the bunny needs to be the one going in and out of the cage on his own whenever you have the door open.

 

[kayla123]

Ok tomorrow I will go buy some steps to give him i seen some in the pound store so I definitely go get some tomorrow thxs for the help !