New Flemish

[supierce]

 We just brought Rosco home yesterday.  We have had him for about 24 hours now.  He is a year old and is about 15 pounds.  He was used as a breeder for a lady that raises and shows them.  He broke his toe so he can’t be shown anymore which is why she placed him.  He is beautiful but seems very shy.  I know that this is a totally new atmosphere as he was kept in a rabbitry and not in a house but he was handled frequently per the breeder.  He has come out of his “condo” several times and hopped around the room we have him in which is our old garage that we converted to a play room.  I have gone out there and sat with him hoping to get him to come out and play and he has only come out 1 or 2 times and then he just hops around the room sniffing and then heads back into his place with his nose in the corner.  I contiued him on his exact diet that she had him on and he has eaten.  Not a ton though.  Any thoughts on how long it will take him to get used to us?  I have dogs but haven’t intoroduced him to them yet.  Just want to keep his environment very calm until he shows signs of being happy…  Would love any advice…

 

Thanks!

 

[Sarita]

It will take patience – no exact time line but give him a good long while. It sounds like you are right on track by keeping his environment calm.

I suspect he is in sensory overload. He’s probably confused at this point as would any rabbit be in any circumstance.

[supierce]

Thanks so much for responding. I know it’s going to take time. He hasn’t eaten well either and doesn’t even get up to pee. Just pees laying down. I am going to get him neutered but don’t know if I should do it right away or wait for him to feel more comfy with us. Kind of a double edge sword get him happy then upset him with surgery… He is such a pretty boy. Excited to see some personality. I hope he will bond with us and want to play with us. Was torn between getting an adult or wait for baby. Have heard pros and cons with both.

[PurpleBunni]

Patience is key and your are doing great things. The only things I can suggest adding is bringing a magazine or book with you when you sit with him to help pass the time, I think reading with buns also helps them to feel less pressure as you aren’t constantly watching their every move while you are reading. The other is bribing him with greens. Hold them out patiently and let him eat from your hand.

[supierce]

We will. Thanks for the advice.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

He was probably kept in a wire bottom and doesn’t realize that he’s peeing, that’ll take some time. Keep the hay in the litter box to encourage habits and besides that, just time! I used to sit and read with my girls to get them used to me, or sing songs. What pellets was he on? I’d think about taking him to the vet to get fixed sooner rather than later, that way they can also make sure there isn’t anything wrng with him

[Deleted User]

I agree that’s a difficult one! Ultimately I’d suggest going with what feels best to you, (obviously), however, when I was faced with a somewhat similar situation I did opt to get all the upheaval over with at one time. I knew it was hard on the animal (a cat in my case) but since she’d already lost her home, I thought letting her settle in and then uprooting her again would be more traumatizing. Figured getting her to the vet and back, then working on making her feel safe was a better way to go.

[supierce]

Yes he was kept on a wire bottom. That is true. I am waiting on the vet. I reached out to a rabbit rescue organization to ask about neutering him as the local exotic vet here charges $500. So I found a rescue about an hour and a half away that will do it for $65. They do spay/neuter on rabbits frequently and understand the different anesthesia they need. So hopefully I will be able to get him in next week. I was just sitting out there with him and he went and drank some water which was the first time I have seen him drink. Was glad about that. But he still didn’t come out of his pen. So I agree just patiently waiting on him… Thanks again for all the advice. It helps!

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Feel free to post pics!! And welcome btw!
Oh, and don’t bathe him or anything, the flea treatment will take care of it.

[supierce]

I have tried to post pics but unsuccessfully. I will try again today. No I wouldn’t dare try to bathe him. I think that is part of his shock was that the breeder bathed him because he had fleas then we loaded him up and brought him home. Total shock to his little world. He stinks though. My goodness. He just pees and lays in it. I just cleaned out his pen and moved the litter box to where all the pee was. I am afraid this litter box thing is going to be tough. Might should get a bigger on. He did come out this morning and hop around the room and then went and laid down underneath the table. Progress…

[supierce]

 I just wanted to say that Rosco was in his pen all day and no pee on the floor. Yay. He is still a bump on the log but hopefully he will get some personality soon. We introduced him to our toy poodle and they were both fine. Next we will bring the standard poos in to see him. We will keep him in his pen for that. Just until we see how they respond. 

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Can you post here what his diet is like? What pellets etc?

[Deleted User]

I’d like to recommend an article on rabbit.org about introducing your rabbit to other family pets. The most important suggestion it makes is the emphasis on letting them have time to adjust to each other before the introduction, … more then a day or two.

Given the circumstances from which you took him it sounds to me as though he is still trying to adjust and feel safe emotionally and probably physically as well. (And having had a recent injury he may be a little more physically depleted then usual too.) I’d interpret the lying like a lump as not yet being secure, … so I’d be reluctant to bring your other dogs in just yet. Building a real sense of security where he is now would likely make it much easier for him to accept changes and additions to his New world. I’m sure the personality is there, but expect it will take a little while for him to recover and begin displaying it.

[supierce]

 We have made progress.  He actually came out and played around the room with us.  Well not with us but hopping all around the room and then layed right beside the couch we were sitting.  He is coming around.  We let my toy poodle in the room and Rosco went looking for him.  Not ready to let my big dogs around him yet.  Want to let him get more secure although he was around dogs at the breeder it is just better to introduce slowly.  And, he has done really well with the litter box.  No pee outside of it.  Still lots of poo but still progress.   He is really sweet.  After seeing the difference in him today, I am really excited to see what all he does next.

[TamarizRabbit]

Congratulations. We have just got our first house bunny and were worried she was really shy but we are now day five and she is turning out to be a proper character. We found being in her room a lot but not necessarily focussed on her was the key. She finally came out to play when I was sat sewing in the middle of the floor and she came to see what I was doing. Soon enough lots of binkys and bunny 500s! Getting her back to bed is another matter all together though…about to post about that! Happy new bunny!

[supierce]

Excited to post that Rosco is definitely coming out of his shell. No binkys yet but he is definitely checking everything out. He actually will come out and lay somewhere besides under the table. And, he has done amazing at peeing in the litter box. He was in his pen all day while we were at work and came home and no pee on the floor and very little poop. He still drops them when he is out but not bad. He is scheduled for his neutering next Thursday. Hopefully that won’t set him back. Excited to see more of his personality…

[bullrider76543]

HMMM Blue is still very skittish, I am wondering if it is because of his Blood line? does anyone know if that nervousness is passed along generations since Big Blue and Rosco have the same mom?

[supierce]

My Rosco is not a blue he is a light silver. Where did you get Big Blue? Rosco came from a breeder in Green Cove Springs, FL. Now he isn’t running up to us wanting any love, he is just moving around the room and rubbing his chin on things to put his smell things. But I feel really hopeful that coming to us for love will happen soon…

[MoveDiagonally]

How’s Rosco doing?

[supierce]

Awe, thanks so much for asking. He is still very laid back. Doesn’t do much besides lay under a table. He is doing great at litter training. We have pretty much left him out in our playroom and let him have run of it. He will circle it a couple of times and sniff around and then he will either go back and lay down under the table to go in his pen and go to the bathroom. Still leaves some poo around but no pee which is awesome. We have been locking him up in his pen at night and he uses the litter pan less than when he is out all day so I don’t know if he is mad because we have locked him up or not. I am going to try leaving him out tonight and see if I have as big of mess in the morning. He is really super sweet, he just is not coming out of his shell much. He is getting neutered on Thursday and I am nervous about that. But hopefully all will go well. We have taken him outside a couple of times and he loves that. Part of me wonders if I got another rabbit would he be happier but I really would prefer to have just him. But we will see. I am curious to see how he will act after his surgery on Thursday. Thanks again for asking!

[Hazel]

Posted By supierce on 05/24/2013 06:18 AM
Rosco came from a breeder in Green Cove Springs, FL.

Interesting. The breeder I was in contact with is in Green Cove Springs, too. As far as I know there’s only that one, so it must be the same. Did you have a good experience with them? We kind of felt like we were getting ripped off, so we passed. (I’m not sure if this falls under the prohibited discussion of intentional breeding etc, if so, feel free to delete my post).

Also, bullrider, how do you know Blue and Rosco have the same mother? If we had gone through with getting a Flemish there, maybe Blue and Rosco would have been related to ours. That would have been interesting!

[supierce]

Their price was kind of high in my opinion but I thought their facility was nice. She seemed to really care for her bunnies. They have definitely put some money into their cages and set up. They sent me home with a bunch of supplies. I don’t know if I should have gotten a baby. I have heard pros and cons of both. Rosco is sweet, not aggressive at all and it has only been a week. Don’t know if a baby would have bonded better or not. Too late now cause we are definitely attached to our little bump on the log…lol

[Hazel]

We felt the same way about the price. We wanted a pet bunny, no showing, no pedigree needed. Because the litter turned out to be all show quality, they insisted we pay the show price anyway (which is twice as much). I looked around online and figured that their prices are already about twice what you would pay at most other rabbitries. So we decided against it. It was pretty disappointing because we waited 8 months for this litter.

Anyway, I’m glad you’re happy with Rosco. I hope you’ll post pictures of him soon.

[MoveDiagonally]

Glad to hear things seem to be moving along alright for him. Neutering might help improve his litter habits to so that might be something nice to look forward to.

A second rabbit might be a good thing in the future but I think you should give him a bit more time to settle in. Bonding can be stressful and time consuming for all involved so definitely consider how much time you have before you bring a second bunny home (not that you wouldn’t just something people don’t always think about). When/if you do decide on another bunny I definitely recommend “bunny dating” so you can find somebun compatible with Rosco which might make things a bit easier on everyone.

I’m looking forward to future updates about Rosco! It’s nice to see bunnies recover from a bad situation and it’s really wonderful when they come out of their shells. I think he’ll get there

[supierce]

MoveDiagonally- Thanks. I don’t really think he was in a “bad” situation. Just not in a pet type situation. Not that I think breeding and showing is the best situation but he was certainly cared for just not as much as a pet. But hopefully he will come around soon. And, I agree about the second bunny. It will definitely be a while if we even consider that. I want to give him some time to get past his surgery and see how he does.

Hazel-I wasn’t given the option on price with this breeder between show quality or not. And, I guess I was more pleased about their set up and the fact that the rabbits were inside that I didn’t check around anywhere else. She did say there was a waiting list for a baby.

I have tried to post pictures and apparently I don’t know what I am doing. I will keep trying. He is quite a cutie…

[supierce]

So I just am so excited. We went into Rosco’s room (formerly the kids playroom, formerly our garage) to watch TV and be with Rosco. I have picked him up and set him the couch beside me to pet him and he would jump down. Picked him up tonight and he laid over on me and let me pet him for about 10 minutes. Then he moved over to my son and let him pet him. We were so excited.

[Deleted User]

Wonderful!!! Such a terrific feeling when you start to see the patience you invested paying off, isn’t it? Am I getting you mixed up or is his big day at the vet tomorrow (Tuesday)? If it is hope all goes well and that he settles back in quickly. I bet he’ll be so thrilled to see he has come back to his safe comfortable new home it will help him bounce back in no time.

[supierce]

His big day is Thursday. I think I am more worried about the drive stressing him out than anything. It will take me about an hour and a half to get there but save me over $400. So hopefully he will be just fine. Thanks so much!

[Deleted User]

Quite the difference in price! I’d definitely make that drive too. Hopefully he’ll be fine in the car. I know the drive from the SPCA home with my pair was at least that long and I’d felt anxious about it when I went to get them. They spent the whole trip back munching the hay I’d put in the carrier and hopping to peak out the door, … never had two such relaxed passengers. I’d like to think my having the carrier on my lap helped but honestly I doubt it made a difference.

Best of luck Thursday, and please let us know how it goes!

[supierce]

Rosco update…We are home from surgery. He did good on the ride there and was pretty much out of it on the ride home. He ate a little and drank some water when we got home and has been sleeping. I am sure he is in a little shock and will feel weird as the day goes on. I did buy some pain medication. I am hoping that he will feel much better tomorrow. Even though he hasn’t had tons of personality, his little face looks sad now… I will feel better when he is peeing and pooping. He hasn’t eaten or drank much so hopefully he will do more of that soon…

[Author]

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