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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Help! First time bunny owner!

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    • BunnyBoo222
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        Hi all! I am a first time bunny owner and am feeling pretty helpless at the moment. I have had my five month old lionhead for about three months now and he is still terrified of me. When he is out of his cage, 90% of the time he wants to hide under my bed. Being a new owner, Ive already experienced fun things like digging up carpet and chewing on walls but Ive read that this is normal. He is also biting me and it has become aggressive. I try not to pick him up often because Ive learned he'll nip. But the other day he was chewing on some papers and all I did was move them out of the way ( not out of his mouth) and he just lunged at me and bit me. He didnt draw blood or anything but its really dissapointing. I know some bunnies take time to adjust but I cant help but become envious when I hear people getting kisses and such from their buns. All I want for him is to not run and hide. I was wondering if neutering will truly eleviate most these problems? Are bunnies personalities that different where one is cuddly and another can be so terrified? Im hoping hell adjust soon. Thank you in advance for feedback!


      • Kayota
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          Is he old enough to be neutered? I don’t know what the age for that is but I’m reading it helps greatly with such things. Their personalities can be different, I would imagine.


        • LittlePuffyTail
          Moderator
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            Kayota is right. If your bun is not neutered, I would talk to a vet about doing so. That is prime “teenage hormone” age and he is most likely feeling frustrated and territorial. The aggression will most likely be reduced with neutering.

            How often does he get out of cage time? What are you doing while he is out of his cage? The best advice to bond with your bunny is to spend lots of time at his level, sit on the floor reading, watching TV and ignore him. Let him come to you. You can have small treats or pellets to give him when he comes over.

            Some bunnies take longer than others to bond or even warm up to their human and the fact that he is dealing with raging hormones will only make things more difficult.


          • Annabel93
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              When I first got mine they spent 90% of their time under my bed too. Now i've blocked it off with chicken wire as they aren't neutered yet and were marking their territory under there which was reeeally annoying to clean up. It also helped because it meant they were made to spend more time out in my room with me and then became comfortable with me. If you try something like that make sure they still have a little box or hidey house to sit in because they like to relax in covered spaces.

              And I second the idea of sitting on the floor just doing your own thing. Try and spend as much time as is possible just sat on the floor of your room (I tend to read or sit on my laptop) and your bunny should eventually become curious and relaxed around you, then you can ease in gradually giving some strokes etc.


            • Irina
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                Hi Bunny Boo! I agree with getting him neutered. I had two of my 4 month old buns done just over two weeks ago, and one has already turned into a cuddle bug, whereas the other still kind of avoids me if possible. So, it can make a bug difference. For my less than loving bunny, I have been lying on the floor reading when he is out of his pen. He is starting to come over and sniff me. He even let me pet him for a short time yesterday- I bribed him with a raisin…


              • BunnyBoo222
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                  Thats a good idea. I might just have to block it off so it will be easier to bond. Hopefully he'll come around soon


                • BunnyBoo222
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                    I think Im definitely going to neuter him. Out of curioiusity, did you take your buns to a rabbit specialist? From the research Ive done, I can apparently take them to a neuter/spray clinic or a vet that specilizes in rabbits (I live in Los Angeles). Clinics I believe charge less but I dont want to risk the health of my bunny. 


                  • Irina
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                      I would strongly suggest going to a rabbit specialist! When i researched the options before having my bunnies done- I remember thinking… How hard can it be? Why does it have to be a rabbit savvy vet? Unfortunately, I learned that it does make a difference! One of my buns, Butterscotch, had complications after neutering, including gastric stasis, dehydration, kidney failure and seizures. My vet is the most rabbit savvy in my area (within a 4 hour drive), has been raising bunnies for 30 years- and even he had to call several rabbit specialists to figure out the best way to treat him. I realize that Butterscotch was a rare case, and that most bunnies do just fine (his brother Tofu was neutered the same day and did wonderfully!), but if something went wrong and you hadn’t opted to go with the specialist, you may regret it. So, if it us not too big a price difference, and you can afford it, I would advise you go to the person with the most bunny experience!

                      To end positively, Butterscotch seems to have made a full recovery and us doing lots if binkies, flops and bunny 500s!

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                  Forum BEHAVIOR Help! First time bunny owner!