Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

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.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

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 New Shy Bunny

Viewing 7 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • blubudgie
      Participant
      178 posts Send Private Message

        Hi, new here
        Recently bought a white netherland dwarf and named her Tofu. I’ve had her for a few days now and she hasn’t left the little cardboard house I put in her cage.
        It’s making litter training hard since she pees and poops in there too.
        Is there a way to coax her out or will she eventually come out on her own?
        If she doesn’t come out eventually is it okay to take the box away? Or maybe put the box on her litter box?
        She sticks her head out to eat treats from my hand but then goes back in.


      • Flopsie
        Participant
        388 posts Send Private Message

          First of all, what you are expecting is completely normal.

          And now I will explain why..

          Rabbits are prey animals, as such, they apprehensive, anxious, and defensive. When you bring them to a new place and you are a novel person in their life, they are likely to be distrustful and scared. You have to make them feel comfortable with you and build trust. To do that, you have to show, through behavior, that you are not going to harm them or put them at risk.

          To do that, you must let them come out on their terms. Don’t worry, through time and effort, this will occur. Especially since I have found rabbits to be very curious animals. Open the cage and let them come out on their terms. Don’t force them out, don’t push them. When you first get them and bring them home. You shouldn’t interact with them, give them time to settle in and let them feel safe in their cage. If you keep going up to the cage to bring them out, they will naturally feel threatened and not want to come. Continue to feed them by hand treats and if they grab and run back into cage to eat it, thats totally fine. When you have the time. Open the cage and sit around or near it and do you work. Leave them alone while you watch TV, read a book, do work, complete homework or whatever. Show that you are not caring and they will eventually come and and check you out.

          Is your bun neutered or spayed. If he/she isn’t then you cannot truly litter train yet. Once you can get the procedure done, you can officially litter train her. However, if you wish to begin pairing the habits. LOok at the corner that she goes in. Typically rabbits will go in the corner. Put the litter box in that corner. Put some hay in the box because they like to munch ad poop too. If you can catch them mid act, try to bring her into the litter box. If she has accidents outside, don’t fully clean it up, put some of the soiled paper into the litter box or throw some poop in there. The point is that she can see this is where it supposedly goes. If she goes properly, give her a treat!


        • blubudgie
          Participant
          178 posts Send Private Message

            thanks for the info! so she currently poops and pees in the little cardboard box, should I switch the position of the cardboard box and the litter box? Or should I just move the litter box to where the cardboard box is and put the cardboard box in the litter pan?
            I put all her hay and pellet bowl in the litter box and have a hanging hay feeder next to the litter pan.
            She is only 3 months old I was hoping to wait until she got a little older to spay. Is that alright?


          • Flopsie
            Participant
            388 posts Send Private Message

              where is the cardboard box? Is it in the corner? I’ve heard of ppl using multiple boxes to catch the pee and poop. You can put some of the hay in the box, i’m not sure you need to put the pellets in the box as well. I am assuming you have the pellets in the dish? I can be wrong but i’ve only seen my bunny poop while eating hay, but not pellets? Plus, she inhales the pellets so fast its not really an issue. With hay, she hangs out in the litter box and munches on it and when she leaves there is a pile of poops

              as far as spaying goes, i’m not sure of when, you’d have to check the websites such as the HRS website http://www.rabbit.org for some info or someone here will provide you with more accurate info. I wasn’t able to get my bunny spayed until she was after a year old.


            • blubudgie
              Participant
              178 posts Send Private Message

                Yep it’s in the corner next to the litter box. I put the pellets in a dish in the litter box along with hay.
                I don’t think Tofu is eating the pellets though, will she eventually try them?


              • LittlePuffyTail
                Moderator
                18092 posts Send Private Message

                  Was she eating pellets when you got her or is this new to her?


                • blubudgie
                  Participant
                  178 posts Send Private Message

                    I’ll have to ask. He told me to feed her hay carrots and pellets but he never said what he was feeding her.
                    If she wasn’t eating pellets before will she still try them eventually?

                    I will get a picture of her set up tonight


                  • blubudgie
                    Participant
                    178 posts Send Private Message

                      Okay I think pellets are new to her. She hasn’t touched them. She’s eaten some Timothy hay but doesn’t seem to like alfalfa. She’s also eating outside of her litter box. She sits on the outside and pulls the hay out to eat it -___- lol

                  Viewing 7 reply threads
                  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                  Forum BEHAVIOR New Shy Bunny