New Bunny Unhappy?

[Felixx_J]

Me and my partner adopted a bunny last week, he’s 4 months old & called Felix. I’m worried he’s unhappy in his new home & unhappy with us. He plays around in his hutch but as soon as we got to open the door he runs and stays in one corner which makes it difficult to get him out. When we take him out and hold him he shakes. He doesn’t seem to be overly affectionate to my partner either. I know it will take a while for him to settle into his new home but is he just getting used to the new surrounding or is he unhappy? 

[JackRabbit]

Most bunnies don’t like to be picked up or held. Being a prey animal, as far as he knows, when you take him out of his cage and hold him, you’re going to eat him.

Try opening the cage, let him come out on his own, and let him explore. Sit or lay on the floor and let him check you out — just ignore him and don’t reach for him or try to touch him. Let him get used to you and start to trust you.

As hard as it is, you just have to be patient and take things at the bunny’s pace. It may take every bit of willpower to keep from trying to snuggle the little furrybutt, but it will pay off!

[Little Lion Head]

Just do your every day activities and ignore him. Sit on the floor and read a book or sit and talk to him. Let him come to you like JR said.

[Roberta]

Most bunnies take a while to settle in, it’s a matter of getting use to them and trying to find things that make them feel safe. Maybe a nice exciting cat tunnel to play in will get your bunny to feel a bit more at ease out of the cage, it’s also a good bolt hole if he is worried.

[bestmom]

The first week we got Pepper. I would open the cage and it would sometimes take him an hour to come out, and when he did he would just run and hide under my daughter’s bed. I’d give it some time, it took Pepper about 2 weeks before he acted comfortable around us. Now he follows me around everywhere, and as soon as his cage door is open he comes running down the steps to the living room. And he hates when he has to go back in his cage at night.

[Tana]

Don’t worry at all! When we got our second buns she was instantly social and bonded to me very quickly but our first one needed a little while. It took about 2 weeks for her to bond to me and another week or two to bond with my partner. But now she’s crazy about us.
I found a tasty treat can go a long way (just a bit of banana!) I got on the floor and didn’t look directly at her and gave her treats. I gave her a few places to hide so she could explore without feeling too far from safety. Rabbits are so insanely curious and eventually it overcomes their fears!

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