Should I Give up my New Bun?

[beijingthebun]

Hello all- I purchased my beautiful black bunny Beijing 5 weeks ago. The shelter did not have any bunnies, and the store I saved her from was pitiful (they did not even know her breed) so I figured I was helping him. They said he was anywhere from “8-12′ weeks old.

 Beijiing was a bit of an impulse buy, but I was a lonely college student in a new apartment, and I was looking for something different than a cat or dog personality. He seemed perfect. The store I got him from even said they offered pet boarding for $4/night (I am an out of state student).

 I have done lots of research on buns. I do not grab him or bother him much. I spend a few hours next to his cage daily reading and doing homework. I know that bunnies take a while to warm up, and they are never really quite cuddly, but Beijing seems to hate me. Whenever I come near his cage he jumps around frantically. If i put my hand in, he turns away from me and shivers. He does come out of the cage every so often if i leave the door open (which is every night), but he is very apprehensive and has yet to come and explore me.

 It seems he always wants to be in his cage and he has no interest in socializing with me. I love him so much and I want to spend the time to build our relationship– but i am now realizing that may be impossible.

 In three weeks I will be going out of town for 4 days, and two weeks later for another 3 weeks. I would have been fine with the original boarding meaures, however I checked out the store today and realized that there is no way i will leave my bunny in such conditions for such a long period of time. There are no bunny sitters, nor bunny kennels here, and having someone that is here take care of him is not an option as of this moment.

 I will also be going back home over the summer, and changing apartments when i return for school, and I feel that although it is possible to transport and care for my bun, he will not have had enough time to adjust and get used to me before all the hecticness starts again.

I know it is possible to drive him to and fro homes, as well as having him shipped, however I had initially thought that he would be acclimated much sooner, therefore this would all be much easier. He has not adjusted at all and i think moving him around so much so soon will hinder our relationship from ever truly blossoming.

I just want Beijing to be his happiest. I realize I should have considered all this very carefully before bringing him home, but i feel as though since he has not warmed up at all, there is not much harm in relocating him to another home, or giving him to a shelter.

 

This is in no way a conclusive decision. I am posting here to get the experts’ advice. What do you think would be best for my bun/ can we make it work in any way?

 

Thank you

 

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I feel like if you live somewhere big enough for a college or university, then it’s big enough to have pet sitters. Where have you tried looking for one? I live outside a city of more than a million and there isn’t a bunny boarding kennel, but there are certainly loads of pet sitters. And there’s got to be other college students who would sit for some cash on the side. If its affordability perhaps you can take notes or tudor them as a trade?

Is this more about feeling like you haven’t bonded or a true you can’t provide for him situation? I’m not asking to be tough but that’s what I think you need to think on so that you can make the right decision.
If it’s a bonding thing-it takes time with rabbits -they make you work for it.

[So Fluffy Bunny]

It takes time to bond with a bunny, have you tried finding what might “motivate” your bunny to come out of its area that he lives in or have you been invading the space of the bunny and he is reacting by moving away. I found that with ours, I ignore the bunnies ( have three here) and get down on their level, aka I sit on floor even though my arthritis hurts majorly when I do it. Also let him get curious, the ignore game works since with our rescue bun, we have had him since july of this year, and it is now November, both my fiancee and I can finally touch him within the cage area only not outside of it. Beijing will come up to you and explore, it just takes time.

In addition, I know of plenty of ways to find a pet sitter, ask your vet office if there is anyone will do a bunny pet sitting for you while you are out of town. Also, too I have motivated both my bonded pair and the single into carriers by offering something yummy to them so that they learn to enter into their pet carriers and I don’t have to make sudden moves towards them which does stress them out. It takes time and patience to win a bunny’s love, but so worth it when you are laying down with them and they decide to groom you and gives loves ( even if its being peed upon).

[RosiePosie]

Its very possible he is having a hard time with adjusting to his new home. When you’re home bring his food out of his cage and near you and leave his cage door open (make sure the room is bunny proof just in case he scoots away and hides). Rabbits can take a while to warm up to their new people.
If you can find a vet that offers pet boarding that would be your best bet. We don’t board anywhere but our vet, I think its $16 a night which isn’t too bad. Plus, they love her and if anything goes wrong Rosie is right where she needs to be.
I would try to find a comfy pet carrier you can take with you on trips, see if someone where you’re staying for that 3 weeks can help you get a cage and stuff for that time away? That way you can take him with you.
Don’t give up on him, Rosie is not a snuggler at all and I wish she was, but her bunny love is the best and she shows it to us in her own way.

[beijingthebun]

Beijing is truly one of a kind and I was really excited to form a bond with him. However here is my problem- I had anticipated a quicker bond, and now that we are not even close and I will have to give him to boarding for 5 days in 3 weeks. and then i have to give him up again for 3 weeks in December. I am afraid the constant movement, especially so soon in our relationship, will cause irreversible damage.

 and as I will be driving cross country back home over summer and relocating homes, I fear I have made the wrong decision. And i fear I will give this bunny a life of stress and discomfort, when he could be in the arms of someone who can take the time it takes initially to welcome the bunny into a stable home.

What do you guys think as far as the constant movement in his first year with me? I am sure it will settle down after summer, however I have heard stories of people who had very loving relationships with their bunnies, however found them to be very distant after returning from a trip. Therefore I fear my bun will never grow to love me

 

as for our bonding, I “play dead” quite often with his cage door open,  sometimes i try to lure him out with a trail of treats. I try to sit by his cage daily reading or doing homework, ignoring him to see if he will come out and yet he never does. I want this bun to have a lovely life. I think I have bitten off more than i can chew.

[So Fluffy Bunny]

is there any way that you can take him with you, meaning invest in an x-pen and setup it in your room once you have reached your home. my fiancee and i have taken small trip ( couple of hours with our buns to our nearest bunny vet.) We use a water bottle to make sure that they have water and stuff plenty of hay in the carrier and put a wee pad down on the carrier floor. Our pair cuddles and our newest just flops out in the carriers but they have access to food and hay. Now if the trip was longer, we would stop more than once or twice on trip and give pellets and greens if your bun is big enough to make sure that their little systems are still moving along well.

Honestly, having a bun who is less quick to bond to you is okay, I am still bonding with Tanis ( our rescue bunny) and it has been five months for it. It honestly takes time and patience but the reward is worth it. Have you tried to see if Beijing will eat your hands, even if it is a piece of hay?

[kmurphy]

I just wanted to let you know that I have a similar situation as you. I got a bunny during my second year in college. He refused to let anyone pet him for the first 4-5 months we had him. But we grew to appreciate his quirky behavior and great personality. He sounds similar to Beijing because he is also shy and Kraken (my bunny) is scared of loud noises. It really just takes time for them to warm up to you and some bunnies take extra time. For breaks at school there seem to be a lot of people willing to look after Kraken during a short break (maybe like the 5 days you are gone). I don’t think it will affect your bond to much as long as the people know not to pick him up if that scares him etc. This might help him get used to people in general. He won’t see them as threatening. And with my experience that has only made our bond even stronger. For summer break, I took him home with me(8 hour drive) and although he was a little stress he settled in fine within a day or two.

Again this is just my experience with having a bunny at college. I hope it helps! Let me know if you have anymore questions

[beijingthebun]

i am glad to let you all know that I found Beijing a lovely new home today with a big patch of a grass and a new girlfriend

it was very hard for my to give up my little guy. I am still considering driving back to pick him up and (not) hold him in my arms however I found this girl who was looking for a friend for her bunny, about the same age as Beijing. She does not go to school or work, and she’s had bunnies all her life, therefore I felt that he will definitely have a happier and more loving life with her

she is able to give him the tender care and attention he deserves.

she told me she was going to change his name… thats when I really lost it.. but i figured I made two bunnies happy, and atleast now i can go visit Beijing whenever I’d like.

Now for this void in my heart…………

[Author]

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