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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 Changing Behavior

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    • Danikix
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        So here goes, from the beginning.
        I have a black female holland lop, her name is Boostella. We got her in August 2015, she was about 8 weeks old when we got her from a breeder / lady with Show rabbits (the family we got her from seems to take very good car of their rabbits and do not breed often). Everything was great. She got litter trained, was in a cage when my boyfriend and I weren’t home. Whenever we were home and awake she would have lots of room to run. She used to run like crazy and binky all the time. She used to cuddle up on the bed with me and even lay and watch TV, let me take pics of her and pet her all the time. We then got her spayed and everything was great still. We were told since they are social animals and with us working a decent amount of time that we should get another bunny for her to bond with.

        We went to a rescue place and got a tan & white male holland lop in May 2016, his name is Summit. he was almost 2 years old and was originally rescued from a breeder who basically didn’t give a crap about them. Had small cages, barely food or water, and even tattooed their names in their ears. He was very skittish in the beginning and I expected that. But it’s now been 6 months. (He is neutered now) Him and Boostella are bonded great, they are almost always next to each other. He lets me pet him sometimes, but never let’s my boyfriend pet him. He runs everytime my boyfriend comes home from work, and sometimes when I come in the room too. They are both no longer caged and have full range of our apartment. We hoped he’d be less scared by now with us but not much has changed except that he takes treats from my hand but won’t with my boyfriend. Boostella would let my boyfriend pet her and give her treats.

        It seems though that the last 2 months Boostella now wants nothing to do with us. She barely lets my boyfriend touch her, she now runs sometimes too. PLUS lately I don’t know which one it is but they are kicking half their litter out of the box no matter now clean and fresh it is. It seems like Summits traits are rubbing off on Boostella. The rescue place said Summit is welcome back and we can trade him for another bunny who is less skittish & might work well with us and how boostella used to be. I don’t want to give summit up cause I do love him. Even just thinking about that makes me upset. Does anyone have any idea what’s going on? How can I get summit to not be so scared of us? How can I get boostella back to her old ways?

        They have a great home with loving parents but we don’t know what else to do. We’ve done all we can personally think of. I even come home on my lunch break sometimes from work and just sit and eat in the living room (their main area) even if I don’t speak or touch them, just so they comfortable with my presence. PLEASE HELP!


      • Dface
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          I havent experienced this in rabbits but I’ve seen it in other animals. Once they have a same species companion they like it better than their human (reasonable and actually much healthier for an animal)
          But it sounds like you didn’t get him domesticated fully at the start, and with being free run and a best friend, he has never learned that you guys are not a threat, and runs away. Nothing bad happens when he runs away so he trusts it is the right course of action(something bad may happen if he doesnt run away kind of logic).
          Your original rabbit listens to his warnign to run because of instinct.
          I cant say I think bringing him back is a good idea if they are bonded.. Separating them will just cause stress to them

          Essentially, your rabbits appear to have lost an element of domesticity. Restricting their area so that they have less room to be away from you may help desensitize him to you moving around- set up an xpen, with a hidey place for them to still hide. Get them used to hands and food and you all being around at the same time(association with positive things, then expand their area back out slowly,

          I’ve never used this with rabbits, but it works well with dogs and feral cats. We used to term it ‘breaking’.
          I always hated doing it with cats. Essentially you force the animal into accepting you.


        • Chuck
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            Bunny not lovable after being spayed


          • Danikix
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              She was still loveable after being spayed.
              It all started slowly once we got summit.


            • Danikix
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                Only thing I’m nervous about is if I put Summit in a cage he will be even more freaked out cause a cage is what his first owners kept him in. But I guess it’s worth a shot. Do you think 2 separate cages or one larger one for both of them?


              • Dface
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                  Xpens arent too similar to wire cages and they can be made to be be really lovely.
                  In regards to him being freaked, he’s already living in a house with 2 creatures he in no way trusts, which i probably equally stressful.
                  Try to keep them together as they are bonded.But do keep an eye out for tension between them


                • Danikix
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                    Sorry took me forever to log in I forgot my password. I don’t think anyone is really understanding what I mean. BOOSTELLA isn’t being lovable to ME anymore, ever since we got SUMMIT. I am trying to figure out how to get her to be loveable to me again. Her and Summit are fine. I’m trying to figure out ME and BOOSTELLAS relationship and why she isn’t the way she used to be


                  • sarahthegemini
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                      Posted By Danikix on 1/21/2017 8:13 AM

                      Sorry took me forever to log in I forgot my password. I don’t think anyone is really understanding what I mean. BOOSTELLA isn’t being lovable to ME anymore, ever since we got SUMMIT. I am trying to figure out how to get her to be loveable to me again. Her and Summit are fine. I’m trying to figure out ME and BOOSTELLAS relationship and why she isn’t the way she used to be

                      Then why mention the idea of taking Summit back to the shelter? 

                      You need to get them both to associate you with positive things again, I.e. treats. It’s possible that Boostella has ‘forgotten’ and needs reminding! 

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                  Forum BEHAVIOR Changing Behavior