Bunny & Cooking Odors

[DesertBunny]

I posted here before about my new one and his sensitivity in getting used to his new home. He’s located in my kitchen. A nice big room with tile floors. Where I have kept all my bunnies since the first.

It’s taken me a while to narrow it down. I thought it was new sounds (and some of it might be) but the biggest problem is I think he’s terrified of cooking odors.

This has happened several times and it’s playing out again right now.

This morning I cleaned his area and the birds (they share the kitchen), used the vacuum cleaner (didn’t bother the bunny), then went to microwave a Hot Pocket breakfast.  Everything was okay until AFTER the cooking was done. 

All of a sudden he freaks out in terror. I tried talking to him but to no avail. I know what a scared bunny looks like and this is him. I lit an incense cone to try and mask the cooking smell but it’s too late. It will have to dissipate on its own. My whole living space is pretty small so hopefully it will be soon.

But what do I do about my bunny? I have no other room for him to live in. And obviously I can’t stop eating.

[sarahthegemini]

This has been a common topic lately! My Peanut is very nervy when we’re cooking. I do think smell is a big contributing factor but the sounds don’t help him either. Opening windows, turning the TV up a little louder, comforting him help to some degree but no full ‘cure’ as of yet so I’ll be following this thread!

[DesertBunny]

Well I walk on eggshells when I am doing anything in the kitchen that might spook him.

I know he doesn’t like the “ding” or chime of the microwave touch-pad or the keypad on the a/c unit but this was totally different. He has had several episodes like this and it has taken me forever to get to the point that I think it is the odor.

I mean he didn’t flinch when I used the vacuum and you know how noisy those are.

I was patting myself on the back thinking I sailed through today with no problems and then he went psycho on me. As I was standing at the kitchen counter with the freshly cooked food.

He is slowly returning to normal now and I was giving him some dandelion greens (his favorite) to make him feel safe. Then I read about the dandelion greens being calcium rich! (I posted elsewhere on that). It seems like for every step I take froward, I am taking two backwards!

[sarahthegemini]

I sometimes feel like I’m walking on eggshells as I’m scared of scaring Peanut so I totally understand. I discovered long ago that even the sound of me getting off the sofa can startle Peanut so I tried having the TV on in the background and it helped. In total silence, even the smallest of noises are amplified but with something constant in the back, little sounds are drowned out.

You could try offering him treats after anything noisy or particularly smelly so that he associates them with good things but that will probably take a while. I’m not sure what else to suggest as I’m in the same boat.

I think dandelion greens are okay to give regularly, I give dried dandelion every day Hopefully someone will confirm tho?

[DesertBunny]

Today was so frustrating because I think I bombed completely. My apologies if I cross reference different threads I have created but it went like this:

We started out sitting in the chair. I held him (hooray!) and gave him head rubs, cheek rubs and neck scratches. I listened to his breathing and it was nice and slow. No huffing and puffing. And he almost melted like wax in my arm. I decided to do at least two of these every day as positive reinforcement.

So far so good. While petting him I noticed some loose fur so I thought a gentle brushing would be in order. He is a very short haired rabbit. The minute I got out the hairbrush it was World War XXIV!!!! He lunged and attacked the hairbrush! If he could see it, the brush was the enemy! I could brush his head and back and even his tummy but when I tried to move to brush his sides….. NO WAY! I finally got it done and for all the effort there were very few hairs in the brush!

I held him again to try and erase any ill feelings. This time he was huffing and puffing. I kept him snuggled close to me until he relaxed.

Then back to the kitchen. I cleaned. Used the vacuum. No problem. Opened the food. No problem (with the tearing boxes and crinkling wrappers).

Put the food in the over. Cooked it. Took it out. Said “Well done” (to myself) because there were no issues and then POW! He goes nuts! As I said, this has happened before and I was puzzled by it until I took out the trash, came back in and could smell the odor.

It took him a long time to settle down. Finally after running around and kicking things all over the place he did. Earlier I noticed his pee was white so I checked online about the pellets and greens and read about dandelions being HIGH in calcium while the HRS says they are LOW in oxalic acid. Isn’t that techno talk for calcium? Or do I have more research to do???

It may be a combination of the (alfalfa) pellets from the shelter AND the dandelion greens. Too much calcium????

I do leave the radio on for him and the birds and it has gotten me into listening to classic music again!

The incense cone wiped out the odor pretty quickly. Now I suppose I’ll read there’s something wrong with incense too!!!!

ARRRGHHH!!!!

[DesertBunny]

Well the incense did not work. I was going to have some nachos and a can of soup (Everyone here will know my whole sad life regime before long) so I lit a cone of incense about three minutes before starting. It didn’t take long before his calm normal bunny demeanor changed to that frightened bunny look. So I doused the incense and soft talked him while getting everything ready. Not as bad as this morning. No total terror. But I am back to square one. Maybe a scented candle? Incense can be pretty overpowering.

[Bam]

I doubt any scent could mask the scent of cooking. Mythbusters tried to mask the scent of a human track from a dog but the dog found the human just fine. Rabbits have an even more acute sense of smell than a dog.

I think he needs to get used to the smell of cooking. Perhaps if you could combine it with sth positive, like treats or pets?

Oxalate is not the same as calcium, it’s an ionic compound with a charge of -2 that can react with calcium ions (charged +2) and form hard, sharp calcium oxalate crystals. That’s why you want to avoid the combination calcium and oxalate.

[DesertBunny]

When he goes into panic mode I am afraid to even move. He stretches way out or huddles down close to the floor. Like he’s ready to leap in an instant. This evening I don’t know if he smelled the incense or saw the smoke. I am burning a scented candle right now and he’s doing fine but I think you are right. It won’t be strong enough to mask the odor.

He turned on a dime when I lit the incense. Earlier today (this morning) I lit a cone to try and cover the smell but he was already in freak-out mode. I might put the incense in another room just in case he’s seeing the smoke. His senses are really sharp. I never had a rabbit do this before.  I also wonder what would have happened if someone less tolerant had adopted him??? Of course maybe they could have kept him in a different room. But unfortunately I can’t do that.

Today was his worst day ever in the month he’s been here yet it started so well with the cuddles in the chair. Then came the battle with the brush (grooming) and then after that the “range wars” (cooking). He’s been in his house all evening which is unusual but I know he’s okay because if a dangle a dandelion green on front of one of his doors he leaps out like a moray eel, grabs it and then he’s gone. 

[Lupin]

I wonder if he could get used to the funny smells? Rabbits can be so afraid of something new or strange.. you hear some rabbits that just refuse to touch carrots or bananas, that only realize these are actually yummy foods after months of trying. My Bill used to be afraid of the sound of the creaky cupboard by his pen but he got used to it after hearing it every day over 2 months.. now he hardly blinks at the sound, when he used to run and go bug-eyed. I felt bad for him at first, but maybe it’s like a cruel to be kind thing. If shielding him from the smells didn’t work, I suggest putting him in a comfortable carrier before cooking and just let him face his fears without hiding lol.. Hopefully he’ll eventually realize that there is nothing to be afraid of.

[DesertBunny]

It’s going to be a long road with this little one. He sure did an about change from the adoption day at the Shelter to coming home. When we first met, he acted like we were old friends! Then when he arrived at his new home, everything changed. My Vet thinks that my new bunny has not had any socialization with other rabbits. Not knowing the depth of his history, I can’t comment there.

We’ve started a mandatory cuddling time twice daily. These can be very challenging. Usually the one in the evening goes better than the one in the morning. This morning’s was not a complete success.But afterwards he was looking for petting!

As for the cooking….. Life has gone on and if it’s not animal based (wow that sounds cruel) food in the microwave, there is no problem. It’s not like I am roasting a cow or anything. He can detect the apparent smell easier than I can find the so-called meat in the few dishes I cook!  (Actually I’m about 85% vegan)

Since spring is finally here I hope I can fire up the a/c and blow some of the odors away. That, and using candles and getting the food out of the kitchen as fast as possible is my next plan. (I mean, I don’t actually get to eat in my kitchen anymore since it’s now a rabbit room).

I talked with the shelter people about confining him to a carrier while cooking but we decided that would be a double trauma. He’s a free roaming bunny now, and confining him PLUS making him smell what terrifies him would be very bad.

And he IS terrified when this happens. The ears go down and he gets down low to the floor like he’s trying to make himself invisible. Pretty scary to see when I’m just standing there and haven’t done anything to provoke this response.

[DesertBunny]

This may end up being a cooking odor journal. I thought we were making some progress until this morning. And maybe I did but it didn’t seem like it at the time. I heated a Pop Tart in the toaster. No animal protein. Just sugars and flour. Things to make my dentist smile.

The next thing I hear is a thump and there he is. In the scared bunny pose. It was actually quite easy to pick him up so I whisked him away to “the chair” in the living room where we snuggled. I could easily tell he was very scared. So he got lots of head pets, cheek ruffles, etc. Placed him back on the floor and he cautiously approached the doorway into the kitchen – long stretched out bunny profile, low to the floor, ears sharply pointed forward.

He wasn’t having any of it! Stayed in the living room and played. Did some hops, etc. Usually things he only does at night. I walked into the kitchen and he stayed behind, looking at me. Wouldn’t cross that threshold …. Went back into the living room and petted him some more. Which we both liked. But I could tell he was still scared.

Picked him up (easily) again and snuggled him close so he could hear my heartbeat and try to understand what this big funny smelling “hoomin” is….

Carried him into the kitchen and gently placed him in front of his house. He again assumed the cautious pose he had before. Looking like there was a cobra hiding in his house. I left him alone and eventually he went inside.

Wow!

NEVER seen a bunny act like this before.

Tomorrow is one of my volunteer work days so I will be away for almost a full day (24 hours) and then the next day will be another attempt at cooking in the microwave. I plan on heating the food and whisking it out of the kitchen as quickly as possible. And maybe the weather will cooperate and warm up a bit so I can fire up the a/c to see if it helps. (Never thought I would be hoping for hot weather in Phoenix!)

[DesertBunny]

Cautious optimism. Today was the “big” day.

In preparation, I turned on the a/c. It’s a big wall mounted unit in the kitchen and it blows straight into the living room. “Fan” setting only. I don’t need to deal with the compressor cycling on and off because it can vibrate the wall.

Lit a scented candle at “ground zero.”

Turned off the radio. The microwave sits right next to it and when operating, there is some static.

Remember this is all detective work.

Cooked item 1. Took it out and RAN out of the room.

Cooked item 2. Same thing.

While eating I peeked in on him and could see his posture had changed. Offered him a dandelion green and he ate it! No running around the room in terror.

As I was in the living and bath room I could really smell the food odor so I lit an incense cone “downwind” from bunny.

His posture quickly changed. Not happy. But no freaking out. Got rid of incense.

Offered more greens. He ate them.

He stayed in his house and did not come out.

Today was much better than previous. I guess it’s off to WalMart to buy a bunch of scented votives. I will try one of those in the living room instead of incense.

Glad it’s spring and not fall or winter. The a/c wouldn’t be viable and I think it helped push the smell away from his area.

Bunny gets an “A-” for his effort!

[Bam]

YOU get an A for effort! A cunning scheme! It really sounds like he’s making progress

[Author]

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