In need of handling help

[Caroline]

Hello!

This is my first post on BinkyBunny and I’m hoping someone has sage advice for me. I recently adopted a bunny – a little over a week ago – from the shelter. The poor thing was thrown away like garbage at 6-7 weeks old. Because of this, I assume he has some trust issues. I originally had him set up in his own room that I bunny proofed, but quickly realized that the room was WAY to hot. Long story short, I had to move his cage to the living room. He is SUPER energized. I take him into his little room about 2-3 times a day for 15-45 minutes (depending on how quickly he gets too hot) and he just runs and hops and explores – he loves it. The problem is, in order to get him there, I have to pick him up to carry him into the other room. The living room is just not able to be bunny proofed for a number of reasons, so this is the only way he can get out of his cage. 

As most rabbits, he dislikes being picked up. That’s my first problem. I want him to get his exercise but I don’t want to stress him out even more than he already is. My second problem is that while he likes being on my lap (just to explore, he has no interest in cuddling ) he will not sit to have his nails trimmed or to be brushed. He is a lion head – he’s not super furry but he grooms himself a lot, and I don’t want him to get GI issues because of all the hair he’s ingesting. I have bought 3 different kids of brushes: a glove brush, a slicker brush (not sharp points, they’re covered in plastic) and a Furminator. All three he really doesn’t like – he bites the glove and the slicker brush. I got to trim 3/4 of his paws’ nails one day while he was in a bunny burrito, but he will not stay in a bunny burrito anymore so I still have yet to trim that last paw. They were never trimmed before and literally were as sharp as knives. When he doesn’t like something – being held, nails trimmed, brushed – he kicks his feet and basically tosses himself around. I am worried he is going to injure himself, but I am also worried I’m not taking care of him enough!! He is a wonderful rabbit, I just want him to be happy  I am a very overcautious and anxious person when it comes to my pets. I have had rabbits before, but neither of them did this so I don’t know how to help him!

[tobyluv]

Can you attach an x-pen to his cage in the living room, so that he can get his exercise there and not have to be moved?  That still won’t give him as much room as having a whole room to run around in, but that would give him more exercise and you could take him to the other room once a day instead of multiple times.   A rabbit really needs as much out of cage time for exercise and play as possible. Fifteen or so minutes a couple of times a day isn’t much time for exercise.

Most bunnies do dislike being held and carried and you do have to be careful that they don’t struggle and injure themselves. If there isn’t room to set up an x-pen next to the cage, maybe you could transport him in a carrier. The top loading carriers are a lot easier for rabbits. If you have the carrier near him, you could quickly pick him up and put him in and take him to the other room for exercise.

You didn’t say how old he is now, but if he is old enough to eat greens, which are usually slowly started around 12 weeks, you could try feeding him some favorite greens or a little bit of fruit as you try to groom him.

Has he been neutered? If not, and he is old enough to be neutered, that may calm him down a little so that you can more easily clip his nails or pick him up, but even spayed and neutered rabbits are going to resist those things. Some people take their rabbits to a vet for nail trims. There are some rabbit rescues that may offer nail trims too.

[Caroline]

Ugh, I know he doesn’t get enough time out of his cage.. the poor thing just can’t be in there all day.

I do have a little carrier that he goes in for vet trips and when I brought him home – that will definitely work for now. I thought about an xpen but, it’s not as big as the other room and I haven’t been able to find one that’s not so expensive. I also discovered that our long hallway going to the bathroom could work as a more permanent place for him to roam free if I can get my hands on a baby gate. That way I can leave him out for longer and he won’t get as hot. Thank you for the suggestions. I am taking him to the vet for his first appointment this week, and I will possibly talk to them about the nail trimming. This will also be the appointment I find out how old he is and if he can be neutered yet. Thanks again for the wise words!

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