Rant

[Rhein09]

Hi,
I have a rabbit and she is a little bit over a year old.
She is not very trusting.
It took me a long time until I can pick her up without her slipping off my hands. I don’t remember dropped her or picked her up too high when she was a baby.
I can only bond with her through treats. And she is picky with her food too.
She likes me petting her but doesn’t look for one.
She has destroyed a lot of cables and wood panels even though I already being really careful. So I cant have her roam free in my room.
She pee on my bed almost everytime I just change my bed sheets.
Everytime I cooked, her trust level got lowered. Sometimes, she only let me touch her the next day.

Everything was fine until this happened.
Around last month, I bring her to vet because she didn’t want to eat. Couple days later she got really bad diarrhea while I was away on vacation.
She made her petsitter, her vet, and me really stressed.
I thought I finally get to enjoy my long deserved holiday but I have to worry about her and I couldn’t run home right away.
After I came home. I was welcomed by a really thin rabbit and a high pile of her bills. I’m grateful for what my petsitter and vet did to save her but I had to break my last saving.

Things went well but she had another diarrhea again.
And after a quick vet visit, I might knew what is wrong with her stomach and it probably my fault. And for bonus, she have skin disease.
So from now on, she only eats hay and pellets. No more sugar for her. And only 1 vitamin treat per day.
That means, it will be really hard to bond with her and I will have a constantly hungry rabbit.
Also, I have to postpone her spay procedure (so she will be able to get a mate) and her enclosure update.

Thanks for hearing me out.
I know maybe this is normal and I dont have to bark about that.
But still, Im in the lowest phase now. Im regreting having a rabbit.
I don’t quite like cat but I got rabbit who acts like a cocky cat I hate and a destructive rat.
I hope to get affection from my pet but I dont have to walk it twice a day. Now I get cold shoulder from my rabbit and mess she made everyday.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Rhein09 on 7/19/2017 10:36 PM

Hi,
I have a rabbit and she is a little bit over a year old.
She is not very trusting.
It took me a long time until I can pick her up without her slipping off my hands. I don’t remember dropped her or picked her up too high when she was a baby.
I can only bond with her through treats. And she is picky with her food too.
She likes me petting her but doesn’t look for one.
She has destroyed a lot of cables and wood panels even though I already being really careful. So I cant have her roam free in my room.
She pee on my bed almost everytime I just change my bed sheets.
Everytime I cooked, her trust level got lowered. Sometimes, she only let me touch her the next day.

Everything was fine until this happened.
Around last month, I bring her to vet because she didn’t want to eat. Couple days later she got really bad diarrhea while I was away on vacation.
She made her petsitter, her vet, and me really stressed.
I thought I finally get to enjoy my long deserved holiday but I have to worry about her and I couldn’t run home right away.
After I came home. I was welcomed by a really thin rabbit and a high pile of her bills. I’m grateful for what my petsitter and vet did to save her but I had to break my last saving.

Things went well but she had another diarrhea again.
And after a quick vet visit, I might knew what is wrong with her stomach and it probably my fault. And for bonus, she have skin disease.
So from now on, she only eats hay and pellets. No more sugar for her. And only 1 vitamin treat per day.
That means, it will be really hard to bond with her and I will have a constantly hungry rabbit.
Also, I have to postpone her spay procedure (so she will be able to get a mate) and her enclosure update.

Thanks for hearing me out.
I know maybe this is normal and I dont have to bark about that.
But still, Im in the lowest phase now. Im regreting having a rabbit.
I don’t quite like cat but I got rabbit who acts like a cocky cat I hate and a destructive rat.
I hope to get affection from my pet but I dont have to walk it twice a day. Now I get cold shoulder from my rabbit and mess she made everyday.

1) Bunnies do not like being picked up. It is a huge misconception. They are prey animals – they like to be on the ground so they feel safe.

2) She shouldn’t have access to cables. It’s very dangerous for her. You need to make the environment safe for her. Bonus: your things don’t get ruined.

3) Bunnies often like to pee on soft things. 

4) Sounds like she is scared of the sounds and smells associated with cooking. It’s quite common, especially if cooking involves meat.

5) You can’t seriously be mad that she got poorly whilst you were on holiday? 

6) Why was her tummy issues your fault? What were you feeding her?

7) She will not be constantly hungry. Pellets are quite filling and of course she’ll have access to hay 24/7

I understand wanting to rant but it sounds like you have unrealistic expectations. She is a rabbit. If you want a pet that just gives you affection, then you got the wrong animal. If you want a pet that requires little effort needed to care for it, you got the wrong animal. 

[Anna]

I agree with Gemini. It really doesn’t sound like you are enjoying looking after your bun, and she probably senses your frustration. Its true that many people don’t know what to expect from a pet rabbit, so I’m sure you’re not alone, but the important thing is that she gets the care she needs. She’s a rabbit, so you can’t blame her for behaving like one.

If you decide you have made the wrong decision please do take her to a shelter where they can find a new home for her.

[Luna]

As STG said, buns don’t like being picked up. She might trust you more if you stop picking her up, then she won’t think you are going to pick her up when you go near her. Maybe when you cook you could open a window in the kitchen a little to help air out the scent of cooking if she doesn’t like it? Also, buns tend to have better litter habits once they are spayed, so after the procedure it’s possible that she will stop peeing on your bed.

[Deleted User]

I’m a new bun owner and have had my little guys for 2 months. Bombur has been extremely outgoing and affectionate since we brought him home. Now’s he’s comfortable enough for me to lay on the floor and cradle him in my arms (he’s still lying on the floor but his head is on my hand and he rolls into a ball and chatters). Asriel wsa the opposite. He was extremely anxious and everything made him scared, and he was most certainly not one to be pet. Now, Asriel LOVES getting nose rubs and will flop next to me for them, and he’s extremely curious and explores everything. This took TIME and PATIENCE. I get in their x-pen with them from the minute I”m home till the minute I sleep. It’s hard work. No, cleaning after them is exhausting. I work a full time job, and I’m going to grad school full time, and taking care of a husband with severe turrets ON TOP of caring for my boys. They make it worth it all. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

[Deleted User]

ummmmmm I am going to try to come off as nice as possible but there may not be a nice way to put this. It doesn’t seem as though you have prepared yourself to care for the rabbit. You should do some research, there is SO much information online and rabbits can be delightful pets when cared for properly.

1. As everyone else said, don’t pick her up. They hate that. This will cause her to mistrust you.

2. If you were feeding treats excessively just because you wanted to pet her, that’s very irresponsible. Rabbits have very strict nutritional needs, and at least 80% of their diet should be hay. I know some people who give a small fruit treat daily, but I only give fruit as treats 3 days of the week. They should also be getting fresh veggies such as romaine lettuce, spinach, kale, fresh herbs, bell pepper, etc. They really can tolerate a ton of different veggies so do some research, but remember not to give too much greens. I think its about 1 cup of greens per 2lbs of body weight if I’m not mistaken.

3. About your vacation….please don’t resent your rabbit for falling ill while you were away. Especially not if it was your fault because her diet was inadequate. You can take other vacations but you can’t replace a life lost… you make it sound like she inconvenienced you, but you didn’t have to get her and when you did that’s a commitment you made to her. You have to honor the commitment you made, she depends on you for proper care.

4. “A cocky cat I hate and a destructive rat” …… why would you say that? If you hate her, please bring her to a shelter so she can find someone who wants to care for her. There is nothing wrong with your rabbit besides that she is terrified of you and not being cared for properly.

None of these issues are the rabbit’s fault. I think you are going about the situation entirely wrong and unless you make major changes in how you handle her, I don’t see things improving. I truly don’t mean to be mean or nasty, and I’m sorry that the tone of this is very sour, but I am a person that believes humans are absolutely at fault when they improperly care for their pets. She didn’t ask you to bring her home, so you can’t blame her for any behaviors she’s exhibiting, especially in light of how you’re handling her and your attitude toward her.

[Rhein09]

Sorry, I wrote it that way and I sounds so mean to my rabbit.
Thanks for reading this.
I wrote this because I just want to talk about my rabbit since none of my close friend and family ever had one before.
I just want to get this frustration out from my chest.

So let me tell more.

I didn’t resent my rabbit. I just frustrated that I can’t do more and let it happen to my baby rabbit.
And I won’t let her go, atleast not when she is so sick.
I do believe that her life is my responsibility when I picked her.
So If I have to gave up, I want her to be in better home rather stayed in shelter.

Most of the rants is an old things.
I learn as she grew.

I got my rabbit a year ago.
When she was just 2 months old, she used to be ok with me picking her up.
But suddenly everything changed after she turned 6-7 months.
She started peeing and pooping my bed, refusing cuddle, being picky with her food, etc.
I called her rat (her nickname when she is being mischievous) because she loved bitting cables and wood panels. Even though I covered them with thick plastic, she still bited the cover them off!
Sometimes, I also questioning if she is actually a cat because she likes to jump to higher places. My desk is her favourite nap spot. (Because of her, I have my desk free of clutter, and wireless mouse and keyboard)
Most problem are solved by using puppy playpen as her cage, and I let her free roam when I can look after her. That’s the best $100 i ever spent, haha. But I still wish she can have more freedom since I heard it is bad to bring rabbit outside.

I thought I handled her quite good. However the worst thing came unexpectedly.
Around a week before I left for my vacation. She was extremely picky with her food and sometimes didn’t eat her pellets. She was not a big hay eater since the beginning, but she ate hay more than usual (I thought it’s a good sign that she started to eat more hay).
Just in case, I brought her to vet and she got critical care and med.
Couple days before I left, she cleaned her salads and pellets bowl. I thought her health was back so I could go.
However, she got a really bad diarrhea when I was away.
I still feel really guilty to left her until now. And I couldn’t come back right away.
Thank god, the pet sitter and the vet found it quick and saved her.
She had to be hospitalized but she was a better when I came back.
However, she got another diarrhea again.
And at the vet, we found out that she got a skin disease too.
Now, I still have to give her meds but she is way better.
It is just so sad that she can’t eat anything beside pellet and hay.
I really enjoy eating banana, apple, and lettuce with her. I found it is the best thing to do with my rabbit.
And it is my fault for spoiling her with a lot of treats. (Well, atleast the vet found out what is wrong with her)

It has been a stressful month for me.
Im sorry I have to rant.
Im sorry I made you worried.

I did some research before I got her. But I guess it wasn’t enough.

Thanks.

[Q8bunny]

Rhein09, getting frustration out of your system is good – after decompressing we usually think more clearly. The people on this forum were just very concerned because for most of us, our bunnies come first (just like small children) so it’s preferable to surrender to a no-kill shelter for rehoming with someone fully prepared to properly care for a bun.

But since you were obviously just feeling overwhelmed and wish to keep your bun, may I suggest that you click on the Bunny Info tab at the top of this page, and then carefully read/explore all the pages in that section? It might help you improve your bun’s habitat to reduce destructive behaviour and increase safety, and also help you set up a healthier feeding and bonding routine to build up her strength again.

One thing you can do to help you two bond is hand feed her all her recommended servings of pellets and fresh greens/veg/fruit. Let her have her unlimited hay and water on her own, but get her used to eating everything else out of your hand. It will improve the relationship between you two over time, while avoiding picking her up (which is terrifying for most buns).

The key here is patience over time.

[Deleted User]

I apologize if I offended you, I was having a hard time wrapping my head around what was said because I perceived it with a tone of resentment and discontent. We all just want what is best for the bunny, and I may have taken your tone a bit too seriously. I am glad that you clarified some things here. I understand that sometimes our pets can be extremely frustrating. I am going through that with my new bunny now, he just chews up all the baseboards and it’s so frustrating because I rent an apartment so I am going to be responsible to pay for all that damage. But no matter how frustrated we are, we have to take a step back and realize that they just don’t understand. They aren’t doing it to make us mad, most likely they are just bored and looking for something to do. Do you have any toys for her? Is she spayed? Destructive habits like digging and chewing can get better with a spay. If she doesn’t have many toys, try giving her some things for “enrichment”. My buns ignore most store bought toys (which I think is quite common for buns lol) but you can make things at home like cardboard hideouts. I have a treat ball for rabbits so I can adjust the size of the opening. Before work, I take the serving of pellets for the day and put it in the ball with an opening just big enough for the pellets to fall out. This gives them something to do with the day because they want those pellets, so they will push it around all day if that’s what it takes to get the food out! It’s always empty when I come home. I just recently set up a sandbox and my bun loves it! She jumps in and digs around for little things I hide in there and then just flops in the sand. I’m hoping it will keep her occupied and entertained while I am away for the day. Anyway, maybe she is just bored and would benefit from some things like that. I’m glad that you want to stick with her, as Q8 said, time and patience!

[Rosie316]

 First, I totally understand having to rant, my bunny makes me mad all the time also! I just take a deep breath and let us both calm down, usually by putting her in her cage to relax. My bunny has destroyed many of my things also, carpet, wires, shoe boxes, wood. It seems as if no matter how hard you try to keep it away from them they can get it! They’re very smart and and sooo much more capable then people believe. For my wires, I wouldn’t have done plastic because when my bunny wants something, SHE GETS IT. Lol she’s one tough cookie. So instead, I’ve put them on top of her cage where she can’t reach and that seemed to do the trick. Because I know she would’ve chewed the plastic to get to the wire. You have to kind of find tough things and experiment what your bunny will and will not eat. I don’t know your flooring situation, but for my carpet being chewed [edited by FL] My bunny seems to be interested in certain spots. So I put blankets down where she’d chew carpeting and then put 10 and 15 pound weights on the blankets so she couldn’t move the blankets. I had 5 pounds before and she just easily moved it right out of the way. Boy, was that frustrating! It’s seemed to work though! If she’s really interested with chewing still, put newspaper down for her to play with and destroy. For the hay issue and not eating, put hay in her litter pan, so she can chew and use the bathroom. It really helps. I really recommend Oxbow brand hay and pellets, but that can get pricey, especially with the hay. If it’s too costly I definitely recommend the pellets, but you can buy hay from a farmer (big bale) where around me only costs $5! People were telling you to give your bunny to a humane society, but that’s a horrible option! I’m not sure why they think that’s such a great place, but from my experience of volunteering it’s so sad because it stinks, they don’t get out much, and can end up staying there their whole lives. If you can’t stand her, definitely keep her! Never release them in the wild though, so if all else fails and you have no choice but to get rid of her, give her to the humane society or a rabbit rescue. For the holding, most bunnies don’t like to be held which is true, but some do! It’s all with personality, if your bunny doesn’t like it then don’t hold her because that could frighten her. Only hold her when you have to. When you get bunnies as babies you can sometimes teach them to like to be held, but like I said it’s all personality. Your bunny may just be really sensitive to certain foods, maybe experiment with giving her one thing and if she has diarrheal don’t give it to her again. There are oxbow treats/ supplements you can try. For the peeing and pooping in your bed, spaying may or may not help, but lots of times your bed is soft and their litter pans are soft, reminding them of their litter pans. But also, your bed smells like you and that’s their way of marking territory. So she may be marking territory of you. Bunnies do jump and can jump high. But I totally understand your frustration! If someone says they’ve never been frustrated from their bunny they has to be lying, I couldn’t imagine not getting frustrated! They can be sneaky little mischievous animals. But they also can offer love. Mine usually doesn’t ask for pets, not all will. But mine sure loves pets, just per yours often. Mainly experiment with different things and see what works for her.

Hope I helped!

[Bam]

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@Rhein09

I’m sorry your bun has been sick. What skin condition does she have?
It’s not bad for a bunny to live on hay and pellets only. I know how it feels to want to give your bun the yummiest possible things to eat, but right now, treats are not an option. If your bun eats plenty of hay for a couple of months now, her tummy is likely to become more tolerant of the occiasional treat. But right now, the bacteria and other microorganisms a tummy must contain for it to be able to function properly, needs time to be restored. Hay is the best thing for that. You can try handfeeding her hay. You can try different types of hay, like orchard or oat or meadow, to give her variety. You don’t have to introduce a new type of hay slowly.

That your bun tolerated being held when she was young, was because she was young. Babies have to be trusting, because they can’t fend for themselves, they must rely on others for their survival. But nobody stays a baby forever, at around 5-6-7 months of age, a girl bun hits puberty, and everything changes. It can literally happen overnight with a girl bun, more or less like the flipping of a switch. The “teenager” bun is less trusting and needs to be that in order to survive in the world as an adult. It’s really the same with us humans. Human teenagers are often not very cuddly and sweet towards their parents. It is a phase though, and a lot of it goes away as the bun (or human, for that matter) matures. They never go back to being babies though.

[jerseygirl]

This thread is temporarily locked.

ETA: As BunNoob said “But let’s not cloud up Rhein’s post with unrelated subject matter.” 
Some posts will be edited or deleted to get it back on track for Rhein09.  If anyone has grievances about this or past issues on the forum, PLEASE private message a forum leader or send an Alert.

[Author]

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