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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

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 New Bunny Parent

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    • Emjayy_96
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        Hello, so I recently inherited a bunny from one of my hairdresser’s clients who happened to bring her 4 bunnies to the shop. She was giving them away because she admitted she hadn’t been the best mom and couldnt do it anymore. I had been wanting a bunny for years and took the opportunity as I saw it. I picked out what she fescribed as the “sweet bunny” and when I picked him up he was so calm and seemed to enjoy being held. I was so happy and soon after took Chewie home. Its been two days since I brought him home and I have been experiencing what seems to be “odd” behavior. For one, he has no interest in playing at all. This was a big concern for me because I had made him toys and even bought him a couple to put treats in. He hasnt touched them and i have given him a couple treats which he hasnt eaten either. He is eating normal food and drinking water but he just seems… depressed. Also, when I take him out of his cage, he lets me hold him until we get to the play pen, but when Its time to go back to the cage, he fights me and runs away and then sits in the corner scared for 30 minutes.. I think he hates me and it makes me so sad.. what do I do?


      • Dface
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          He doesn’t hate you, he’s scared. Rabbits are shy and you are a stranger, this is a new place for him, he needs time to settle in.
          If he’s not used to treats be may not even know what they are.

          Picking him up is probably something you should stop doing, as most rabbits actually hate it..
          Give him time and be patient


        • Boston's Mama
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            Some tips :
            1: Join his playpen to his cage so you can just open his cage door and allow him to come and go to playpen rather than picking him up ( as mentioned above most rabbits hate being picked up as they are prey animals )
            2: when you need to pop him in his cage closed ie when you go to work or can’t supervise , use his pellets to get him in or a thumb nail slice of apple or carrot
            3: don’t stress about the toys thing – mine rarely played toys in the beginning – and some never grow to like toys. He’s still setting – he’s only been with you two days when he has had time to trust you ( which you have to earn by not picking him up , laying on the floor with him , keeping things stress free so he sees you aren’t a threat ) he will come out of his shell


          • CottonBall
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              Sounds just like CottonBall butin her case I have to pick her up for grooming. Congratulations on Chewie!


            • joea64
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                I’m a pretty new bunny parent myself – today is my 1-week anniversary, in fact! Panda and Fernando are still getting settled in properly, I think, though they’re not as shy as your Chewie (we shall have to introduce you to @Q8bunny, whose own Chewie is something of a local legend in these parts ) I believe they’re getting less stressed day by day, and they’re already allowing me to pet them and even grooming me in return every so often though Panda is still rather coy and standoffish; but then again, yesterday she astonished me with her first binky, so I’m doing something right!

                Don’t overdo it on the treats – too much sugar isn’t any better for buns than it is for humans. That being said, I agree with BM’s suggestion – you could try using a few strands of fresh hay, which often works with Panda and Fernando. Speaking of hay, make sure that it’s the foundation of Chewie’s diet – 75% to 80% minimum. I refill my buns’ litterbox and hay rack twice daily, in the morning and evening. Supplement this with plenty of fresh water. If he’s not already eating vegetables, you should try introducing him to them, but do it slowly; rabbits have sensitive and complex digestive systems and it’s easy for them to get upset if they’re introduced to new foods too fast.

                I haven’t picked up either of my buns since they’ve come to live with me, though over the past few days I did have to gently put hands on both of them, especially Fernando, who’s a little escape-artist scamp, to coax them back into their bunny condo when they tried to give me the slip (actually, I think they were showing their displeasure over their breakfast being late; bunnies are the original creatures of habit). Don’t try to force petting on Chewie, but if it looks like he wants attention, offer to pet him gently on his forehead; he’ll shy away at first but as his trust builds he’ll start to allow you to do it. Talking to him frequently will pay dividends; rabbits, as I mentioned, love attention from their humans, and Panda, who is still reluctant to be petted for long, loves me to talk to her.


              • CottonBall
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                  oh too funny…lots of new bunny parents this week. Congratulations on your new baby.


                • Mikey
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                    As the others stated, hes still very new. Rabbits can take a few days to a few months to feel comfortable enough to play in a new home! It sounds like he doesnt fully trust you yet and isnt yet comfortable in his new home. Avoid handling him for a few days, and see how that goes. You also might not be feeding him treats he likes; try different greens and only once or twice a day.

                    My Blue took about a week or two to get settled in. He would stay in his cage under his hidey spot. He would keep his head out sometimes to look around, but then hide again soon after. He slowly started to warm up and would venture outside of the cage for a few minutes, then run back in and hide. I would often leave his cage open, then lay next to it and talk to him softly, if he allowed, I would also pet him. I would say, within a month, he felt comfortable enough to roam around, accept treats, allow grooming, ect. I used the same process with my other two as well. My Bombur took almost a year to fully trust and feel comfortable in our home. My Badger took only a few days.

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                Forum BEHAVIOR New Bunny Parent