New rabbit

choobles

Howdy all!

Myself and my girlfriend got a new rabbit on Sunday. Really cute lil guy and we're happy enough with him except he doesn't really seem to like us that much. I understand that there is gonna be a certain amount of time for him to adjust to us and his new surroundings but just wondering what's the usual? Also he has bitten my girlfriend once or twice (once quite painfully cracked her toenail!), we are just putting this down to he didn't know what he was doing but would neutering help with this?

kylith

I don't have much experience with rabbits, but it's very possible that he's biting because he's somewhere new with people he doesn't know and he's terrified. Did he come from a petshop? It's possible that he's not used to being handled by people at all.

With dogs I find the best thing to do in situations like that is to sit on the floor with some delicious food near you and completely ignore them. They'll come over to eat and then, over time you can start feeding them from your hand, then holding onto it while they eat and gently stroking them. This way they get to know you as a source of food, and trust you to only ever be a source of good things and feelings.

IMO trying to get an animal, of any species, to like you by picking it up or holding onto it when it tries to get away will only stress it and make it less likely to come near you in future.

Good luck with your new bunny.

choobles

kylith wrote: »

I don't have much experience with rabbits, but it's very possible that he's biting because he's somewhere new with people he doesn't know and he's terrified. Did he come from a petshop? It's possible that he's not used to being handled by people at all.

With dogs I find the best thing to do in situations like that is to sit on the floor with some delicious food near you and completely ignore them. They'll come over to eat and then, over time you can start feeding them from your hand, then holding onto it while they eat and gently stroking them. This way they get to know you as a source of food, and trust you to only ever be a source of good things and feelings.

IMO trying to get an animal, of any species, to like you by picking it up or holding onto it when it tries to get away will only stress it and make it less likely to come near you in future.

Good luck with your new bunny.

Thanks for the advice! Have been sitting with him and will try the food next time.

Much appreciated

godtabh

Get down to his level. Lay flat. Let him sniff you and walk around you. Some treats help. He'll take what ever you have and run off with it but he'll come back for more!

After a while begging to pet/brush him. Pick him up

I'll get used to you eventually

choobles

godtabh wrote: »

Get down to his level. Lay flat. Let him sniff you and walk around you. Some treats help. He'll take what ever you have and run off with it but he'll come back for more!

After a while begging to pet/brush him. Pick him up

I'll get used to you eventually

Thanks for your help

Sigma Force

Give it some more time, neutering will help with spraying and aggression but rabbits have strong teeth and will test everything with their teeth so it could be a once off now he knows toes don't taste like carrot.

I would suggest once neutered (and fully vaccinated) that getting him another neutered companion rabbit for company maybe try a rescue where they might allow you to try a few different rabbits to get one to match his personality.

Rabbits can take a while to get used to anywhere new but food is the way to their hearts, plenty of bunny toys as well there are lots of bunny safe toys out there now to help keep their chewy mouths busy.

choobles

Sigma Force wrote: »

Give it some more time, neutering will help with spraying and aggression but rabbits have strong teeth and will test everything with their teeth so it could be a once off now he knows toes don't taste like carrot.

I would suggest once neutered (and fully vaccinated) that getting him another neutered companion rabbit for company maybe try a rescue where they might allow you to try a few different rabbits to get one to match his personality.

Rabbits can take a while to get used to anywhere new but food is the way to their hearts, plenty of bunny toys as well there are lots of bunny safe toys out there now to help keep their chewy mouths busy.

Yeah I think he'll be staying away from feet after the yelp she let out!

Thanks for your advice.

Food and toys as way to their hearts, sounds just like me

Silverfish

I know with mice they take a good bit of time to get used to you, it's all very strange for little furries

You should try get a hay tunnel or willow tunnel for them to chew / hide in, it's good for their teeth as well.

Plenty of patience and time, keep everything very slow and no sudden movements, and bun will come round!

Actually if you're in Dublin, I have a rabbit hay tunnel and a willow tunnel, I bought them for my mouse but never checked the sizes.

yellowcrayon

It can take rabbits quite a while to get used to you.
In the first few days they are very stressed because of the move and trying to adjust to new surroundings.
Im sure the little bunny didnt mean to bite your girlfriend. He probably just got afraid, because he's a prey animal and anything bigger than him may scare him.

But every personality is different; a rabbit may act quiet and timid for the first few days, but after they figure out the house they'll be running around quite a lot.

I have 3 rabbits that took at least 2 weeks to fully settle, and Im just after buying another one today, but he seems to be settling in already.
And as for buying a companion, you have to be very careful, as they will generally fight, so you will have to bond them. You will have to take them on car journeys to basically scare them into comfort each other (it sounds cruel but its recommended by vets).

Just keep giving treats and allow them to come to you, and dont pick them up to rub them, just rub them on the ground, or put them on the couch beside you for a rub, because the majority of rabbits dont like to be picked up.

Ive found another thing that can help is if you give them an old t shirt or somethin belonging to you and put it in their cage. They will use it to sleep on and they'll have your scent all around them, and they'll associate that with being a good thing.

Hope this helped a little.

kimmyt1987

All great advice above,

BUT...

A lot of rabbits really just aren'tthat friendly and really dont like human interaction!
Hopefully with neutering and lots of contact he will come around though

choobles

Thanks everyone for all the advice. Its much appreciated, been sitting with him a lot now and he's been very responsive to that, climbing on me and stuff like that.

Great little companions they are!

lucycat

kimmyt1987 wrote: »

All great advice above,

BUT...

A lot of rabbits really just aren'tthat friendly and really dont like human interaction!
Hopefully with neutering and lots of contact he will come around though

This + 1,000,000! My bunny is really aggressive, I absolutely adore her but she really only likes one of the dogs. She has bitten me countless times, drawn blood on more than one occasion and loves nothing more than to chase the cats around the house! She came from a rescue, so I think she might have been mistreated in the past and that is why she is some kind of mad Terminator rabbit lol! We got her neutered and her personality never changed, so while I hope that your bun calms down a bit I think its no harm to let you know that some of them can be a bit bonkers! Best of luck with him though

godtabh

They are very individual and self driven. If they dont want to be touched they wont. If they do they will. Dont push it and you wont be bitten!

Sigma Force

That's true some rabbits are wild at heart esp. if they haven't had a social start in life but they are also prey animals so are skittish but I don't see why the bun won't come around a little bit at least with some time and TLC.

kimmyt1987

Agreed lucycat....

Have had one of mine years....
He lives indoors in a nice little cage and DETESTS people!
I'd always leave his cage door open so he could go and explore the apartment but he would never budge outside his little safezone! To this day he still lunges at me every time I put my hand near his food bowl to feed him... Bites, scrapes, draws blood and grunts at me! I have to throw a teatowel over him to pick him up to scrub the bottom of his cage and to give him his little health checks! Grumpy little dwarf!