2 rabbits with issues

Hi Everyone, I will introduce myself offically another time but at the moment I need advice.

I have just adopted two 3 year old female (neutered) lops from my local rescue centre called Lolly and Twinkle. They are have been through a lot in their little lives, having been neglected by the children who previously had them. They are really clever, but really hate being held or touched. Which I know is completely understandable when you were cornered and ripped out of you hutch, held badly and then crammed back in your tiny hutch and forgotten. Lolly is much better than Twinkle and will just accept being picked up if you get your hand on her, but Twinkle will just run if you even put your hand near her.

I have given up trying to pick-up or touch either of them for the moment and have started just sitting quietly in their run (Its big) while they are out and about. They have started coming up to me and sniffing me, but dart out the way if I move too much. Lolly has been brave recently and will accept dandelion leaves from me. I cannot find anything to interest Twinkle, so she just comes and inspects me only to run away.

Am I going about this the right way???

I would really appreciate some pointers on gaining trust. I really want to rehabilitate them and eventually bring them in to be house rabbits.

Am I fighting a losing battle?? Is it possible to make a house rabbit out of a hutch rabbit???

You seem to be going about it the right way. Be patient, keep trying calmly, don't expect a rabbit to ever love being held, enjoy them and they may come around!

Sounds like you are doing great - you are obviously sensitive to their feelings, so they are lucky to have found you

And yes, any rabbit can be a house rabbit but I think it will still take time to get used to everything.

sounds like you're doing well. My new bunny is lovely but a little skittish we are now at the point of hand feeding with her paws on my legs and a little stroking on the nose and head. This seems to work especially well with brocolli and bunny basic T pellets (I think they're like bunny marmite, they either love them or hate them). However she will only tolerate a little touching and no stroking on her back (I think she thinks you are about to pick her up).

I think it is possible to turn a scared hutch rabbit into a house rabbit. We have honey in our house, although we didn't let her have the whole run of it to begin with. For the three of 4 days we kept her our "bunny room" where I could sit like you do in the hutch. Once she was a little more used to us we gradually let her have more and more access and she likes to chill out in our living room now which is good. I still like to have an hour or so with her and my other bun in their room to make sure she still has plenty of time with me. I also don't return her to the bunny room at night because I don't want to stress her out by catching. She usually goes back by herself at some point at which point I call other bun and he follows me back. We then have half an hour one on one time if it's not too late.

It is a bit tricky trying to do normal house hold chores like cooking without scaring her, especially as my other bun follows me around and she likes to follow him. I just make sure there are plenty of places like cardboard boxes that she can go and hide in if it gets too much.

its took us over 10 weeks to get Alvin to trust us... i dont try to pick him up but the fella does try it quite often..... its took such a long time and Alvin was never mistreated or neglected, he lived happily with his brothers and sisters before we took him jome at the grand age of 8 weeks...... i cant imagine how much those poor bunnies must hate the human race right now, but i think if you do what your doing right now they will work out your not trying to hurt them and will be very tame with you one day...

totally different animal but possibly more wild in nature - our chipmunks took almost a year to start trusting us and as long as we aint grabbing at them they will run on us and eat food from our hands without running away......

Thanks Everyone.

We had a little break through last night. Lolly ate some food right out my hand and let me touch her ears a little. Twinkle, still thinks hands are scary, but will take dandelions from me through the hutch bars.

ecudc said:

I still like to have an hour or so with her and my other bun in their room to make sure she still has plenty of time with me. I also don't return her to the bunny room at night because I don't want to stress her out by catching. She usually goes back by herself at some point at which point I call other bun and he follows me back. We then have half an hour one on one time if it's not too late.

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Exactly what we do and i've found it to be a very effective way to help them trust you. Even though they're in your home, this quality time is essential, and you'll be rewarded for it. Bertie usually puts on his best binky and jumping displays in his room, and seems happiest there. He sits with us in the evening, and teases us with our antics to get him to bed. We always sit with him in the morning and at night and it feels special.
I'm so glad Lolly and Twinkle came to you, you sound very caring and considerate