• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

end of my tether now

elaine

Mama Doe
As most of you will remmeber a few wks ago I took in 18neglected rabbits who all have really bad behaviour mainly in the sense they have never had any attention and were only used for breeding, well I was hoping given time they would improve but they arn't you go near the cage or near them and they throw themselves round so much to the sense they have had to be put in small cages to stop them breaking their necks, This has stopped them thrashing about wildly like they were but they are totally un handleable, As you can imagine with 18 with the same behaviour it is impossible I really don't know what to do with these mental animals,

things I have tried

1) tried to get them experienced homes but no one is willing to take on a totally mental rabbit

2) tried for foster homes, even this isn't happening due again to behaviour

3) tried just standing talking to them they run round frantically and only settle when you move away


Any ideas

Elaine
 
are any of them giants? I might be able to get you a contact who takes in very badly behaved giants and gives then 'behavioural therapy'. As you might imagine he sees a lot of bad ex-breeders buns (apologies to good breeders out there).


PM me if there are any and I will see if I can get his contact details again (I lost them so it means going via my vet again).
 
Do you think he would consider sessions with a not so 'giant size' bun... but whose bad behaviour is getting more 'giant size' by the day? :(
 
Have you heard about the tellington touch. I have a book on it but have never been taught how to do it properly. I used it on a bunny with severe neurological problems, he was difficult to handle but use to fall asleep on me dribbling when i tried this on him.

Obviously this would take some considerable time with 18, but I've heard it can work wonders.

I have the time but am a long way away :cry:
 
:( I wouldnt have a problem taking on a bun like this but am not close enough :(

I guess its just going to take a lot of time, which will be so hard with 18 :( All I can suggest is spending time with them individually, ive no experience with this though so im probably wrong :oops: I think I would just completely wrap myself up so they cant attack and sit on the floor with them until they get used to people, are they actually aggressive towards you or is it just the charging about? x
 
I am so sorry to hear these poor little creatures are still suffering from their previous experiences.

Have you thought about trying Bach Rescue Remedy (or which ever flower essence is better recommended for nervousness) in their drinking water.

Or how about leaving a radio on where they are housed to accustom them to human noise.

I am about to finish work in a couple of weeks and have no new job to go to as yet. As such I will have time to spend with them or maybe foster one or a pair if needed. I need to sort out the re-housing of our three over Easter and then if I am able to help I will do so.

Vanessa xx
 
Poor bunnies. What about looking for experienced fosterers who could take some on and work with them. It will be hard to cope with 18 and your other rescues. Maybe some other rescues could help and take a couple to work with.
 
Have you got an old jumper, wear it for a couple of days so it totally soaked with your scent. Pop it in the hutch/cage etc and they will be inquisitive, probably poop and pee on it etc but they will get used to your scent. Keep doing it and over time they should feel calmer when you approach them.

We do this with really nervous or skittish buns we have boarding that are not used to being handled and usually within a couple of days they are at a point where you can just scratch the top of their heads whilst they are eating.
 
Elaine are they all near each other? if so they will set each other off..
pairing them up with a confident bun will help...and then just time and tlc
 
i would love to take some of them on as i take on behavour challeged ferrets and have always managed to tame them and hand them back to thier owners happy and relaxed not sure wat it is that i do but it seems to work with them!
had a few nasty buns but have them eating out my hand, having strokes and cuddles with not even a grunt:D but im really far from you and im not sure how you would feel about me fostering them as i am a breeder:roll: :cry:
 
I've not much to add but just wanted to say I've heard Bach Flower Remedies esp Rescue Remedy can be very effective for buns too.
Hope you can find a solution for them. Poor things x
 
Hi, I don't have anything new to say, except that I agree with HoneyBunny's post - if you can pair them up with confident rabbits, I think that would help a lot. And if they can see/hear/smell the fear of other bunnies bouncing off the walls, that will reinforce their own fear. I can see that separating 18 rabbits so that they cannot see or hear or smell each other would be very difficult though.
 
Back
Top