Help needed!!

Hello, I'm Rebecca, myself and my fiance have just bought our first bunnies, Benjamin and Peter, 10 week old dwarf lops, and are looking for some advice, we have a hutch which is currently in the shed, we can't have house rabbits as we also have a dog and I worry that they may not be friends!!! I have been sitting with the bunnies with the hutch door open and trying to socialise them, we have only had them 4 days so understandably they are still nervous, but I don't seem to be making any progress with Peter, Benjamin is getting much better now and lets me stroke him but Peter just hides at the back. Is there anything I can do to speed this process up and am I doing it wrong? Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. I had a rabbit when I was a child but she became wild and I'm worried this will happen again. xx

Welcome to RU.:wave: You need to be patient. You are doing the right thing by sitting with them and letting them come to you. You may try offering some treats, such as dandelions.
By the way, if they are both male, they will start fighting as soon as their hormones kick in. The best thing to do is to visit a vet to give them a check up and vaccinations - rabbits need to be vaccinated against myxomatosis and VHD. The vet will also sex them properly - you'll be surprised how many people have been told by a breeder/pet shop that they have two males and then end up with babies! Bunnies can be castrated at about 3-4 months old, when their testes have dropped.

Thanks very much for your help!! much appreciated!! xx

Can they get out of the hutch easily and romp around the floor around you feet? That the best way to make friends - even better if you get down there with them!!!

They will be needing lots of space anyway so best sacrifice the whole shed right now!!!

Pile straw all over the floor and some cardbpard boxes to play in and they will soon be bumping into you and playing over you.

If you post a thread asking for shed images you will get some ideas!!

PS and don't forget the vet visit! Myxi is very very bad this year and a shed will attract mozzies (who carry it) out of the cold.

Ooh, thats a great idea, thank you!! I'll let you know how it goes!!

Welcome to RU:wave:

Good luck with your bunnies!

Hello all

I'm David, I am Rebecca's fiance

Just though I would say hi and thank you all for the great advice we have received so far.

I have been mainly visiting our buns in their new home today, and they are getting more and more confident, but still a little skittish.

But both will comfortably eat out of my hands today, which is good progress!

Here is a link to our photo thread if you would like to see our gorgeous buns!!

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=201192

David
:wave:

Hiya:wave:

Hiya David and rebecca :wave:

Welcome to RU. look forward to seeing how you get on with your gorgeous buns, ive learnt sooooo much since joining this forum

:wave:Hello Rebecca and David, I am quite new too - have learnt loads too just wish I found it ages ago...

Lol sorry see you can tell I am new -getting mixed up- you posted on my intro page I think dohhhh:lol:

Hello and welcome!!

Pics are always welcome in the photo thread

Here is a how to ... http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=136183