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Dill is unhappy.

willowholly

willowholly

Mama Doe
I thought we were getting somewhere with Dill,well we are in the fact that he is safe free range now but he really doesn't seem happy here.We seem to be going backwards with our bond.He spends most of his time stamping & hiding behind things & just runs a mile if we enter room.I love him so much but do you think he would be better off somewhere where he can go outside as he got so excited when we took him to my mother in laws in the summer.The thought of him living elsewhere makes me feel sick in my stomach,especially as we have over come so many hurdles but I want him to be happy & im not sure he is as a houserabbit.
This is where he spends much of the time
061220091296.jpg

This is where B spends most of her time
061220091287.jpg

Notice the difference?:(
 
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Sorry cant offer any advise but you seem like such a caring owner and he has a wonderful home. Being a bunny owner can be such a worry if we are doing the right thing by them but we can only do our best.

Hope everything works out, sending happy bunny vibes for you and the gorgeous Dill:wave:
 
Poor little boy. I think that there are some buns that just don't DO being inside....what to do....I can't say! You love him very much, which makes it hard. If you honestly think that he isn't happy is there anything you could do to help?
 
Teddy's_mummy said:
Poor little boy. I think that there are some buns that just don't DO being inside....what to do....I can't say! You love him very much, which makes it hard. If you honestly think that he isn't happy is there anything you could do to help?
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We dont have a garden,in the summer we took them to my late mother in laws garden whilst we did the gardening.We took them twice & whilst Dill was binkying up & down run,B sat there shivvering the 2nd time we went.Shes always been a housebun & the great outdoors doesn't seem to appeal to her.We didn't take them again for that reason & now we cant take them again as we no longer have the house.Im hoping hes just got the winter blues & will snap out of it but ever since we took him outside in the summer I wondered if being a housebunny was for him.He is 19 months old & we have had him 9 months so he has been a housebunny almost as long as he was an outside bun so hopefully he will settle again.Dont want to think im depriving him of a better life:(
 
willowholly said:
We dont have a garden,in the summer we took them to my late mother in laws garden whilst we did the gardening.We took them twice & whilst Dill was binkying up & down run,B sat there shivvering the 2nd time we went.Shes always been a housebun & the great outdoors doesn't seem to appeal to her.We didn't take them again for that reason & now we cant take them again as we no longer have the house.Im hoping hes just got the winter blues & will snap out of it but ever since we took him outside in the summer I wondered if being a housebunny was for him.He is 19 months old & we have had him 9 months so he has been a housebunny almost as long as he was an outside bun so hopefully he will settle again.Dont want to think im depriving him of a better life:(
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I hope he settles down. He has B!! And they love each other....so he can't be UNhappy!
 
Do you know what,I think it could be just the noise of the heating spooked him out because just turned it low as an experiment & hes been jumping on carrier & coming to look what im doing whilst I cleaned him out.I do still think he would prefer it outside but he doesn't seem quite as unhappy this last hour.Would he really be happier as an outside bun without B-i dont think so,he loves her.:)
 
im sure he will settle down again...
Just give him some space and time.
try putting treats out in the open for him.. to get him to come out :wave:
 
I think Teddys_mummy is right some bunnies don't settle well indoors and some don't outdoors. My James hates being outside, I'd prefer he have a shed and garden so he can run free all the time but he just hates it. He is totally relaxed indoors and binkies around the house :D

Dill may take a while to settle, i think you should just leave him awhile and see if he comes out of his shell (and hide-y places).
 
Dill seems much better this morning.Dont know if it was the heating or the Yankee Candle,or the xmas decorations which had spooked him over the last few days but hes been playing again this morning & now hes laid full stretch in a very relaxed position,not crouched behind the cage.
I do still think that perhaps he would prefer the outdoor life,but he is only 19months & who knows, we may move to a house with a lovely garden in his life time.For now,he seems more like my cheeky Dill,and im so glad about that.:D
 
I was just wondering if your heating is on? Incase he likes that spot for the warmth? I have 2 rabbits that stay in the conservatory but are free to run in and out of the garden, I know Samba definately prefers outside to in, and Leuki I think just likes both. But because she is in love with Samba, she won't stay in long without going to look for him! My point being I think there bond is just as important, if that makes sense.
 
Kareena said:
I was just wondering if your heating is on? Incase he likes that spot for the warmth? I have 2 rabbits that stay in the conservatory but are free to run in and out of the garden, I know Samba definately prefers outside to in, and Leuki I think just likes both. But because she is in love with Samba, she won't stay in long without going to look for him! My point being I think there bond is just as important, if that makes sense.
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He wasn't after warmth,he had done some almighty stamps before he legged it round there!:lol:Dont know what it was.He hasn't been playing as much for a while but just thought it was him maturing & this hiding was the last straw but he seems back to normal today so guessing it was just a tempery blip!:D
You are right about the bond.They have always had a strong bond,never a cross word.That has got to be a bonus for him.You're right,hes got good food,warmth,clean surroundings,and B,what am I worrying about?:D
 
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Until we blocked off the behind bit of our sofa and units Biscuit preferred to be behind there. I think it is just a 'warren' type thing. Closed in on all sides.

Now she just sprawls out every place. She still does like sitting on the stairs though as it is a little high up and gives a good vantage point.

I think some bunnies are just naturally cautious. Something may have spooked him and he needs a little while to get over it, maybe a fox smell from the garden or something?

Biscuit freaked out over my hooded jumper the one day :roll:
 
Glad hes back to normal..I think it could be the new things in the room
Christmas decs often reflect light and this may take a while for bunnies to get used to..I'm sure he is happy with you and Barley..but nice to know you watch and worry for him so much:D
Give him a noserub from me x
 
willowholly said:
Dill seems much better this morning.Dont know if it was the heating or the ***Yankee Candle,or the xmas decorations which had spooked him over the last few days but hes been playing again this morning & now hes laid full stretch in a very relaxed position,not crouched behind the cage.
I do still think that perhaps he would prefer the outdoor life,but he is only 19months & who knows, we may move to a house with a lovely garden in his life time.For now,he seems more like my cheeky Dill,and im so glad about that.:D
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***Yankee Candles are lovely but, they can be strong, I suppose like strong air freshners it might have upset him with the heating on? Did you have some fresh air coming in aswell? Glad he picked up for you x
 
VickiP said:
***Yankee Candles are lovely but, they can be strong, I suppose like strong air freshners it might have upset him with the heating on? Did you have some fresh air coming in aswell? Glad he picked up for you x
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Thing is I couldn't smell the candle but I guess his nose is more sensitive than mine!
 
honeybunny said:
Glad hes back to normal..I think it could be the new things in the room
Christmas decs often reflect light and this may take a while for bunnies to get used to..I'm sure he is happy with you and Barley..but nice to know you watch and worry for him so much:D
Give him a noserub from me x
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Thanks Jill,I just worry that he's not happy.He's never been one for strokes,that ive come to accept,but hes never been one to be scared of us.I think its like you said,lots of new things in the room which may have scared him but all seems ok now.Him & B are digging merrily in their carrier at mo & dragging out the towel!:lol:
 
Does he have something to sit in like a bunny tent or a cardboard box? One of my buns doesn't seem to like being in the open much, she comes out of her dog crate and goes into her cardboard house, then might cross the room and sit in the cat carrier. She just seems to like small enclosed spaces so I always make sure she has something to sit in - even if its just a cardboard box. I put treats in there for her to find so she knows its ok to go and sit in there.

Also, just picking up on what someone else said about smells. She really hates it when I cook smelly things, she stamps her feet loads. So if there is something farily pungent in the room that might well be upsetting Dill.

Don't give up yet, Dill will get used to the noise and things, thinking about it when Lavender first came to live with us she stamped her feet if the TV was too loud, and she was really scared of the vacuum - now neither of them bother her.
 
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