shy bunnies

Went to visit a rescue today, so many bunnies! I saw a bonded nethie/polish/something else cross pair, grey and white, really cute, been at the rescue too long! They're only about 2 years old now and were dumped in a box. Perfectly healthy but timid. We couldn't really get near them, they had a very large run so knew all the best hiding places. They would warm up with routine, but how do you cope with timid bunnies?

It would just be me and my boyfriend, no kids, and I wouldn't pester them for cuddles they didn't want (like a child would!).

I'm going back to the rescue soon, a bit later when its less busy, and visit everyone again anyway. There was another less shy option, an agouti lionhead/white with blue eyes nethie cross pair also.

There's and article on my website (link in my sig) called 'Bonding with your bunny' which should give you lots of hints and tips. I brought a full wildie round with that, so its completely possible. They just need to learn they can trust you.

thanks for that Sky!

will need to teach the boyfriend that they can't be cuddled instantly! he's already frustrated that I keep getting fish for my tanks that hide 90% of the time...

My Buttercup was sooo shy when I first got him, but he's a right cheeky bunster now!

He liked me to just sit in the run with him so he could sniff me and explore me and learn to trust me.

He's recently decided he likes nose rubs, and is now bold enough to take a pellet from me like the other boys, which is lovely. It's taken nearly a year, with one small step at a time, but it's so worth it

I have a very shy bunny - its just the way he is, but he is getting better. Now that I have the playhouse and large area in the garden to sit in with the bunnies I find he does come up to me and does eat out of my hand... he does dash off if I try to stroke him sometimes - I just have to be careful.

He was a rescue bunny so dont know what life he had before so will never blame him for not being too friendly... I just enjoy him from a bit further away than the other bunnies.

catxx said:

thanks for that Sky!

will need to teach the boyfriend that they can't be cuddled instantly! he's already frustrated that I keep getting fish for my tanks that hide 90% of the time...

Click to expand...

Maybe if he can understand a bit more about why the bunnies are as they are it might help him be patient. They won't ever trust him unless he is patient and calm though.

teaching him to be patient is easier said than done haha. he won't do anything rash, just grump a bit! I can just send him back to his ps3.

:lol: Sounds about right, but if he gets frustrated around the bunnies they will pick up on that and act accordingly towards him, so if he genuinely wants them to trust them, he will really need to work for it. Maybe it might be good for him