I have just taken in a new foster bunny. She is very nervous and hasnt been handled much at all. I let her settle in to her new surroundings yesterday but when I put her food in the hutch she lunged at me which the rescue told me she did. Has anyone managed to stop this behaviour? Or do I just keep on doing my normal thing of getting her used to me and spending time around her without any pressure.
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Going for me whilst in hutch
- Thread starter molly35
- Start date
:wave: there will be more experienced peeps than me along shortly, but it could be nervousness, territorial behaviour (is she spayed?) etc.
i have a grumpy doe who does this in the hutch but is less grumpy outside.
She could be trying you out.................or she might just need more time.
good luck
i have a grumpy doe who does this in the hutch but is less grumpy outside.
She could be trying you out.................or she might just need more time.
good luck
prettylupin
Wise Old Thumper
Is she spayed first off?
Territorial aggression over food/food bowl is very common in rabbits, for a prey species highly nutritious food is very much worth defending and being dominant over in order to obtain it quickly and see off rivals. I suspect she associates you and attacks you not so much due to 'you yourself' but to the association she has made with you as the food bringer - esp if this centres around food. This is a learned behaviour/response and you will need to find a way around it to break it. You can either use distraction techniques - scatter the food around rather than feed it in a bowl, or better still avoid the behaviour altogether. Put her food in her bowl when she is not in the hutch at all - can be used to encourage her to come back to her hutch after she has been out and running about.
Territorial aggression over food/food bowl is very common in rabbits, for a prey species highly nutritious food is very much worth defending and being dominant over in order to obtain it quickly and see off rivals. I suspect she associates you and attacks you not so much due to 'you yourself' but to the association she has made with you as the food bringer - esp if this centres around food. This is a learned behaviour/response and you will need to find a way around it to break it. You can either use distraction techniques - scatter the food around rather than feed it in a bowl, or better still avoid the behaviour altogether. Put her food in her bowl when she is not in the hutch at all - can be used to encourage her to come back to her hutch after she has been out and running about.
Petra (my previous bunny) was very territorial and would often attack and draw blood if we tried to clean the hutch. Spaying helped a bit, but what solved the problem once and for all was giving her a larger area of her own, that she had permanent access too, ie the garage. Although she wasn't keen on us (or the cat) going in the garage she'd put up with it. My mum was far less frightened of her then than she had been previously.
My current lass, Peach, was a rescue, probably badly treated previously and thus had (has) some behaviour issues. When I got her I was told she'd nipi when I picked her up, which she did at first, but she soon learnt that nothing bad was going to come out of it and stopped. She's the most loving bun, but that's only really emerged after her receiving lots of love from me first.
As Pretty Lupin said, it might be best if you can put food in whilst she's not there. But also, could you feed her greens and stuff through the wire so that you're not close enough to be a threat, but so that hopefully she'll learn that she gets food from you? After a while try her on Armitage milk drops, which all my buns have loved: if you can get her taking them gently off your finger I suspect that'd be an achievement!
Good luck with it, and keep us informed of thing.
M
My current lass, Peach, was a rescue, probably badly treated previously and thus had (has) some behaviour issues. When I got her I was told she'd nipi when I picked her up, which she did at first, but she soon learnt that nothing bad was going to come out of it and stopped. She's the most loving bun, but that's only really emerged after her receiving lots of love from me first.
As Pretty Lupin said, it might be best if you can put food in whilst she's not there. But also, could you feed her greens and stuff through the wire so that you're not close enough to be a threat, but so that hopefully she'll learn that she gets food from you? After a while try her on Armitage milk drops, which all my buns have loved: if you can get her taking them gently off your finger I suspect that'd be an achievement!
Good luck with it, and keep us informed of thing.
M
Well I'd put cookie into the garden run yesterday but couldn't manage to coax her into the carrier to take her back to the huch so I got into the run and now have 2 lovely bites for my efforts. So today I have left her in her hutch/run and just been out to talk to her and give her some greens (through the bars) and I imagine thats how its gonna go for a while. The rescue have said I could try her with rescue remedy - it would never have crossed my mind to use it on a rabbit.
marmitesmum
Warren Scout
The only reason my bunny was available to bring home from where I got him was because he'd started to develop a 'bad' attitude, and they couldn't take the chance of breeding him and mix that into a show rabbit strain. When I went to see him he was very grumpy at people even standing near his hutch, however, when it was my turn to pick him up I put the back of my hand to where the hutch door had been, he initially grunted but then curiously came to sniff my hand and let me pick him up.
I can't say he's the perfect rabbit, he still has an attitude problem occassionally, but this is just him being territorial to other people besides myself, he's is hwoever really good with kids.
I think the best approach would be softly and slowly. Your bun won't necessarily stop being grumpy over night, and may always have a grumpy side, but they learn in the long run, as long as things like food are not associated with anything bad.
As for coaxing, have you tried putting some different food or treat in the carrier and walking away? My rabbits have all been fortunate to be able to have all of the garden to play on all of the time, however, sometimes when it's bedtime they like to stay out instead of coming to the shed when they're called, I've found if I go back inside for 10 minutes their curiousity, or even hunger, get's the better of them in the end. :wave:
I've had rabbits for over 8 years and I still have to remind myself that they are prey animals, anyone who know's the characters of rabbits knows they can be very cheeky, clever and outgoing when they're happy and comfortable, it can just take time and effort to get there sometimes. You'll get there
I used the Bachs rescue remedy when introducing two of my rabbits to eachother, and I use it on bonfire night, I couldn't say for certain that it works, but it would seem that way. There's also a remedy called Serene that you can get from Pets at Home that also seemed to take the edge off until they learn that you're not going to hurt them.
I can't say he's the perfect rabbit, he still has an attitude problem occassionally, but this is just him being territorial to other people besides myself, he's is hwoever really good with kids.
I think the best approach would be softly and slowly. Your bun won't necessarily stop being grumpy over night, and may always have a grumpy side, but they learn in the long run, as long as things like food are not associated with anything bad.
As for coaxing, have you tried putting some different food or treat in the carrier and walking away? My rabbits have all been fortunate to be able to have all of the garden to play on all of the time, however, sometimes when it's bedtime they like to stay out instead of coming to the shed when they're called, I've found if I go back inside for 10 minutes their curiousity, or even hunger, get's the better of them in the end. :wave:
I've had rabbits for over 8 years and I still have to remind myself that they are prey animals, anyone who know's the characters of rabbits knows they can be very cheeky, clever and outgoing when they're happy and comfortable, it can just take time and effort to get there sometimes. You'll get there
I used the Bachs rescue remedy when introducing two of my rabbits to eachother, and I use it on bonfire night, I couldn't say for certain that it works, but it would seem that way. There's also a remedy called Serene that you can get from Pets at Home that also seemed to take the edge off until they learn that you're not going to hurt them.
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Have never thought of Bachs but may get some for when I next bring Peach in to meet Tilly, my new kitten.
How much would you use?
As for Cookie, you're just bringing back memories of Petra. She never liked being caught from the run. And as for enticing Peach into a carrier.....if only. Then again she only gets put in it for vet visits, so you can't blame her really.
Good luck,
M
How much would you use?
As for Cookie, you're just bringing back memories of Petra. She never liked being caught from the run. And as for enticing Peach into a carrier.....if only. Then again she only gets put in it for vet visits, so you can't blame her really.
Good luck,
M
marmitesmum
Warren Scout
I think the instructions for humans is about 4 drops in water and drink at intervals or put directly on the tongue. I did consider reducing the amount because of the size of rabbits in comparison, but considering how much water rabbits do drink, which in our case isn't much I added 4 drops to their water dish. I've heard of people using them for dogs too. They're all natural so perfect for our little veggie pals!
