• 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.

Please help me with my baby Dwarf Lionhead!

Sophieee3

New Kit
I bought a baby dwarf lionhead rabbit three days ago, she's lovely. She lets me pick her up fine, but when I put her down she thumps at me and runs away.
I keep her indoors in a large cage, but I usually leave the cage open so she can have a run around. She has already litter trained herself!
Also, when she walks she bobs her head up and down. Why does she do this?

Is it true that you can't let rabbits and guinea pigs be together?
I have let them both out to run around my bedroom together and they seem to be getting along fine.

I'd appreciate any feedback.

Thank you :)
 
The kicking is her showing her disaproval. I'm not usre about the head boobing sorry.

I wouldn't put the bunny and the piggies together, if she does one of those thumps/kicks with a piggie behind her it could really hurt them.

xxx
 
Do not put rabbits and guinea pigs together. They can pass disease between eachother and the stength in a rabbits legs can injure/kill a guinea pig in a single kick. I've known people who have lost their guinea pigs in this way.

Rabbits tend to not like being picked up, so that's probably why she's thumping at you.

Glad she's already litter trained herself, although when her hormones kick in she may change her mind again! Getting her spayed will keep her friendly and happy :)
 
The bobbing the head up and down is just investigating her territory. Sniffing the air then sniffing the ground... you might have noticed that he nose is going ten to the dozen!

Stamping her foot is just expressing displeasure at being picked up, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. You will need to pick her up over the years to check her nails, bottom, underside etc, so she needs to get used to it. Try stroking her while she is sitting in her cage or eating her food, so she associates your stroking her with a very enjoyable sensation.

Although rabbits and guinea pigs don't seem to have a problem with each other, it is not best to keep them together because each can carry diseases that the other can catch and die from and rabbits can sometimes harm guineas :cry: with their big feet when they're trying to binky. I know it seems contrary to what every petshop seems to say about rabbits and guineas together, but it is genuinely the best advice not to keep them together :wave:

Can we see some pictures of your gorgeous girl?
 
My rabbits bob their heads and walk slowly when they are exploring somewhere new - could it just be because she's in unfamiliar surroundings?
 
Just to add,pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:wave:
(Oh, before i forget,the bunny and GP have different food!! Its a vitamin thing!!)
 
Hello. I'm a relatively new to rabbits myself but I would say that the thumping could just be due to her being a little nervous of being picked up. She's quite young and you've not had her long so it will be a little while before she realises that you're not a threat. I would keep picking her up a little bit at a time so she gets used to it and you can start building up trust. My rabbits bob their heads up and down when they're sniffing new things out or any new areas that they haven't been before so she's just doing this to get used to her surroundings. I'm not sure about the guinea pigs I'm afraid so hopefully someone else should be able help answer that.
 
Years ago when my children were young, we mixed a bunny and a GP......

.....the GP was dead within a few days due to a heavy kick by the bunny :(


Never again.
 
Years ago when my children were young, we mixed a bunny and a GP......

.....the GP was dead within a few days due to a heavy kick by the bunny :(


Never again.

That's very sad. We used to keep a nethie dwarf rabbit with a guinea before we knew any better. I would never do that now of course!
 
Back
Top