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Beginning to think Rabbit + nearly 3 year old don't mix..

Ssteph_123

Young Bun
Fluffy is a housebun and i'm abit worried that my son is going to scare her to death :( He is always faffing around her cage and when she is out he just doesnt leave her alone.. I am starting to think getting her was a very bad idea..
Do they get used to the loudness of being indoors.. Im teaching him how to pick her up properly as he likes to get her out when I'm not looking.. Starting to feel quite bad now :(
 
Rabbits are no good pets for small children. They don't like to be picked up, and they don't like the noise. I had rabbits before my children were born, but both my boys were quiet and careful around them and did not scare them. If you think your rabbit gets too stressed, then I would consider getting a secure outdoor accomodation and a partner for her. And you must teach your son to be careful and show respect, he is old enough for that now. :)

Oh, and maybe get a padlock for her cage in the meantime, so that he can't take her out when you are not watching him. Or lock the whole room, if that is possible.
 
I think bun will be ok as long as you show your little boy how to be around her.

Things like: when she's in one of her hidies, it's bedtime and you mustn't wake her up, if she's running it's because she needs her exercise and you musn't get in the way. You could always have a little reward system as well, so when he treats her properly and gently and nicely, he gets to give her a treat and gets a treat himself.

I'm sure members with small people (I don't have any!) will come along and advise, there are quite a few!

:love:
 
Rabbits are no good pets for small children. They don't like to be picked up, and they don't like the noise. I had rabbits before my children were born, but both my boys were quiet and careful around them and did not scare them. If you think your rabbit gets too stressed, then I would consider getting a secure outdoor accomodation and a partner for her. And you must teach your son to be careful and show respect, he is old enough for that now. :)

I agree totally.

We have 2 house buns and a baby....and while 98% of the time they are fine with her...we have had a couple of accidents (involving food) :oops:
Bunnies can cause some real damage to kids and vice versa (ask Rubyted)
Your bun will be much happier if it has a quiet space where your son is not allowed unless supervised (a utiliy room is ideal)

ETA PLEASE don't let him pick her up....buns can be wriggly little blighters and if her dropped her it could have terrible consequences.
 
Tell me about it he seems to be going through a particularly naughty stage at the moment.. He is getting better..
He also starts nursery very soon which I am hoping will help calm him down..
She is kept in the living room so locking him out isnt an option. I was considering a lock on the cage..
 
I agree totally.

We have 2 house buns and a baby....and while 98% of the time they are fine with her...we have had a couple of accidents (involving food) :oops:
Bunnies can cause some real damage to kids and vice versa (ask Rubyted)
Your bun will be much happier if it has a quiet space where your son is not allowed unless supervised (a utiliy room is ideal)

ETA PLEASE don't let him pick her up....buns can be wriggly little blighters and if her dropped her it could have terrible consequences.

Think i will have a shuffle round in the utility room and see if we can sqeeze her in ..
 
We have outdoor buns. My nearly 3 yr old knows to be quiet near them, not to pick them up and only to stroke them when we say it is ok...she'll help feed them, and talk to them...
 
Think i will have a shuffle round in the utility room and see if we can sqeeze her in ..

My buns have their base hutch there with a baby gate across the door so I can shut them away if I need to.
It's worth PMing Ruby ted as her little lad is about the same age as yours and she has house buns too :wave:
 
I have recently taken in a rabbit from a house situation. He was being kept in an indoor cage no larger than 3ft and with a guinea pig for company (or no company of course as we all know). The worst part for this bunny is that the lady's son was a 2 year old who insisted on opening the cage (even while I was there to take the animals into rescue) and also climb on top of the cage and my carriers with the animals inside. He was also not a calm quiet lad.

The rabbit is only about 10 months old but is scared rigid and I would imagine that a good part of his behaviour is due to the younger member of the household not being shown how to be gentle and careful. My opinion is actually that the child should not be allowed anywhere near the cage without an adult - but this was absolutely not the case.

We have spent the last two months trying to gain this little boy's trust so that he can go on to a new home.

I would strongly recommend finding an area of your home where your bun can be without your child being there unless you were there too, or as Gisela has suggested - relocate him outside to a lovely big accommodation with a friend :D

It has to be said that there are always going to be some buns that would take a child or other pets in their stride, but it would be the minority of buns not the majority.
 
If you let her run around in the utility room, please make sure she can't nibble any washing powder or other cleaning stuff, I read about someone losing a rabbit to that.

Will you be at home while your son is at nursery? Maybe you can let your bunny run around more when he is not around, and then put her back in the cage when he is back? But the main thing is to teach him how to treat a rabbit properly.

What sort of cage is she in at the moment? A lot of people here use big dog crates , in which you can add a second level and cardboard boxes for nibbling and hiding, etc.. They are more difficult to open, too, and can be secured with a lock.
 
If you let her run around in the utility room, please make sure she can't nibble any washing powder or other cleaning stuff, I read about someone losing a rabbit to that.

Will you be at home while your son is at nursery? Maybe you can let your bunny run around more when he is not around, and then put her back in the cage when he is back? But the main thing is to teach him how to treat a rabbit properly.

What sort of cage is she in at the moment? A lot of people here use big dog crates , in which you can add a second level and cardboard boxes for nibbling and hiding, etc.. They are more difficult to open, too, and can be secured with a lock.

There isnt anything like that in the utility room just a tumble dryer, freezer and the rabbit stuff :) I let her out when he has his day time nap and at night when he goes to bed. I will be home when he is a nursery so she will be out then too.
 
I had this exact same problem as my little one is almost 3 and at the moment, we have 9 buns indoors.
It was simply a case of, when she was naughty to the buns (giving food, picking up, opening the cage etc) she was put on time out. I view it as the same as any other naughty behaviour. She soon got the jist! It also helps now that I have a dog pen instead of a cage, she can't get in so it's much easier.
I also encourage her to help me feed the buns their own foods, water them and she helps me do it all. I also don't tend to pick our buns up round her so she doesn't see me doing it. I have been teaching her to sit and stroke the buns only!
She's rather amazing now and is very well behaved! It took us time but we got there in the end and now she's incredible! She even takes her plate into the kitchen and picks up anything that falls on the floor in case the rabbits get it!

:D
 
I had this exact same problem as my little one is almost 3 and at the moment, we have 9 buns indoors.
It was simply a case of, when she was naughty to the buns (giving food, picking up, opening the cage etc) she was put on time out. I view it as the same as any other naughty behaviour. She soon got the jist! It also helps now that I have a dog pen instead of a cage, she can't get in so it's much easier.
I also encourage her to help me feed the buns their own foods, water them and she helps me do it all. I also don't tend to pick our buns up round her so she doesn't see me doing it. I have been teaching her to sit and stroke the buns only!
She's rather amazing now and is very well behaved! It took us time but we got there in the end and now she's incredible! She even takes her plate into the kitchen and picks up anything that falls on the floor in case the rabbits get it!

:D

This sounds great.
 
I know its a bit different but my little boy is nearly one (he is walking) and loves to touch/chase/see our bunny Buster. Buster is a house bun too but all is going well so far. We lock Buster in the kitchen during the day with a baby gate and he has full run of the kitchen with places to hide if he wants to. Oscar cant get to him unless Buster wants him to. Sometimes my little boy will sit by the gate and Buster will bounce up to see him but its totally on his terms so he doesnt have to feel frighten by oscar running up and attempting to stroke him. Im hoping that by teaching oscar the do's and dont's whilst he is so young will help him to understand how he needs to behave around Buster when he's at the terrible two's/three's. Try and keep your bunny away from your toddler but make sure you occasionally let him stroke the bunny so he doesnt have the temptation to try and do it when your not looking. A lock on the cage is a good idea too. When i bring my son to our bunny to say hello i tell him we have to be super quite like a mouse and he knows if he makes to much noise he will be sent out of the kitchen.

My friend has two children, a 3 year old and a 1 year old and has (stupidly) decided to get a tiny puppy when the kids already abuse the other pets they have. They are rarely told off for being mean to him (smacking him, pulling him around, waking him when he's asleep etc) and when they are they are just yelled at. They are never told why they shouldnt behave the way they are towards him. This has created two kids that are intent on chasing animals and behaving towards them as they please and a dog and a cat that are continuosly having to run away from them and are frightened. Its not nice for the children or the pets so make sure it never gets to this (not for one minute that i think you will!!!)
 
I had this exact same problem as my little one is almost 3 and at the moment, we have 9 buns indoors.
It was simply a case of, when she was naughty to the buns (giving food, picking up, opening the cage etc) she was put on time out. I view it as the same as any other naughty behaviour. She soon got the jist! It also helps now that I have a dog pen instead of a cage, she can't get in so it's much easier.
I also encourage her to help me feed the buns their own foods, water them and she helps me do it all. I also don't tend to pick our buns up round her so she doesn't see me doing it. I have been teaching her to sit and stroke the buns only!
She's rather amazing now and is very well behaved! It took us time but we got there in the end and now she's incredible! She even takes her plate into the kitchen and picks up anything that falls on the floor in case the rabbits get it!

:D

I think this is a great post!! :thumb::bunny:
 
My 3 year old is always supervised around the buns, is not allowed to pick them up but if he asks for a cuddle I will put them on his knee for him to stroke. He also helps occasionally with feeding, brushing them etc. As for being quiet he is a 3 year old boy so my buns are used to him, if I thought they were uncomfortable with it I wouldnt bring them in.

If he does something that is not allowed with the buns he is sent to his room on time out. I think its good that kids learn how to care for animals properly and have a healthy respect for them
 
My 3 year old is always supervised around the buns, is not allowed to pick them up but if he asks for a cuddle I will put them on his knee for him to stroke. He also helps occasionally with feeding, brushing them etc. As for being quiet he is a 3 year old boy so my buns are used to him, if I thought they were uncomfortable with it I wouldnt bring them in.

If he does something that is not allowed with the buns he is sent to his room on time out. I think its good that kids learn how to care for animals properly and have a healthy respect for them

Time outs are our saviour in this house! Best discipline method ever! Oh, how I love Jo Frost :D
 
My bro's gf has a 3 year old daughter, she's so sweet with the bunnies. When she comes to see them, we are all told to 'shhhh', because 'you have to be quiet around the bunnies' :lol: She's very good with them, they'll sit and be stroked and she doesn't try and pick them up :)
 
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