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Help with rabbit behaviour

S

slacky

New Kit
Hey guys, this is my first time here

I brought a rabbit on thursday from a local pet shop, Took her home in a box which she let us stroke her without no hassle. But since we've put her in her hutch she doesn't let us go near her, if we go to stroke her she runs off.

I let her out this morning to have a little run in the garden and every time i went near her or made movements she ran off. She also kept doing this thing with her legs, It was kind of like her jumping but some thing irritating her (if that makes sense?)

This is the first time owning a rabbit so any help will be appreciated

Thanks
 
not sure about the jumping thing but she probably just needs to settle down, everything will be really new for her, sit near her and let her come and sniff you out when she's ready
 
Awww sounds like she needs to settle in and get used to you. As the other poster has said try to sit near her and spend as much time as you can letting her smell you and get used to you. Maybe try hand feeding her her food rather than putting it in a bowl. She can then see that you can be trusted and are not going to hurt her.
 
Thanks for the reply,

What kind of treats would be good to get her ?

I'm also having difficulty getting her back into her hut when i let her out, in the near future I'm going to purchase a run for her
 
I have to watch my two's tummies with treats, but I hand feed them things like dandelion leaves and sometimes their pellets if I have lots of time. They also love fenugreek crunchies (they sell them in pet shops) but I don't give them too many.

My two have a run as our garden isn't safe enough for free ranging. They hate being picked up and carried so I use a pet carrier to transport them from shed to run and back. When it is time to go back inside the shed they just hop in the carrier. This is what they have got used to, and it has taken time for them to know that they must get in the carrier. I think you need to give yourself and her time to get to know each other.
 
bit of an update

my girlfriend cleaned her hut out earlier and we let the rabbit run round the garden, she seemed happy enough was eating grass and plants. (kept doing the thing with her legs though) my girlfriend managed to get close and stroke her ear but then she got abit scared.

After getting her back into her cage we went out for some food came back, My girlfriend opened the door and managed to stroke her head with no fuss, i tried and she ran off again.

Not having much luck with this one

Is there any guides for feeding arrangements, bedding how much to put in, when to clean. Basically everything thing needed to keep her clean and healthy.

Thanks for all the help
 
Be patient. She is very new. She has had an exceptionally scary experience from being taken from mum, put in a place where everyone looked at her, and then moved somewhere different, with different smells and people.

She is a prey species and by nature will be terrified. You need to win her trust.

With her feet, is she like flicking her back feet, or is she jumping and then twisting her body in the air?
 
Just unsure what else to do

Not sure how to explain it when she does it but it's kind of bait of both of what you said, she just randomly does it and ends up on the other side of the garden
 
I have an article on my website about 'Bonding with your Bunny' which might be of use to you. The link to my website is in my sig and the article is on the page 'Rabbit Info Articles'. That might be a good place to start.
 
Thanks I will have a look, do you know any more info on why she keeps kicking/jumping I'm curious what it Is
 
slacky said:
Thanks I will have a look, do you know any more info on why she keeps kicking/jumping I'm curious what it Is
Click to expand...

It's difficult to tell from your description so posting a video would be useful.

It sounds like it could be a binky (a happy jump for joy) or disgust (which is the flicking of the feet). You could read the rest of what is going on in her life at the time to tell you which of those it may be.
 
Hi :wave:. The jumping might simply be a binky...they do this when they are happy. If bunny is jumping and twisting and racing round that's binkying. Mine also leap from a stand still a but like a spring lamb. Very funny and sweet to watch.
 
it looks like the one in the second video but ill get a video tomorrow hopefully, Unsure on the age we only bought her from pets at homes on thursdays, stupidly enough we forgot to ask how old, How old are they usually when they sell them?
 
slacky said:
Thanks I will have a look, do you know any more info on why she keeps kicking/jumping I'm curious what it Is
Click to expand...

It's pretty clear with my rabbit whether she's leaping with joy or is annoyed - if she hops directly away from someone/something and kicks her feet up behind her she's angry, if she's randomly zooming about and twisting and flicking her feet in the sir, she's happy :)
 
I'll try get a video tomorrow when I get some time, my girls making good progress with her. She's letting her put her hand in the cage and stroke her without her running off

What jabs will she need and when?
 
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