aatkin
Warren Scout
Hi all,
Okay, I am getting mixed signals from one of my bunnies (they are new-to-us, adopted just a couple of weeks ago). Peabody is dead shy and skittish, which hasn't been helped by the fact that she is a fluffy lionhead that needs to be groomed. When we first got her she would run away if you touched her, which meant I had to sneakily catch her for grooming (bribing with pellets or parsley). After she is groomed and free it doesn't seem to bother her, although she is extra tentative for the rest of the night and possibly the next day a bit. She has been a thumper since day one in our house, if you tried to touch her, she'd run into her hidey-box and thump, if she got spooked she'd thump and run away, and often when they're out in the landing she'll just thump (I think she has two kinds of thump - one) I'm scared, you're scary and two) you should be scared, I'm scary). She has also been known to nip - but I think only when we smell like food.
In the last couple of days she has been waaay braver around us. She is starting to associate us with nice things (like tasty fresh hay and pellets). She has been nudging me, trying to sniff and investigate more, resting her paws on my legs to look around, and yesterday I think she licked me (do rabbits lick people???). If she is really excited and eating fresh hay I can even stroke her (although when she'd had enough she makes it clear and I stop and give her space). However, she is still thumping in the hall and seems rather nervous in certain situations (ie, she used to devour pellets or fresh veggies out of my hand, but now won't eat them unless I scatter them). Is this because in the past in order to catch her for grooming I've bribed her with pellets or parsley?
Unfortunately I do need to catch her for grooming, because she won't let me do it when she's eating or relaxing and if it's not done every few days she starts to matt (and I don't want her or Emerson ingesting too much fur). Will she just get used to it and hopefully begin to let me do it without having to pick her up and take her into the bathroom? Am I getting mixed signals fromher because I'm also giving her mixed signals?
Okay, I am getting mixed signals from one of my bunnies (they are new-to-us, adopted just a couple of weeks ago). Peabody is dead shy and skittish, which hasn't been helped by the fact that she is a fluffy lionhead that needs to be groomed. When we first got her she would run away if you touched her, which meant I had to sneakily catch her for grooming (bribing with pellets or parsley). After she is groomed and free it doesn't seem to bother her, although she is extra tentative for the rest of the night and possibly the next day a bit. She has been a thumper since day one in our house, if you tried to touch her, she'd run into her hidey-box and thump, if she got spooked she'd thump and run away, and often when they're out in the landing she'll just thump (I think she has two kinds of thump - one) I'm scared, you're scary and two) you should be scared, I'm scary). She has also been known to nip - but I think only when we smell like food.
In the last couple of days she has been waaay braver around us. She is starting to associate us with nice things (like tasty fresh hay and pellets). She has been nudging me, trying to sniff and investigate more, resting her paws on my legs to look around, and yesterday I think she licked me (do rabbits lick people???). If she is really excited and eating fresh hay I can even stroke her (although when she'd had enough she makes it clear and I stop and give her space). However, she is still thumping in the hall and seems rather nervous in certain situations (ie, she used to devour pellets or fresh veggies out of my hand, but now won't eat them unless I scatter them). Is this because in the past in order to catch her for grooming I've bribed her with pellets or parsley?
Unfortunately I do need to catch her for grooming, because she won't let me do it when she's eating or relaxing and if it's not done every few days she starts to matt (and I don't want her or Emerson ingesting too much fur). Will she just get used to it and hopefully begin to let me do it without having to pick her up and take her into the bathroom? Am I getting mixed signals fromher because I'm also giving her mixed signals?