Mixed Signals (Peabody)

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?

aatkin said:

Is this because in the past in order to catch her for grooming I've bribed her with pellets or parsley?

Am I getting mixed signals fromher because I'm also giving her mixed signals?

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Short answer, yes and yes. It sounds like she's now associated food with being caught and won't let you get away with it! :lol: I don't know how other people do it but when I had to do medication for my last bun, I just caught her and did it. I had tried to bribe but that only lasts so long as you've discovered! As she gets used to you and becomes less skittish you may be able to groom her without catching her, but in the meantime you might just have to stick with a slightly grumpy bunny! If you can avoid picking her up that might help, as buns feel more secure with all four feet on the ground. A treat after the brushing might be more helpful.

As for not taking food out of your hand, that will just take time. Spent time just sitting by them on their level, with say a book, and food on your legs/in a pocket/in your hair. Herbs are good for this as they smell so strongly. Eventually they will come up and start nosying about. Don't touch them, just let them sniff and jump on you if they feel like it, eat the food if they want to, and generally just explore. Eventually Peabody will realise that you're not going to grab her at every opportunity, and chill out a bit.

Rabbits do lick people, it's proof that they love you as it's an attempt to groom you. Some rabbits will lick you after strokes as they would do another rabbit, others wait for you to stroke them and then lick in return. She is interested in you, she's just not very sure and needs some time. Nipping can also be a sign of affection or to get your attention.

Do you have to take her into the bathroom to brush? Taking her out of her environment will stress her out more. Actually, do the bunnies have access to the bathroom, or could you give them it, so that it seems more like 'her' space?

Thanks for the reply! I originally took her into the bathroom because I knew that she really hated being handled when we first got her and when I first attempted to groom her in their own space, she felt in control and kept trying to escape. I really needed to do an intensive groom then, because she unfortunately had quite bad matts. Thankfully after two serious grooming sessions we've managed to get them all out. I have been grooming her twice a week (about four days apart) and this seems to be working a treat (as the worst of their moulting/shedding is over).

Yesterday, I ended up just having to catch her. I won't ever grab her out of their hidey box (it's considered their safe house by me), but I huddled her out from under their steps before she could figure it out (following a 30 minute session of her investigating me in the hallway and nicking the tasties before I could get her... I will admit that she out-witted me :lol.

The thing is, once I have her and we're in the loo she's fine. She gets little bits of treat throughout grooming and once I set her down after, she never runs away but continues to explore - so following the initial capture she's not really bothered (and I can't blame her for not liking it). They are allowed in the bathroom when they are free-range, so it's not a totally strange place for them! And if Emerson wants in at the same time, he's allowed.

She is starting to let me stroke her more when she's nomming hay and yesterday I got a few strokes with the brush in (body only, no mane), so we're making progress! And after I left her to her own devices following the grooming, when I came back with the pellets she's was all up in my face. She is just a lot more tentative than Emerson (which we knew). She already way more sociable than I thought she'd be, it's just a shame than short-haired Emerson LOVES being fussed, but doesn't need such maintenance, whereas floofy-mc-flooferson needs near constant brushing and doesn't enjoy being touched! Figures...

It's good to know I'm not doing anything wrong though. I think you're right and that the more time she spends with me and discovers I'm not going to grab her/touch her every time I'm near, the more comfortable she gets around me.

So basically, she's just annoyed that she gets caught. :lol: I was going to suggest having her clipped short as this can help with buns who need intensive grooming, but as you are making progress there isn't really a need. She's just being a rabbit. :lol:

You'll have a new skill to put on your CV soon enough - Master Bunny-Catcher.

Coineanach said:

So basically, she's just annoyed that she gets caught. :lol: I was going to suggest having her clipped short as this can help with buns who need intensive grooming, but as you are making progress there isn't really a need. She's just being a rabbit. :lol:

You'll have a new skill to put on your CV soon enough - Master Bunny-Catcher.

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And Lion-head tamer too! You can come round and groom my girl who HATES it with a passion - she has now taken to trying to attack the brush when I try to groom her so I tend to get sneaky brush strokes in when she is eating...oh, and she doesn't like humans either so trying to catch her is great fun and involves much thumping (by her ). So you should be very proud you have managed to do all this with your bunny...I have read this with great interest.:thumb:

Thanks Fellie! It's a massive learning curve, as we're new bunny owners. It seems to be a lot of trial and error - as each bunny is so different! Peabody is a thumper too, although sometimes I think she does it just to show me how good she is at it! It's usually accompanied by a glare of, "Yeah... whut?" :lol:

My bun Daisy is absolutely not a fan of grooming or human contact much at all. She'll tolerate it sometimes but I can tell she doesn't enjoy it! She hates being picked up too - I think that's what scares her most. She thinks when I go in for a stroke I'm going to just scoop her up! So I just don't pick her up - ever. And gradually she's becoming more tolerant. She'll even run over and nudge my hand and circle and rub around my feet like a cat when she knows she's about to get fed. She has a routine, which I think helps too.

Anyway when I need to do bum checks or check her teeth (or today, I had to catch her because she had a sticker attached to her fur!? :shock: ) I wait until she's either in her cardboard box, or litter tray and I pick THAT up and move her to the bed. She tolerates it, especially when there are treats involved and then I put her back, again, not actually picking her up