My rabbit is evil, help!

Ok, so the title of this post was slightly dramatic, but I rescued a rabbit from the streets a few months ago as it was found under a car very close to dying. I intended to keep the rabbit to feed it for a week or so until it was healthier and then I was going to give it to a rescue centre. The problem is, this was about 3 months ago and the rescue centres are all saying they are full!

I really don't want this rabbit, I already have 4 which to be honest isn't the main problem. The problem I have is that the rabbit is so unfriendly and scared. I have tried to give the rabbit care and attention but every time I pick it up it scratches me like mad, stomps its feet and runs away from me. This is making it impossible to move it from the hutch to the run as it scratches me so much that I end up dropping him, then spend ages chasing him round the garden! He nearly fell down the steps to his hutch last week so I caught him and he bit me!

I can't give him the attention he needs in order to gain my trust. I have tried but he just doesn't seem to be getting better. He is stuck in a tiny hutch because its the only hutch I had spare (it was either put him in that or let him die) and he is not getting a good run around each day because its almost impossible to pick him up and put him in the run.

I really don't know what to do, I have a 3 year old boy and have to keep him away from the rabbit in case he is bitten. I have tried my best with this rabbit but he needs someone with a lot of space, time and patience to allow him to trust humans. To be honest, as the rescue centres won't have him I'm considering taking him to a field where there are lots of other rabbits and letting him go. This is NOT what I wanted to do but I am at my tether. I have a feeling he was a stray rabbit anyway and would probably be happier in his natural habitat as he is certainly not a pet.

Does anyone know of anyone who has time for this rabbit? I don't want a lot of hate posts for this but I'm honestly close to letting him go. I either keep him stuck in a small hutch, let him out in the run and get scratched to bits, find a new home (seems impossible) or let him go!

Lauz125 said:

To be honest, as the rescue centres won't have him I'm considering taking him to a field where there are lots of other rabbits and letting him go. This is NOT what I wanted to do but I am at my tether. I have a feeling he was a stray rabbit anyway and would probably be happier in his natural habitat as he is certainly not a pet.

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As a domestic rabbit, he will not survive along with his wild cousins.

I have a stray rabbit but we have kept her. I don't think she would have lasted much longer outside to fend for herself and she did well to survive as long as she did, it was nearly a week. I believe they don't share the wild instincts of their cousins. They won't know how to evade predators as well as wild buns and if they don't die of starvation (pet rabbits are used to pellets perhaps and hay, in the wild it's just greenery) then it may be a predator or not surviving against the weather as they won't know how to protect themselves (burrow etc). If I'm wrong, someone correct me.

He may still be scared, I know mine is and we've had her nearly 3 months. He may be frustrated (hormones etc). He does sound scared still though.

Where are you? Poor bun sounds like he's scared...

Please, please do not just let this rabbit go.

What area are you in? Someone may be able to help? Someone may know of a rescue that can help or they may be able to help with transport to a rescue that can help?

Most rabbits don't like being picked up, but perhaps someone close by can help to show you how to hold him so he can't scratch you/wriggle too much?

Is there any way you can put his hutch inside a cheap run or link it to a run so you don't have to pick him up for now?

I don't really have any advice but the poor thing sounds terrified Rabbits generally don't like to be picked up anyway and this bunny has clearly had a bad start and will be scared of people, so being picked up and chased around every day is bound to be really traumatic. Unwanted rabbits are already a huge problem for rescue centres so it's no surprise that they are all full.

Whatever you do, DO NOT set him free, he will never survive.

Can't you get on the rescue waiting lists? I'm sure he will be better in a small hutch whilst a rescue space arises rather than in the wild where he will most certainly die.

I am sure it's rescues can't take him rather than won't...

Maybe he has been loose for a long time and has forgotten how nice humans can be? good on you for taking him in where its safe but it sounds like its not ideal for him or you.

Is there any way you could attach the hutch to the run, so you don't have to pick him up? Most buns don't like being handled on our terms anyway, and seems like the chasing and scratching is adding to both of your stress levels! If not, you could use a pet carrier to take him to his run, so he feels more secure?

Are you on a waiting list for a rescue space? Or would you consider keeping him to add to your four bunnies? Maybe he could live with your own bunnies?

From reading your thread about finding this bunny and how protective you were of him/her I can't believe you would willingly release it now to fend for itself: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?383457-Just-found-a-bunny-under-a-car

Many buns are not comfortable with being picked up. I would just try and minimise the stress of being picked up by trying to modify the accommodation, connecting the hutch and run if possible and by transporting the bunny in a pet carrier. That's what I do with my bunnies.

Working with food will help to win the bunny over but just be prepared that no matter how much you get the bunny to be confident with you it might never be happy to be picked up.

All that said, it does sound like finding a new home for him/her would be the best thing to do.

Picking up a bun is terrifying for them, especially one that is as scared as the rabbit you have found. Rabbits simply don't like being picked up (there are exceptions), I have had my doe for well over a year and have only just been able to pick her up to carry her downstairs without her struggling and biting me. I have just been using a carry case to move her from A to B so that she doesn't get as stressed. It's taken months for me to win her over and gain my trust. Every time you pick the bun up, you will confirm that humans are big and scary and trying to "eat" him. It takes a lot of time and patience.

I have just caught a rabbit that somebody had "released". Even though it is the height of summer and there's lots of food about for rabbits, she is quite skinny and I can feel all her bones, even though a kind man was leaving food out for her. She was being chased by dogs and people; there is no way on Earth any domestic rabbit would last more than a few weeks in the wild.

Rescue centes are full, I'm afraid. Could you not see if anybody could take this bun from you to give him the care and attention he needs?

Aggression is usually due to either a lack of space or hormones. Is he neutered? That would be the first step. Then finding a way to increase the size of his living area.

Have you listed him on Rabbit Rehome? Whereabouts are you?

Picking the rabbit up may be a big part of why he's afraid of you since rabbits hate being picked up. Maybe if you got an attached hutch/run and bonded with the rabbit by laying in the run with him, he'd tame up

Do you know for sure what gender s/he is? If this little one was friendly when you first found him/her and has recently become aggressive, it could be that she is a hormonal female and spaying would help a lot.

Whereabouts are you? If this little one can be got to Essex, I could take him/her and get him neutered and look for a home. It would take me a little while to sort out accommodation as my foster hutches have been dismantled for a while, but let me know if this might be a possibility and I can start to get stuff sorted.

Just because there are wild rabbits doesn't mean they would accept a strange rabbit, plus as you found it when you rescued it, I doubt it would do any better being released again. What would you do if you found it again in the same state and knew it's like that because you released it again?

Pain can cause rabbits to be aggressive as well as scary humans chasing it. It could be it hasn't had any nice humans before you, so has no reason to trust monsters who catches it and chases it around, and no reason to trust you when you do exactly the same thing. And/or hormones could be making it act like this, now because it's well fed and not starving and weak.

I agree with others with trying to link the hutch and the run together. Ideally permanently so it has more space and you won't have to pick it up and chase it around so should start to come around more. If not, could you try and get it into a carrier so you can transport it more safely so it means there's no grabbing, just herding?

I also think it's a good idea to get it vet checked, making sure it's teeth is not causing problems, nails cut so if you do have to pick it up, it's not going to hurt as much.

Really last ditch would be to see if any of the P@H stores have space in their adoption. Not ideal as they won't handle, or give it more space or even neuter it, but it's somewhere.

I hope you can find someone to home or foster it, it's understandable not being able to cope and trying to find help, since it does sound like you're struggling, but you'll be no better than the people who dumped the rabbit to die in the first place if you let it go.

Santa said:

Do you know for sure what gender s/he is? If this little one was friendly when you first found him/her and has recently become aggressive, it could be that she is a hormonal female and spaying would help a lot.

Whereabouts are you? If this little one can be got to Essex, I could take him/her and get him neutered and look for a home. It would take me a little while to sort out accommodation as my foster hutches have been dismantled for a while, but let me know if this might be a possibility and I can start to get stuff sorted.

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What a great offer I am guessing from it's age hormones will be the main problem

I agree that releasing it wouldn't be the best option, but I have had many arguments with my partner as I work long hours and he also has to feed the rabbit (and spend ages catching it when it escapes as it's being fed.) I said exactly the same as you all have said about it being cruel to release it into the wild, but the amount of people who have told me that I am being even more cruel keeping it locked up in a small hutch when it should be in it's natural habitat has made me question if they are right.

The rabbit is just very scared and doesn't trust humans. I keep referring to it as a him (or it) but I think she's a female. I was very protective when I found the rabbit and tried my best to look after her and keep her alive, but after months of being scratched and bitten I have no bond with her at all and just want her out of my care. She is costing me money (food, hay and bedding) and time (which I have very little of). It's not fair for me to keep her as I don't want her anywhere near me or my son (or my other rabbits as she tried to attack them) and she deserves a loving family that has time, space and patience for her to trust humans. My other 4 rabbits are so friendly and cuddle up to me, so I know it's nothing to do with the way I handle her or look after her. There are a number of factors that make her scared- the hutch is only a 3ft 2 storey one which is far too small. Attaching a run would help but I don't have a spare one as my other rabbits share them.

To be honest, I just want this rabbit out of my care now. It's cruel for her to be cooped up in a tiny hutch. I have just managed to get her into a 7ft run (now I am scratched and bleeding) but I can't get her out of it!

I am based in Birmingham/Solihull. Can you all please try your best to ask around as she desperately needs to go to a good home where she can run around freely. Anyone who feels that they have the time to look after her and build her trust are welcome to take her off my hands! You would be doing me a MASSIVE favour.

Hugo's There said:

What a great offer I am guessing from it's age hormones will be the main problem

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Essex is a long way to travel and I wouldn't be able to get her to you unfortunately. Although I agree that it's a great offer, thank you for your help.

She/he shouldn't even be anywhere near your rabbits, in order to attack them. :? Could you not place the hutch in the run and leave him/her in there?

Letting the rabbit go into the "wild" would be a death sentence.

I'm sure somebody will be willing to help you out and take this poor bun off your hands. He/she is most likely just scared and frustrated. I wouldn't demonise the bun, but look at it from his/her point of view.

Can you not get him/her to a vet to get them sexed? I take it she/he won't be vaccinated? These might be good to get done as it will make her/him more likely to find rescue space or somebody willing to take him/her.

Has anyone contacted Alice @ Windwhistle, shes in the Gloucester area?