We've got Baldrick from a rescue around 18 months ago. When we first got him he was terrified of people, other rabbits, his own shadow and anything that moved.
He has come a long way and is now quite an outgoing bun, he loves toys and is always the first to play and can be heard throwing jingle balls around late into the night. He is well bonded to my girl and is not afraid of my dogs.
He has never liked being touched by us and after a lot of trust building we got him to the stage that he would eat out of our hands but the slightest movement and he would scarper. He will come when we call his name but only stays as long as we are outside the run, as soon as we go in he retreats to either his hutch or a hidey place only coming out when we are kneeling down and holding out food.
The day before yesterday for the first time he let me stroke him, not just a little touch but a full stroke all the way down his back (he was being bribed with food at the time), he let me do it again yesterday and I managed around ten strokes before I decided not to push him too far at once. Again today he has let me stroke him, I did attempt a nose scratch but he growled so obviously isn't ready for that yet
This may seem like something so simple to some people but this is such a huge step for him. I don't think he'll ever let us pick him up but lets face it not many rabbits like that anyway, but hopefully he will learn to enjoy a good nose and ear scratch and maybe even one day jump on my lap.
When we got him the rescue thought he was a lost cause and tried to convince us to adopt one of their other neutered males who were more sociable but I knew from the first time I saw his photo he was my rabbit. They even said they would keep his hutch empty for a while convinced we would end up taking him back.
It may have taken a long time with many set backs along the way but he is finally starting to trust me. OH can't stroke him yet but probably wont be far behind. All of the hard work has been worth it, he is my special boy
He has come a long way and is now quite an outgoing bun, he loves toys and is always the first to play and can be heard throwing jingle balls around late into the night. He is well bonded to my girl and is not afraid of my dogs.
He has never liked being touched by us and after a lot of trust building we got him to the stage that he would eat out of our hands but the slightest movement and he would scarper. He will come when we call his name but only stays as long as we are outside the run, as soon as we go in he retreats to either his hutch or a hidey place only coming out when we are kneeling down and holding out food.
The day before yesterday for the first time he let me stroke him, not just a little touch but a full stroke all the way down his back (he was being bribed with food at the time), he let me do it again yesterday and I managed around ten strokes before I decided not to push him too far at once. Again today he has let me stroke him, I did attempt a nose scratch but he growled so obviously isn't ready for that yet
This may seem like something so simple to some people but this is such a huge step for him. I don't think he'll ever let us pick him up but lets face it not many rabbits like that anyway, but hopefully he will learn to enjoy a good nose and ear scratch and maybe even one day jump on my lap.
When we got him the rescue thought he was a lost cause and tried to convince us to adopt one of their other neutered males who were more sociable but I knew from the first time I saw his photo he was my rabbit. They even said they would keep his hutch empty for a while convinced we would end up taking him back.
It may have taken a long time with many set backs along the way but he is finally starting to trust me. OH can't stroke him yet but probably wont be far behind. All of the hard work has been worth it, he is my special boy