Struggling with an unruly diva bunny (help wanted!)

Hi everybody :wave:
After months of peeking in the forum I decided to take the plunge and join as I'm having a really hard time with my female bunny Coco. She is a 6 month old miniature lop bunny who has been spayed and is bonded with my male netherland dwarf (Meatball) who is neutered and roughly 10 months old and they get along wonderfully.

However: vets trips, nail trimming and general health checks (especially of her bottom as she's a medium haired rabbit) are VERY difficult due to how much she hates being handled. It is becoming quite the problem. Even the vet said she was a total nightmare to deal with and that she needs assistance with her. Grooming is impossible also so she is getting even more grumpy and angry because of her coat. I just don't know what to do with her.

My family want to get rid of her but she is the most pretty bunny rabbit and it would break mine and my male's bunny hearts to see her go.

She has been like this since day 1 and I have tried everything from lying on the floor with her for hours speaking quietly and softly, to bribing her with treats and food however the second you come near her she is off like a lightening bolt or biting and chewing on your clothes.


I hope I have posted this in the right place and in the right way. PLEASE if anybody has any suggestions then it would be GREATLY appreciated. Thank you! xo

hiya

hopefully someone else can give advise but i have a female rabbit who is exactly like that, she kept my friendly boy bunny happy though haha
i couldnt part with her at all but she will never be a snuggly bunny.

Do as many things on her terms as possible. If your vet is trying to deal with her on the table, she should really try to do it on the floor, a lot of people on here have vets that do that. For nail clipping if you're doing it yourself don't try and do every nail if its too stressful. Don't pick her up unless absolutely necessary.

To improve your bond and her trust in you spend some time sitting on the floor reading a book or something, with her able to access you. Hand feed treats, and soon she'll climb all over you. Improved trust in you means that she will look to you for comfort at the vets, and you can he the vet out. When Cloud had his vaccine the other week I ended up being the one to weigh him because he wasn't taking anymore from the vet and he was a lot calmer with me. To groom, dampen your hand and stroke her, this will get rid of loose fur. Bottom checks I usually do cross legged on the floor, with their bum resting on my legs so I have a free hand to do the checking. This also means that I am more relaxed because I know I can't drop them from a height. Buns can tell when you're hesitant, my boyfriend can still barely handle any of my three because he's always scared he will drop them, but they will now tolerate it from me.

Also, have you burritoed her? Wrap snugly in a blanket and clip each nail as you go. Keeps her from wriggling as much and Cloud really likes this method ( as much as he could) because he just nibbles and attacks the blanket to show his frustration.

Apologies if I'm listing things you've already tried!

RavenMoon said:

Do as many things on her terms as possible. Don't pick her up unless absolutely necessary.

To improve your bond and her trust in you spend some time sitting on the floor reading a book or something, with her able to access you. Hand feed treats, and soon she'll climb all over you. Improved trust in you means that she will look to you for comfort at the vets, and you can he the vet out. When Cloud had his vaccine the other week I ended up being the one to weigh him because he wasn't taking anymore from the vet and he was a lot calmer with me. To groom, dampen your hand and stroke her, this will get rid of loose fur. Bottom checks I usually do cross legged on the floor, with their bum resting on my legs so I have a free hand to do the checking. This also means that I am more relaxed because I know I can't drop them from a height. Buns can tell when you're hesitant, my boyfriend can still barely handle any of my three because he's always scared he will drop them, but they will now tolerate it from me.

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Ahh Thank you! I think I just need to persist and possibly stop scooping her up at a height. She doesn't let me stroke her so that may be something we need to work on with sitting on the floor and the odd slice of carrot I've also read that females can in fact be more dismissive than males, does anybody know if this is true? It makes me feel very sad and unloved But I guess she keeps meatball happy.

MY male bunny meatball is an absolute joy and ray of sunshine. He follows me around the house, hops up on the sofa and cuddles up to me and loves fuss. I'm starting to wonder if he's actually a puppy in disguise...

One thing that's really helped me taming my 2 boys, who were really shy when I got them is fenugreek crunchies, they are my buns favourite treat

Lizzybunny said:

Ahh Thank you! I think I just need to persist and possibly stop scooping her up at a height. She doesn't let me stroke her so that may be something we need to work on with sitting on the floor and the odd slice of carrot I've also read that females can in fact be more dismissive than males, does anybody know if this is true? It makes me feel very sad and unloved But I guess she keeps meatball happy.

MY male bunny meatball is an absolute joy and ray of sunshine. He follows me around the house, hops up on the sofa and cuddles up to me and loves fuss. I'm starting to wonder if he's actually a puppy in disguise...

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It's down to the individual bun, but a lot of people on here have said that females are often stroppy and the males are more loving. In my house my female is both stroppy and loving :lol:

Definitely do some more work on her level, don't chase for a stroke, let her come and sniff you and clamber on you as she wants. Stroke when feeding her, I find this the best time with my boys. She may never be overly affectionate, but it doesn't mean she doesn't love you, different buns show it in different ways. It is so tempting to just kind of force them into cuddles, or chase for a stroke, but they'll set you back more. If she knows she can come near you without being touched she will become more confident, and you may get a lick or two. Also, you can try eating an apple nearby, just only give the bits you haven't bitten yet.

Hi Lizzy!

You're not on your own, don't worry. I rescued Belle as a wife bun for Bailey (who sounds very much like your bun, he really is like a little dog, you can do anything to him) and she won't let you handle her at all - always runs away when I attempt to pick her up and I don't persevere with that as it stresses her.

When I first got her, she wouldn't even let me stroke her - but following some of the tips posted above she now takes food from my hand and will let me stroke her when she is sat down - everything is on her terms. I don't think not being able to handle them is the end of the world, the vet can do the health checks when needed (even if they struggle, it's their job so don't worry about that)

Please don't give up on her, it would be awful to have to separate the two of them, she will get better with some work I'm sure. And like I said before you can't always pick up every bun. I'm sure there are lots of rabbit mums on here in the same position.

The way I think of it is that Bailey is my bun and Belle is his bun. So think of it that way perhaps?

xxxxx


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To be honest my does have always taken a long time to trust me. It's taken a year with Xena and it took about that time for my bridge bun, Ellie. Picking them up is really what breaks their trust. If you are regularly scooping her up, this is probably the main reason she "hates" you. Only my boy, Fiver, lets me pick him up without a strop afterwards. Xena will nip me if I hold her too long, and she will flick her feet or stamp when I put her down (this means she is VERY displeased with my behaviour!) :lol: and won't "speak" to me for the rest of the evening. So just avoid picking her up and only touch her if she comes over and "nose bumps" you. Xena used to bite and lunge at me when I first got her, but now she will jump onto my bed and adores nose rubs and kisses.

It seems to me that you don't understand too much about bunny behaviour. This isn't an insult! It's all very complicated and spending lots of time with them, just watching them, will help. Also try some of the tips on this website. It's fun and you and the buns will enjoy some of the tips. :thumb:

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/rabbittalk_intro.html

You will soon bond with her, but it will take time. Some buns simply don't like people, but I do believe that if you spend enough time with them, they will eventually see you as "one of them". It's just a matter of understanding what they saying to you and using positive reinforcement to gain their trust. You won't know (unless you have had her from being born) what her previous interactions with humans were. If she was from a pet shop, they were no doubt very negative. So just bear in mind about these things. x

I completely agree with trying to do as much as possible on her terms, if you can find alternatives to putting her in situations that make her uncomfortable it will probably work out much more relaxing for both of you.

You mentioned her coat - is the fur matting to itself or does she have any pooping bottom issues? One option is clipping - it seems a bit drastic but short fur can be easier to maintain than long fur on a rabbit that gets matted easier. Getting her shaved may give you six weeks or so to work on her issues without worrying about hygiene/coat issues.

I've some tips on picking up here that may help you work towards that: http://www.therabbithouse.com/behaviour/problem-picking-rabbit-up.asp

How is Meatballs behaviour. One thing that might be worth ago is stepping up your interaction with him. Teach him to come when called for treats, hang around on the floor with him offering nose rubs etc. Rabbits take cues from other rabbits if he's relaxed and pleased to see you, she'll relax more. Sometimes there is also an element of jealousy in that if she sees him running over and getting treats she'll want them to and it's a good way to break the ice

I can sympathise with you whole heartedly. Except my diva bunny is a neutered male :shock: He bites, lunges, growls, stamps and this is just to get his food bowl in and out of his cage to fill it up! He likes being stroked though and I can pick him up easily to move him around where necessary, but if I get him out for a cuddle, he tolerates it for so long and then out come the teeth :shock: My OH can't stand him for this reason and wants me to rehome him too but despite Slipper's behaviour, I do love him and want to keep him. My vets also aren't keen on Slipper for this reason - when going for his post op checkup after being neutering, the vet opened the carrier and said "oh, it's you!" I'm glad it's not just me with a psycho bunny and unsupportive family/friends. Good luck with yours :thumb:

'Oh its you' from a vet is disgusting!! I would complain.

Tillie was not a fan of physical attention although she did love a nose rub. I thought she didnt even really like me then one day at the vets she turned and put her front paws on my shoulders and buried her head in my coat. She may not have liked me that much but she knew who I was and that I was better than the vet. I treasure that memory of my lovely girl

This whole thread is fab you guys are awesome! I too have been struggling with a diva bunny, Meg simply did not want anything to do with me at first and I got bitten, hard, a couple of times I tried to handle her the way I would her husbun just assuming she would respond the same. Stupid human.

If it helps at all Lizzybunny my relationship with her has really improved but its taken two years! Everything is still on her terms but now she will lay next to me (not directly beside me but in arms reach, will even let me noserub for a fixed amount of time while she's there) and if I leave the room she will follow me out and look at me longingly as if she doesn't want to be left.

But heaven forbid I try to pick her up! Thanks for the roadmap Tamsin, we will be following this from now on!!

BerryJane said:

'Oh its you' from a vet is disgusting!! I would complain.

Tillie was not a fan of physical attention although she did love a nose rub. I thought she didnt even really like me then one day at the vets she turned and put her front paws on my shoulders and buried her head in my coat. She may not have liked me that much but she knew who I was and that I was better than the vet. I treasure that memory of my lovely girl

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I was quite worried when he said that actually, knowing Slipper's behaviour it made me worry she'd attacked someone. She hasn't, she'd just kicked out and frantically scrabbled whenever they tried to pick her up and fur went everywhere.

That's a lovely story about your Tillie. It would be nice if one of mine did this one day

My Tia is (was) the same.... but whatever you do, take it slow at her pace.... if you rush, and try to force her, she will get worse and more scared...

With Tia, I started handfeeding her, lie on the floor completely ignoring her, let her come to you - do not lift your hand to stroke, even when she clinmbs on you.... its a slow process... we've had rupert and tia 2yrs 8 months n only recently has she started letting us stroke her, and only a little bit... the vet trips are inevitable tho but because shes calmer and not forced every day or whatever, she doesn't stress too much.... lie on the floor to check her bum thats what we did :lol: If she's not got a bunny partner, get her one (hopefully a calmer more trusting one) she'll learn that her bunny pasrtner trusts you so she can too rupert is tia's opposite and she watches and learns that we're ok rupert trusts us

Rupert & Tia said:

My Tia is (was) the same.... but whatever you do, take it slow at her pace.... if you rush, and try to force her, she will get worse and more scared...

With Tia, I started handfeeding her, lie on the floor completely ignoring her, let her come to you - do not lift your hand to stroke, even when she clinmbs on you.... its a slow process... we've had rupert and tia 2yrs 8 months n only recently has she started letting us stroke her, and only a little bit... the vet trips are inevitable tho but because shes calmer and not forced every day or whatever, she doesn't stress too much.... lie on the floor to check her bum thats what we did :lol: If she's not got a bunny partner, get her one (hopefully a calmer more trusting one) she'll learn that her bunny pasrtner trusts you so she can too rupert is tia's opposite and she watches and learns that we're ok rupert trusts us

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I second this, fantastic advice

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Thank you thank you thank you!

I feel so much better having posted on here and heard from everybody!

I've recently discovered that my little madam quite enjoys snuggling up in MY bed. They're house bunnies and I couldn't find her anywhere only to discover her tucked up in bed. I went over to her and she remained there and let me stroke and I even received a few kisses from the little diva.

I'm really happy that it's not just my bunny that's a delinquent and don't worry she's not going anywhere!


Thanks again everybody