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Help-I may end up with a hutch bunny [long]

fenchurch

Warren Scout
I have a young dwarf lop, Earnest. He's totally unafraid of us but not that interested, its pretty much 'Hi! oh your not interesting, lets go eat something.' We are about as interesting as the furniture.

and I do bribe and pat him but he tolerates being patted, doesn't like it.

Q1. Will this change, as he is young and not desexed yet? or do we just have an unsociable rabbit.


The real probem is that he hates being picked up. he was never handled as a young rabbit, although he was well care for and talked to [thus the lack of fear] but i CAN'T pick him up. he freaks. i can't gradually accomodate him to it because he doesn't enjoy being patted and I have to actually grab him quickly and securely [and safely of course] or he struggles and gets away. which I think is counterproductive.

THis is a real problem as he was intended to be an inside/outside rabbit as we don't have the space inside to give him a large cage. He in inside at the moment in small cage and is out for most of the day, but this is impossible in the long run as we also have a budgie and they can't be let out at the same time as the budge hassels Earnest, which we did NOT expect, and presently the budgie isn't getting enough time out of HIS cage.

so

Q2. Do i have any chance or getting Earnest to accept being picked up? If i persist will he just freak and become terrified of me? whenever i have had to pick him up he's been shy around me for a day.

This is is real problem, I'm worried that if he can't be handled he may eventually become a hutch bunny. Which is not something I'm confortable with. I'd prefer it if he didn't particularly like me but could be brought inside.

Would it help if my only my partner picked him up at first? so he would be the scary one
 
hi there rabbits are PREY animals so even the friendliest of rabbits dont like being picked up or handled. this wont changed much some tolerate and i mean tolerate being handled and picked up better than others but most do not like it!

please explain why the bunny needs to be picked up? this is one of the big reasons we on the forum say rabbits are not for childfen as rabbits are more spectator animals.

i would say sit quitely in a room and let the bunny explore you and the bunny will become more trusting of you but no it will never enjoy being picked up!

Eve x
 
I only pick quinn and rosie up if i have to ie to get out of cages and go back in - admittedly i pick rosie up a bit more because shes a little softie at the moment and doesnt mind so much but quinn really doesnt like it much

I find they struggle less if you keep them away from the ground, ie keep them high up against your chest they try and jump if they can see the floor or sofa or something to jump onto

I have to say that just persevering with quinn as helped LOADS and generally being confident when doing it rather than being scared of him biting or scratching me

When you go to catch him how much room he does he have? the more room he has to run away the harder he will be to catch
 
We planned on building Earnest a large outdoor hutch and bringing him inside, since we don't have room for a large hutch inside.

This wasn't essential, the back up plan was just to have a small [ish, don't worry] hutch and let him largly roam free in the [rabbit proof] loungeroom.

The unforseen problem is our very beloved bugdie [Ollie] thinks Earnest is a large toy and wants to sit on him/eat his eye lashes and tail etc. they are not compatable and if the rabbit is going to live inside he would have to be out too much to give the bugdie enough time out of HIS cage.

I can't neglect Ollie's freetime for Earnest's and the only way to give Earnest enough space of his own is an outdoor hutch, but if I can't handle him he wouldn't be able to come inside. If that happens I'll get him a MASSIVE hutch and a girlfriend, but I don't want it to end like this, he's adorable. I don't mind him doing his own thing, its just the budgie.

It's frustrating, I did loads of rabbit research, I didn't expect an animated soft toy, but nowhere did I read about dive-bombing budgies!
 
lol, don't know if my elaboration was really neccessary.

I'm planning on picking him up out of his hutch, letting him calm, maybe covering his eyes?-read somewhere that helps, while sitting on the ground, then relaxing my hold so he can get down of his own accord.

I don't need him to ENJOY it, just stop having a major freak out.

Its strictly for practical purposes.
 
My two outdoor bunnies do not enjoy being picked up, and I know how you feel about taking the gently, gently aproach, but then you have to pick them up and it all goes out the window. I try to do a healthcheck on mine once a week, which means giving them a big cuddle, but only I enjoy it! :oops:
If he's really not a people bunny, why not keep him outside and get him bunny friend. That way he has company and two bunnies are really not any more work than one.
 
if we get a bun in who realy hates being picked up we shoo him into a pet carrier for moving them about . saves on stress :wink:
 
My rabs don't like being picked up either, I only do it when it's absolutely essential.

To transport them to the garden I use a pet carrier and the phrase ''in your box'' which I say several times in a slightly higher pitched voice than my normal speaking voice.

Pippin responed to this very quickly and gets in. Oxo needs a little encouragement (have to keep moving the carrier up to him) Lavender (whose a very dominant little rab) has to be chased around with it in the garden (because she wants to stay out) but eventually will go into it very calmly. Iv'e found rabs to be very clever. You might try using a carrier, I'm sure he will eventually get use to it.

Blossom my latest rab isn't as interested in things u nlike the Rabsville 3 who have been given a lot of stimulation. Blossom is starting to learn that boxes are for playing in etc. I don't think that in her previous home, before she went to the recue, she was given much stimulation.

Rabswood
 
Our bus hate being picked up, we have taught them to come to the sound of their treat box rattling, so if we need them to away or in their box we just rattle it and then give them a small treat as a reward.

We avoid picking them up at all costs as it is too stressful for everyone, the only time we do is to trim their nails and check them over once in a while but they always get a big treat after
 
Lanny said:
Our bus hate being picked up, we have taught them to come to the sound of their treat box rattling, so if we need them to away or in their box we just rattle it and then give them a small treat as a reward.

:shock: :shock: :shock: suprised you can pick it up :shock: :lol: :lol:
 
:lol: :lol: :lol: Oh I thought this was a forum about our pet buses! I realise I was wrong and will go and find the correct forum :lol: :lol:
 
Lanny said:
:lol: :lol: :lol: Oh I thought this was a forum about our pet buses! I realise I was wrong and will go and find the correct forum :lol: :lol:


thats right tbe gone and save some dumped unwanted/got bored of by the kids bus! :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
:lol: Help some one has dumped an orphan bus on my doorstep, what do I do!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Lanny said:
:lol: Help some one has dumped an orphan bus on my doorstep, what do I do!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Well firstly i would buy it some diesel to drink lol
 
Fidget doesn't particularly like the process of being lifted, but loves a cuddle once you've got her. You have to be firm and confident though...At first I was afraid of squishing them, but it's better to have a good, firm grip than to have them falling our of your hands like a bar of soap! Daisy really dislikes being picked up, sometimes as soon as she feels hands on her sides she's off like a flash! The trick with her is to pick her up very quickly and firmly, hold her tightly and put her where she needs to be in a very short space of time. When I successfully manage to do this she doesn't seem to hate me as much as when we have a fuss :lol: . I'm not a huge expert but when it's necessary to pick them up, confidence is key. But if it stresses everyone out too much, the carrier is a good idea. Maybe you can train them to go in it. At the moment, the only "command" my two recognise is the shaking of their pellets in the bowl. Maybe if you use something positive (foooooood) to entice him into the carrier, he'll come to associate you and the carrier with the food, and the transportation process will be much easier!
 
I know this is a late update but just to report a happy ending....

We've COMPLETELY given up on picking Earnest up, instead have given him free range of hall and bathroom. He still has a hutch but is hardly ever in it and I think we're actually going to get rid of it - he sleeps in his carrier which he adores.

I am planning on building a hutch but its going to go in the laundry so he can just run straight into the house. The hutch is mainly because ...... We're getting him a girlfriend!!!! I'm going down to the shelter tomorrow to meet the bunnies and give them a hand and will take Earnest down later to see who he likes.

Since giving up on handling him he has gotten very very friendly and is currently lying next to me demanding pats - my arm is cramping! :D :D
 
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