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Handling... what do you do or did you do with nervous buns?

peediepixie

Mama Doe
Hi all. I am just wondering what you all do or did to bring nervous buns out of their shells and build up their confidence. I am currently visiting Eddie and Elsa a couple of times a day and taking them goodies like dandylion leaves and parsely etc so they can associate me with good things. I am not picking them up or stroking them as they don't like this and run away if I put my hand towards them. For now I am happy that they will take the leaves etc from my hand albeit from the safety of the hutch when my hand is sticking the door and they are inside. Does this sound ok or should I be handling them daily... I don't want to scare them away :?
 
I'd say dont handle them, Continue what your doing. Sounds like its going well, and if it goes at this speed, this time next year you'll have perfect bunsters!! If you try and handle them, they'll think every time you go out to them that you'll try, so will stay away. Your doing Great :D :D xx
 
My 3 from Dewsbury were like this. I will have had them a year I think around July time. They now run up to me in the run and come when called and eat happily out of my hands. Even taking currents from my fingers. They still don't like to be picked up but I have trained them to get in and out of their pet carrier to transport them to and from the garden.

Over winter they lived in doors, in the spare room and would confidently run around my feet then ever I went in. Cleaning out the litter boxes and the dog crates was always a joint effort, buns are so nosey.

It just takes a bit of time.

Rabswood
 
Gypsy was very nervous when I first rescued her. I don't think she had any human contact at all and she used to run away from my hand if I tried to feed or stroke her. I couldn't even walk passed her without her going into a panic! :shock:
Gypsy has always been free range, so I used to sit in the room very very still for hours!. It helped that my old bunny Bilbo used to be there as he always came to me for treats and strokes. Gypsy evenchally got curious and followed Bilbo to sniff me. She would still run away if I moved for a while. One day I just sat on the floor with rabbit food all over me so Gypsy could come and nibble it! :lol: :lol: It took time but she evenchally got brave :D .
I think rabbits are naturally curious, if you sit still around them for long enough they will come and see you. you just have to be very paitent.
Gypsy now sleeps on my bed next to me! :D but she still has her moments. She is very sensitive and doesn't like strange noises, smells, sudden movments, weird shadows! or thunderstorms.
 
Sitting or laying down with them helps a lot! I would sit down with a newspaper or just lay on the floor. Eventually they would work up the courage to check me out because the paper looked yummy and people lying down are irresistable. You become the same height as them, more or less, and therefore less threatening. You can put toys and a few treats around you to lure them too. Once they get used to playing around or even on you (I am a bunny jungle gym), you can start trying to pet them a little. I make sure that there's plenty of open space for them to get away from me and I pause a little between strokes. That helped a lot with Fey in particular, because if she felt remotely expected to stay she got more scared.
 
Thanks for all that. Sounds like I am going along the right lines so thats a relief. If I sit down in the run wih them they come over and sniff my feet etc but if I move they're gone :lol: I hope they'll gradually come to realise that I am the one who brings them food, changes their water and cleans their hutch. I am honestly safe :lol:
 
When I first got my buns they didn't like being handled, but I followed this route which I've put into handy bullet points! :lol:
1) Spend time feeding them without handling them untill they will happily sit beside you.

2) start to stroke them while feeding them, at first this may be a quick neck rub but soon your rabbits will get used to it and can be stroked all over.

3) start to stroke them without feeding them, for this I spent alot of time with my buns on the floor gaining their trust and only stroking them when they came up to me.

4) start to sit them on your knee using treats again so they hop up on their own.

5) start to pick up your rabbit. At first only for a few seconds, holding the bunny near your body so s/he feels safe and keep them near the ground. Over time slowly increase this until they will be happily picked up and held. (this is optional as some people don't pick up their rabbit but I find it more usefull and less stressful for the rabbits when they need to be given medicines etc)
 
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