haggismonster
New Kit
Hi - I need some advice.
I bought my bunny from the SSPCA about a year ago. We had a flat at the time and eventually managed to get her litter trained after 3 months although she still continued to pee on the sofa every time she went on (territorial I presume?). She was quite affectionate and would let us pet her although she was always very aggressive when you went near her in her cage.
We moved house in August 06 and as we had a large garden we bought a new hutch for her and put her outside. As she was very territorial we stopped petting her as she wouldn't let you pick her up out of the cage and she ran away from you in the garden. In the winter we brought her back inside but kept her in the conservatory, which we don't use in winter as it has no lights and is a bit too cold for us to sit in.
Anyway we let her out once a day and she runs riot pooing everywhere, and peeing on the conservatory furniture which she also has ripped and nibbled. She doesn't use a litter tray anymore and she runs and hides when we go into the conservatory but I think she could still be friendly as the last time i sat down she jumped up on the sofa beside me and nudged me - the problem is that when we get back from work its too dark to sit in the conservatory to try and get her used to us again and my boyfriend won't let her in the rest of the house as she is too destructive. We have bought her toys and she has our three cats for company too (the kitten especially plays with her quite a lot) but she still continues to destroy everything that is in the same room as her.
Basically as it is now spring I wanted to put her outside again but I am worried that will totally destroy any remaining human contact she has with us. So I know don't know if it is better to try and give her to someone who could spend time with her or put her in the garden and maybe get her another rabbit so she has some company.
Can someone please give me some advice? I don't want to get rid of her - I see too many ads for unwanted bunnies everywhere but I just have no idea of how to get her used to human contact if she can't come into the living area of our house........ And every time I read about other peoples rabbits they talk of how friendly and house trained they are!
Also if i do put her outside/give her a playmate then the problem will be two rabbits that are not used to human contact!
All advice welcomed!
I bought my bunny from the SSPCA about a year ago. We had a flat at the time and eventually managed to get her litter trained after 3 months although she still continued to pee on the sofa every time she went on (territorial I presume?). She was quite affectionate and would let us pet her although she was always very aggressive when you went near her in her cage.
We moved house in August 06 and as we had a large garden we bought a new hutch for her and put her outside. As she was very territorial we stopped petting her as she wouldn't let you pick her up out of the cage and she ran away from you in the garden. In the winter we brought her back inside but kept her in the conservatory, which we don't use in winter as it has no lights and is a bit too cold for us to sit in.
Anyway we let her out once a day and she runs riot pooing everywhere, and peeing on the conservatory furniture which she also has ripped and nibbled. She doesn't use a litter tray anymore and she runs and hides when we go into the conservatory but I think she could still be friendly as the last time i sat down she jumped up on the sofa beside me and nudged me - the problem is that when we get back from work its too dark to sit in the conservatory to try and get her used to us again and my boyfriend won't let her in the rest of the house as she is too destructive. We have bought her toys and she has our three cats for company too (the kitten especially plays with her quite a lot) but she still continues to destroy everything that is in the same room as her.
Basically as it is now spring I wanted to put her outside again but I am worried that will totally destroy any remaining human contact she has with us. So I know don't know if it is better to try and give her to someone who could spend time with her or put her in the garden and maybe get her another rabbit so she has some company.
Can someone please give me some advice? I don't want to get rid of her - I see too many ads for unwanted bunnies everywhere but I just have no idea of how to get her used to human contact if she can't come into the living area of our house........ And every time I read about other peoples rabbits they talk of how friendly and house trained they are!
Also if i do put her outside/give her a playmate then the problem will be two rabbits that are not used to human contact!
All advice welcomed!