Need a little advice ..

[Helenmarie85]

As most know we have two Bunnies, Rosie .. who is a lovely, lovely little lady, super friendly, loves cuddles and comes to you, licks you to death (swear she thinks shes a dog!) .. but Buster .. our male is the opposite .. he will come to you if you have something tasty and is happy to sit there to munch it while you hold it. But as soon as you go to stroke him hes off. So this is making it difficult for me to catch him outside the hutch. Today they have spent all day in the sun, on the grass in a big run we have bought. Rosie i let out the run and she hopped across the grass to the hutch (it was food time) ... Buster I knew if I let him out the run he would be near impossible to catch to get back in the hutch for the night. So I left him shut in the run so I could get in to get him. It took me quite some time to get him. Poor thing ended up squealing .. I'd never heard a rabbit squeal. I don't think I hurt him because I quickly put him down when he squealed. I think he was just scared by me trying to catch him poor thing. Also after I put him down he was hopping about as normal. I did then manage to get him but only because I think he was scared and froze to the spot I scooped him up and held him for a bit stroking him calmly and rubbing his nose and behind the ears. I think he did relax a little bit. I feel so bad he squealed. I have been to check on him several times and hes hopping about as normal, eating as normal etc so he appears to fine.
Is there anyway that I can make catching him to get him back in the hutch less traumatic for him. He has been like this since before we had him at 8/9 weeks. He was always the skittish one in the litter.

 

[MiniAndrew]

If you can, bring him into enclosed area lie down with a treat (that you know he loves) near you, he might come to you a bit. Once you are on his ground level, you wouldn't look so big to him. Andrew used to only come to me when I was lying on the floor, now he knows me and will run up to me if I'm on the floor or not. (Hope this helps!)

 

[Helenmarie85]

Thank you. I was kind of his level. But not led down. But I guess thats still towering over him.

 

[Horace the Bold]

Would it be possible to entice him in to a carry case and transport him to the hutch in that?

 

[Helenmarie85]

Ahh thats an idea also!! I didn't think of that!!

 

[tonibun]

The best way to get him to go into the hutch is with food - can he go from run to hutch on his own?

 

[Helenmarie85]

The best way to get him to go into the hutch is with food - can he go from run to hutch on his own?

If I let him out the run he will bolt round the garden .. going no where near the hutch He is near impossible to get anywhere near his hutch without trying to catch him, which I don't really like doing because its so traumatic .. but at the moment theres no other way. Its getting to the point I don't want to let him out because its such a faff getting him back in! Will be much easier once we have a new hutch and attach a run!!