I don't know if this would work for bunnies, but Derek, the most terrified guinea pig in the world when I got him 18 months ago, will now stand still when I open his hutch, allow me to stroke his head, and not move when I pick him up, bless him - he's sooooooo adorable!
I have rarely handled Derek, just once a fortnight when I clean his indoor hutch (it's huge, he has clean habits, it's fine!) When he realised I wasn't going to pick him up, he relaxed a bit - feeling safe in his hutch. He was a nervous wreck in a cage, even with a hidey box - just too insecure for him - He loves his hutch so much!
Slowly over the months, the mad dash for the bedroom became a nervous scuttle, then a peep around the side of the bedroom, before he finally realised that, unless it was feeding time, I'd leave him in peace.
Ulp!
As he stopped running, I got the chance to 'sweet talk' him - not hard since I luuuurved him - being the biggest of my piggies it seemed comical that he was so timid - my gentle giant
I used my best 'diddy widdy diddums' voice (you know! :lol: ) and he liked it! Over the months he came closer to the wire, and if I was standing with my back to him, seeing to another piggy, he'd wait patiently, shuffling his feet, gulping nervously, looking all hopeful and timid, for his lurve talk in the morning - awww he's so cute!
Took a while though :roll: I'm now spending a year taming Lulu the same way - she's so terrified when I groom her, she plays dead
I have rarely handled Derek, just once a fortnight when I clean his indoor hutch (it's huge, he has clean habits, it's fine!) When he realised I wasn't going to pick him up, he relaxed a bit - feeling safe in his hutch. He was a nervous wreck in a cage, even with a hidey box - just too insecure for him - He loves his hutch so much!
Slowly over the months, the mad dash for the bedroom became a nervous scuttle, then a peep around the side of the bedroom, before he finally realised that, unless it was feeding time, I'd leave him in peace.
Ulp!
As he stopped running, I got the chance to 'sweet talk' him - not hard since I luuuurved him - being the biggest of my piggies it seemed comical that he was so timid - my gentle giant
I used my best 'diddy widdy diddums' voice (you know! :lol: ) and he liked it! Over the months he came closer to the wire, and if I was standing with my back to him, seeing to another piggy, he'd wait patiently, shuffling his feet, gulping nervously, looking all hopeful and timid, for his lurve talk in the morning - awww he's so cute!
Took a while though :roll: I'm now spending a year taming Lulu the same way - she's so terrified when I groom her, she plays dead