• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Picking up my baby rabbits.

Rabbitnovice

Young Bun
Hi, my new rabbits are nearly 9 weeks old. We picked them up on Monday and have pretty much been leaving them to settle. We go and chat to them and they will come and nibble the kids socks and jeans and generally seem happy to hop around us. The problem is if we give them a little stroke they seem to hate it (so we've stopped trying really). They go and hide if we touch them at all, although they're happy to sniff at our hands.
I just wonder whether it's best to start picking them up and stroking them to get them used to it or whether to continue as we are. We have an outside cage and run for them but I haven't put them out there yet as I don't want to frighten them. Should I just go for it?
 
Hello! They sound like a lovely pair of bunnies. :D

I would continue as you are, let them come to you not you go to them. They sound inquisitive and interested but they're still in the settling stage, they will gain confidence with time :)

Not many rabbits like being picked up, being prey animals and all. So this will most likely be something they will dislike and as they're still new and settling down, I would personally not do it. My Binky (had for almost 5 years now, time flies!) still will not let me stroke her unless it's completely on her terms, and I've come to accept that and ignore her grunts and thumps when she's having an off day :lol:

Keep doing what you're doing, sounds like a wonderful way to introduce them into the family x
 
Our (not-so) little Monty is only a few months old, so a stage further on than your bunnies but not much more. He, too, won't be picked up/petted from above/stroked for very long. We've found that the best way of interacting is to get down on the floor to his level and let him come to us - he has a different preference for each of us, but he seems quite happy to approach if he wants to play. (With my partner, he will go around licking any exposed skin whatsoever, and chewing at clothes if there isn't as much skin to groom as he thinks there should be; with me, if I lie on my front, he'll climb up and sit quite happily on my back - he also eats my hair/book if I don't pay enough attention, and likes to come and nose bump sometimes). I was going to say that while they might get better as they get more used to you, you may never be able to stroke/cuddle except on their terms (we still can't with Monty) - but as I started typing, Monty did something fantastically new and exciting for the first time ever, so perhaps after a few months you might be allowed more cuddles after all!
 
Thanks for replying. Both rabbits (with the bribery of a dandelion each) have let us stroke them today which was great. We kind of want them to go in their outside run but I don't want to frighten them. What fabulous thing did Monty do?? :p
 
I'm glad the dandelions worked! Hopefully they mark the start of many lovely cuddling sessions together :)

Monty has for three months steadfastly refused to leave the living room, all inducement to the contrary aside. But today, I looked up from my work and found a little rabbit peeking at me around my desk. I am not getting much work done today - every five minutes I have to get up and chivvy him away from something he oughtn't to be eating (having not Monty-proofed these rooms as he was uninterested) but despite his usual reluctance to cuddle, he has spent several minutes at a time sat on my feet exploring under the desk. Work is much nicer with a warm ball of fluff and twitching whiskers to help! :D
 
Back
Top