Not sure what to do with very nervous bunny

[Cat129]

Hi All

I have a 4 month old female called flopsy, we have had her for about a month now. I really dont know what to do as she is absolutly petrified of me and my partner, noise just about everything apart from our other bunny Bugz who she has bonded with.

I have tried sitting on the floor and letting her come to me in her own time but she just completly ignors me and sits at the furthest point from me. I have tried hand feeding her, really dont know what to try just get her to feel more secure.

I really dont understand beacuse our other bunny Bugz is absolutly fine comes up for cuddles, flops out next to me, all the lovely stuff.

Any ideas would be a great help as I dont want her to be scared when she doesnt need to be. Thank You

 

[thenamesJT]

:wave: Its only been recently that my male bun has started to come up to me. It takes time & patience im afraid!

I used to grab a book & a pillow & lie on the floor with him so he could get used to my smell & eventually come up to me. Its so lovely when they do venture up & sniff you, I was well chuffed!

 

[parsnipbun]

it may take months and months if she was not socialised as a young bun - I have one at the moment who is the same - am expecting him to take a year to get used to us as he was a year when he came into rescue.

 

[Cat129]

Thank you, guess I just wish there was a magic switch.

On another note, any ideas why they have randomly started humping again? They have been happily bonded for about a month now. No changes in daily life either.

 

[chelle]

aaaaw bless her...I hope she learns to not be too scared....I think it does take time sometimes...

Has she been spayed? She will be hormonal at 4months....
Has Bugz been neutered....?

Im sure youre aware but best to mention in case youre not - If neither have been neutered/spayed - they will need to be seperated right away...else she will most likely be pregnant.

If the have been neutered & spayed - they may still feel frisky now & then...as long as they dont annoy each other & no humping the wrong way round (in case if nippy incidents) it should be ok.....
:wave:

 

[Debster]

As the other replies - its just patience and time! I am fostering a nervous bunny, I've had her since the end of August and it is only in the last 2/3 weeks that she has let me stroke her and give her noserubs. A long wait of slowly building up trust, letting her sniff me without attempting to touch her, talking quietly to her, hand feeding her etc.

Does she have her own space where she can hide away and feel safe? If so I think its important it remains "hers" (theirs) and you don't intrude on that. Is it in an area that's quiet and not too bright?

Sitting with her is a good idea - maybe sit for a while with a book or magazine to pass the time? She will eventually come to you.

It really is just time, but when she finally starts to trust and bond with you, it is so, so worth it

Good luck :wave:

 

[Tracybeakerisland]

When I first had Doodee she was an absolute nightmare. She managed to very slowly overcome her thing about humans thanks to the magic of lots of cardboard boxes doted all over the room with peep-holes cut into them. That way she could wtach what we were doing without feeling over exposed. To be honest I left it to her to decide to come close to us and spoke to her a lot. I did not start trying to rub her head until after she had started nudging my foot.

I am sorry but with a timid bun or a bun who has for whatever reason learned to be scared of humans it will take a lot of time and a lot of patience.

 

[Biscuit's Mum!]

Badger, our rescue, still won't be touched or stroked. We have stopped trying as it is not worth upsetting the little chap. Some buns just won't accept that sort of affection.

Try lying on the floor, face down, with your hands tucked under your body. This is the way we invite Badger to come over and see us and he always accepts. It might be trial and error, but you need to find the signal, or the body language that says "come and see me: I won't touch you if you don't want". Any other position and Badger runs, still can only walk past without him scarpering about 50% of the time.

 

[needahaircut]

never stroked our rescued bun

Our rescued bun grew up in a glass cage at P@H at the back of the store for and as a result doesn't like humans at all. He still occasionally attacks us when we feed him (we presume the only previous contact he had with humans was when they fed him in store) but is getting more tolerant. We just take huge delight in watching him tear around the garden (at the moment he just loves the snow) and are not bothered about taming him, it just a joy to see him happy.

 

[prettylupin]

No magic switch i'm afraid. We've had our rescue bun Poppy for 2 1/2 years now and she still has huge human fear issues despite being a house bun and around us every day.

Lack of early socialisation or very early trauma can take months/years or even never be completely rectified, you have to take things at bunny's pace and accept their limitations and yours. They and you can still be very happy together. :wave: My advice is don't push it and lower your expectations so you will be less disappointed and more easily thrilled with tiny improvements.

 

[Bunny Magics]

Thankyou KarenM. Fabulous Link Thread!

Thankyou for creating such a great set of links for forum users to see.... " Behaviour and bonding, old useful links...." Fantastic...answers a lot of the questions we all have....4 years on from the time you created the link page, but, by goodness, it does a lot of good!!! Not so much anymore, but in the past my main worry has been with my young female dutch, Fern, and her inability to trust me, as yet. She is the little one on my avatar,. just showing herself, hiding behind her brother. I know why she is the way she is...undersocialised when young, poss dropped or...who knows . I know she adores me and I adore her, when we are ignoring each other, yet sharing the same space...like now, I'm on the garden door step writing this and she is sitting under my chair, if I were to move the 'party' would be over ..it is just so so good to have it reinforced and seconded, that we are not alone, that I am behaving far from wrong by not rushing her. Her brother, Forest, is more secure, but still nervous...they don't actually know what to do when I approach them...I think that is it, that they are actually way way more confused than we are..., and still only young living in a human world. Only this week has Forest shown signs of seeking attention and actually asking to be gently played with/slowly followed/play chased...after being with us for 6 months
I've had animals all my life, and every one teaches me a lot...these 2 Bunnies though, have shared so much with me, taken great risks in even considering to be with me( a human) because of their inherent nature, than many, and we've only known each other a little while. I know we will have a wonderful life, earning/sharing love and trust with other.
Great link page!!!!!!
Thankyou!