Behaviour: how to grow mutual trust?

[Catlyn]

My small boy lop just can't get used to me. I know he hasn't been with me for a long time, and his personality is completely different to that of late Musti's. (He was so easy to bond to i didn't even need to look at the tips that time)
He is a timid/feisty small growing boy weighing just under 3kg (3.5 month old french lop) that doesn't like anything that has to do with him being touched.

I cannot pet him without him pulling away, same with grooming, so i try to limit it for now. He won't let me hold him even for a moment when i need to clean his floor from all the misplaced poops. He will not take any treats from me. He is also fussy about his pellets, won't even touch them. I gave him cucumber and he tried to toss it away. I tried to get him from his playtime area back to his resting area and he nipped me. He won't stay still and he won't let me clean his eyes. He won't let me look at his sharp sharp nails. Forget about checking his teeth. He won't let me do any interaction without kicking and fighting back.

I gave him enough space as i sat in the same room as him, he has a place that i won't follow him to. He has hay grass and snacks laying around the space. He will nibble it only when i'm not close. I let him dig there as he can't dig out. I didn't touch him that whole time unless he came to nudge me. I spent 4 hrs today letting him loose there, reading him a book out loud so that he'd get used to my voice. I also sat on the floor and he wouldn't come near me most of the time. He fought back when i gently tried to pick him up the right way and he'd keep hopping out and tossing. I didn't want to risk hurting him even more so i had to lift him up the wrong way.

I will continue just sharing a space, reading a book and offering treats to him and see when he'll be okay with me petting or grooming him.

Other than that, all tips and tricks are very much welcome! I just cannot wait for the time that i can interact with him peacefully!

 

[Remy The Rabbit]

My rabbit isn't very closesly bonded with me too. He is okay with grooming, apart from nails. He has warmed up to me quite a bit, and I'm still working with him. I learned the Remy just doesn't like to be picked up. Some rabbits do, others don't. I don't pick him up anymore, because he becomes scared of me and it just drives us apart, not to mention he kicks and flails and squirms. I would just experiment with different fruits. You may find he goes crazy for an apple, or something else. If he likes something, he should come to you to get it. Eventually, he'll feel comfortable around you. That's how my rabbit came close to me. However, if that doesn't work, just keep doing what you are doing. Your rabbit knows you're there, and he will, one day, want to explore more.

 

[Catlyn]

Thank you for the tip! Sure, he is frankly extremely timid and fights every interaction he can. But still, as all people are different, each rabbit is too, so i can't go comparing him with how friendly and accepting Musti was on day 3 with us interacting with and picking him up. He really was a sweetheart, a curious adventurous speedy digger who bumped me for attention on day 5 and allowed petting on day 2, he'd even lay down for it. I guess Little boy is just not as friendly with humans as Musti was.

 

[Remy The Rabbit]

Yes, he may just need more time to get used to you. Musti sounded like an amazing rabbit. You never know, maybe your rabbit will be just as affectionate as Musti one day!

 

[Catlyn]

I sure hope so! Because when we will move again in autumn, he'll be an indoor "hare" so i'd like if we can build enough trust that he won't go ham on my bed and break it apart.

I get that him trusting me will be a matter of him, his feelings, my tactics and my efforts, but what about me trusting him? How can i learn to trust him that he won't go whack on me and bite me or run away when he's outside? How would i trust him to litter in the right place when he needs to? I guess trusting that he'll love me will be just looking out for the signs of rabbit love. I hope he'll one day nudge my chin up as i hold him in my arms.... that'd be my ultimate bonding goal. Albeit i must admit that it'll likely take more than a month (time taken for Musti to act that way) as he's more awkward and untrusty than Musti was.
(Again, comparing, a bad thing, but i can't help it if the swap happened so recently)

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

I bonded with Oreo by laying on the floor with banana on me and letting Oreo come to me. Musti lived an amazing life.

 

[Catlyn]

I tried laying still on the floor with grass all over me and the best he did? He nudged my slippers.
No, he didn't come close to me, he just zoomed around me and the best he did was poking my slippers. Good luck with our mutual bond then!

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

Aww... he just might be stubborn

 

[Catlyn]

And what might fix stubbornness?

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

I don't really think you could fix it you just might have to give hime time.

 

[Catlyn]

All right, will try!

 

[Hermelin]

Sorry for your loss of Musti. For your new bunny use protective clothes when handling and take it slowly with your bond.

Carry pellets on you all the time and just let him explore you. Let him eat from your hand or at least near you, depends on how far he can go to feel safe around you. Then just slowly build up from there, it can take time. My own bunny Toste weren’t easy to bond with but he accepts petting know from both my parents. I’m the only one that was bitten by him for a year, it was nearly every day he would attack me the first year. But it became better later on and he became a docile bunny, he still need a bit of work and have never bitten me again. Latest was just a light nip from him while he was a bit over the top annoying bunny a few days ago and I wanted to move him

I only introduced him to the family when I trusted he wouldn’t bite me.

I often say that small baby steps, positive reinforcement with treats and taking it in your bunnies tempo will take you far. You can use pellets as treats for your bunny and later on veggies can be treats.

 

[Catlyn]

Thank you! I will have to work around his pickiness, stubbornness, i don't know what? He won't eat the pellets we have although he ate the ones that the breeder had. Is it just his issue?

 

[Catlyn]

I have sorrel dock at home, is it safe for him to eat if he will eat it?

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

Some websites say its poisiones some say its fine so I say don't feed it and be safe.

 

[Catlyn]

I saw @Preitler Commenting on the same question in another forum and he mentioned about it having oxalic acid in it? Personally i would think that one leaf wouldn't hurt if it's a single one and he'll take it, but i'll stay out of that just in case.
What about pineapple though? I read it's good for digestion and as a treat in small amounts but with him being 3.5 months old is it maybe too early?

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

I think its a little too early. Maybe wait untill 4 months.

 

[Blue eyes]

Remember, if he's just 3.5 months, there may be some hormonal influence too to his behavior. Grumpiness and general standoff-ishness can be caused by hormones. This can be a difficult age to do anything with a rabbit. After he's fixed and healed, he may be a totally different rabbit.

 

[Catlyn]

Yeh he may be so. Maybe he'll stop peeing on his hideout roof. When would be the best age to get him fixed?

 

[Remy The Rabbit]

6-7 months, I'd say. It's up to you, though.