Ok so i have a 4 month old lionhead cross. He has a decent size cage, and lots of days and plenty of play time. But all he does when he is in his cage is sit on the side and just watch everything. I feel so bad, but he has tons of toys, newspapers, things he can jump on. All he seems to like to do is sit and ring a stupid bell!! I try and bond with him, but he is extremely shy and it takes forever for me to pick him up so he can go in the play room. Any tipss???? THANK YOUUU
Bored bunny!!
- Thread starter Fribzz
- Start date
Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
First, I would try bonding with him in an area where you don't need to pick him up. Some bunnies really hate this and doing it every day is not a good way to build their trust. I know my own bun won't come close to me for a day or two after I pick him up. When you're bonding, just sit quietly and ignore him while he checks you out. He'll learn that you're not going to reach out and grab him and eventually will be able to take treats from you or let you pet him. Shy bunnies sometimes need months of this quiet bonding time, so just be very patient with him and take baby steps. He won't turn around and be a super friendly bunny in a few days, but with patience I think you'll be able to develop a real bond with him.
Otherwise, his behavior sounds fairly normal. Some buns are just more subdued than others and will lay around most of the day. I think as he settles in he'll start to be more curious and play more, but he may just be a bunny who is never interested in toys. Just keep trying new toys, but don't be too upset if he doesn't like them - that's just the way bunnies are ;-)
Otherwise, his behavior sounds fairly normal. Some buns are just more subdued than others and will lay around most of the day. I think as he settles in he'll start to be more curious and play more, but he may just be a bunny who is never interested in toys. Just keep trying new toys, but don't be too upset if he doesn't like them - that's just the way bunnies are ;-)
Thank you!! If you couldnt tell im new to this rabbit world! i love it so far! But thank you. The only reason i do pick him up is to move him from his cage to playpen, but ill figure out someway to scoot his lil butt over there!! Thank you again!!
tamsin
Well-Known Member
Wild rabbits spend 70-80% of the day eating so if you want to keep him occupied that tends to be the area you need to look at. Don't put all his food in a neat little pile in exactly the same place every day. Make him look for it, if he has to climb, dig and stretch to get it even better 
You'll soon have him a bit more active
You'll soon have him a bit more active
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
Good luck with him. My bun is also my first, and he started out very shy, so I know how hard it can be when you're a new bunny owner and not sure what to do. It took 6 months for me to be able to pet him for long periods of time - before that he just hopped away whenever I tried. It can be a long road, but it's worth it! My guy will never be the most outgoing bunny, but our bond has grown so much in the last year. Bunnies respond really well to people who are willing to take the time with them and I have every expectation that your little guy will come out of his shell more and more.
Rabbit Hero
Well-Known Member
When I first got my bun and he was still living in a cage I would pick him up for his play time as well. But he hated that. Instead I made a ramp that allowed my rabbit to get in and out of his cage on his own. After that, the bonding process began!
juliew19673
Well-Known Member
I have a similiar story - my bun was my first and I thought he would love to cuddle me - but it took ALONG time before I every got a bunny kiss and this happened as I finally just realized that I could just sit with him while he romped about (grab a laptop, magazine, portable gaming devivce to entertain you) so that your in his "world" but not trying to pick him up, just you being there tells them your "interested" in what they do. then Finally mine, started to trust me and came over to cuddle. He still does not like to be picked up or sit on my lap, but does love to sit next to me and get nose rubs - he always ends the cuddle with a good "bunny bath" I call it where he grooms me back..
Also, laying on the floor with them is good as then your at their level, and he/she might start to jump all over you and check you out. Its all about the buns world view and not yours - lol.
Also, laying on the floor with them is good as then your at their level, and he/she might start to jump all over you and check you out. Its all about the buns world view and not yours - lol.
Your bunny sounds like mine
My Solara was real shy at first but just let your bun explore. He'll come to you in time, and trust me, you'll bond Solara and I bonded after a week or two, and she licks me and eats from only my hands and lies there while i stroke her now.
He'll warm up to you
I wonder the same thing about Solara though. She doesn't play with toys almost at ALL. And she lies around a lot. (she has like 4 cat balls, 1 big wicker ball, lots of sticks, a carrot thing, toys that hang from the side of her pen and cage, a box, safe pinecones, and a tube thing!
I think our buns are just more lied back XD
Though, for me, I'm thinking of getting Solara another bunny to keep her company. But I still have to find out more information about bonding and having two bunnies
My Solara was real shy at first but just let your bun explore. He'll come to you in time, and trust me, you'll bond
Solara and I bonded after a week or two, and she licks me and eats from only my hands and lies there while i stroke her now.He'll warm up to you
I wonder the same thing about Solara though. She doesn't play with toys almost at ALL. And she lies around a lot. (she has like 4 cat balls, 1 big wicker ball, lots of sticks, a carrot thing, toys that hang from the side of her pen and cage, a box, safe pinecones, and a tube thing!
I think our buns are just more lied back XD
Though, for me, I'm thinking of getting Solara another bunny to keep her company. But I still have to find out more information about bonding and having two bunnies
juliew19673
Well-Known Member
Yield wrote:
LOL!mine will act "pissy" and I'll go out and spend all sorts of money to find him that 1 toy that he can't live with out, and then he will act like he does not love ANYTHING he is not sure of, but have bought many "rabbit toys" - he's not interested so be it a cardboard box, bag, being allowed to "explore" under the sheets of the bed; anything that is not allowed or something they never expected seems to be the best "Toy" in my buns world.
Love that Buns make you "Think Outside The Box" for their play items - their curious animals - and can get bored very quick... I think Buns are constantly pressing you to move forward "with their lives".. Its hard to be a Bunny Parent.
Best of luck and post back what you figure out - curious to see what "IT" is. lol
Gi
LOL!mine will act "pissy" and I'll go out and spend all sorts of money to find him that 1 toy that he can't live with out, and then he will act like he does not love ANYTHING he is not sure of, but have bought many "rabbit toys" - he's not interested so be it a cardboard box, bag, being allowed to "explore" under the sheets of the bed; anything that is not allowed or something they never expected seems to be the best "Toy" in my buns world.
Love that Buns make you "Think Outside The Box" for their play items - their curious animals - and can get bored very quick... I think Buns are constantly pressing you to move forward "with their lives".. Its hard to be a Bunny Parent.
Best of luck and post back what you figure out - curious to see what "IT" is. lol
Niomi
Well-Known Member
I bought a toy that my rabbits love. I got it on the internet. It is called "Slimcat". It is a ball with holes in it, and the holes can be adjusted. You can put your rabbit's pellets inside the ball. The rabbit(or cat) has to push the ball around for their food to drop out. It slows down their eating and makes it more interesting.
