handling

[minirex2012]

Hi again

Just bought 2 mini rex rabbits, 2 males, owner said they are 5 months old and had always been handled until the past week or so.

They look fully grown, bit timid when you go to pick them up and try to get away. when you have them on your lap seperatley one is grinding his teeth a bit and when you stroke them they just freeze and dont move with their ears down.

When you stop stroking they eventually start to get up an have a sniff around.

I am keeping them indoors, I wanted friendly tame rabbits as I am introducing my 2.5 yr old daughter to them.

Just wanted your opions on their behaviour, do they sound like they have been handled much and what are the best ways to get them really friendly as dont want my daughter to get bitten.

thanks

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Since you didn't mention them struggling to get away once you had them, it sounds like they've been handled. Some are more timid than others and always will be. Next, it takes awhile for bunnies to get comfy in their environment and for you to gain their total trust. Once that comes, you will get to know your bunnies personalities and the fun truly begins. You need to work slowly with them and always in a calm manner and they will respond and open up. They will usually only bite if startled or frightened, since you didn't mention that behavior from them, I'm assuming that they aren't biters--some have drawn blood and left my flesh hanging. Good luck.

 

[agnesthelion]

I agree with larry that rabbits need some time to get acclimated in their new environment. Some people even advise against holding them or petting them for the first couple days they come home.

I would set up their cages where they can see you and smell you go about the house. When they are out of their cages....sitmdown on the floor and let them come up to you. Ignore them, in a sense, and let them explore you. Eventually they will trust you more and more.

If you are able to pick them up and they don't struggle then itnsounds as though they have been handled. But it should be said that generally rabbits aren't "snuggly". They don't like to be picked up, they just tolerate it. They don't really make good pets for children. But that's not to say kids can't enjoy them, but 2.5 might be a tough age. I have a 4 year old son. He has learned the rules with the rabbits and im very strict on them. He isn't allowed to pick them up, he can't chase them or be loud around them. He isn't allowed to be around them alone yet either.

Rabbits don't usually bite unless threatened. Some can be just plain mean, but not usually. Rabbits may nip to groom or get attention. Rabbits can also accidentally scratch picked up wrong or if they struggle to get away.

 

[missyscove]

I've been "training my rabbits to act like they love me" by hand feeding them the majority of their daily ration of pellets. they get about a third of their pellets in their bowl in the morning and the rest I hand feed them throughout the day. This gets them willingly coming out of their cage and up to me. Once they started getting used to me, I got my housemates in on the game and now they also feed them pellets when the buns come up to them. My next step will be working on some tricks.

 

[sarah92lynn]

^ I do that with my CoCoa! It's so funny I'll open her cage and she'll just jump right up on my lap and wait for pellets lol

---

It sounds like your rabbits are pretty friendly. Even if a rabbit is use to being handled, they will still be scared when a new person is picking them up and handling them. But it's good that you're doing it, keep it up! Like everyone said, once they get use to their new environment and new people they will be much more friendly. Just remember to get on their level and sit on the floor with them every once in a while.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[ZoeStevens]

I have only had my one bun for a few weeks but I found he got much more outgoing when I moved his cage (a large dog crate) into the living room. When I get home, I open the door and he goes in/out as he pleases. Whenever he gets bothered by something he hides BEHIND his cage, oddly enough. But he seems happy to be able to go in/out and spends most of his time out, with us.

He does not like to be picked up, however.

 

[ldoerr]

Something that has not been brought up but needs to be mentioned is the following. Unless BOTH males are neutered then they need to be housed in seporate cages. If their hormones have not come in yet they will be soon. If you want to bond them, get them fixed, wait a month for the hormones to dicepate and THEN work on bonding them.

 

[Imbrium]

minirex2012 wrote:

They look fully grown, bit timid when you go to pick them up and try to get away. when you have them on your lap seperatley one is grinding his teeth a bit and when you stroke them they just freeze and dont move with their ears down.

When you stop stroking they eventually start to get up an have a sniff around.

it's common for rabbits to try to get away when you go to pick them up no matter how well-socialized they are.

rabbits grind their teeth for two reasons - actual grinding when they're in pain and a sort of chittering noise they sometimes make while being pet, which is the bunny equivalent of purring. it's louder/harsher sounding in some rabbits than others, but the bottom line is that if you hear it when you're petting them, it's a happy noise

my lop can't put her ears back because of her breed, but my lionhead will put her ears back and press her body to the floor when being pet (sometimes also making the tooth noise).

it sounds like they really enjoy being pet once the "getting picked up" part is over with and I seriously doubt, based on the personalities you describe, that your rabbits would ever outright bite (with the intention of causing harm). however, even well socialized and happy bunnies can nip (much softer than a bite, would never draw blood and usually doesn't hurt but can startle a little) as a form of communication.

I've been nipped many times, always in situations where the nip is predictable/avoidable (or at least, avoidable for a little kid - sometimes mommy has to make the bunnies unhappy for their own good w/nail clips, grooming, syringe-feeding, etc.)...
~ when I was using a furminator on my (molting) lionhead to groom her, she decided 10 mins or so was enough and went around behind me and gave me a little nip on the bootie
~ when trying to syringe feed anise-flavored critical care to them when they didn't want to eat on their own after their spays (they HATE the anise flavor, it turns out), I'd get a nip on the hand/thumb if I gave them an opening
~ when I was holding someone and they decided they'd had enough petting and were ready to put down

basically, with ground rules of "no picking the bunny up" and "no holding the bunny when they're squirmy" so that the bunnies can always get away from her easily if she's doing something they don't like, nips should be easy for your daughter to avoid.