Alliscat
Well-Known Member
He hides under the bed most of the day and isn't very playful I am trying so hard to get him comfortable with me but I feel he hates me
Hello I have a 2 year old bunnie I just adopted a week ago and dosent seem happy
- Thread starter Alliscat
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Some bunnies take time to build up trust and a bond towards their human.
Just have patience, try to lure him with food and spend time with him. For some bunnies it can take months for them to open up and accept.
So don’t think he hates you, it’s just he have not built up the trust and security around you yet.
My bunny Toste took a year to build his trust but he’s still an extreme skittish bunny, that easily get scared and hide in the shoe shelf.
Just have patience, try to lure him with food and spend time with him. For some bunnies it can take months for them to open up and accept.
So don’t think he hates you, it’s just he have not built up the trust and security around you yet.
My bunny Toste took a year to build his trust but he’s still an extreme skittish bunny, that easily get scared and hide in the shoe shelf.
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
Thank you I will do that
Bonding helps laying on your belly playing on your phone works miaricles. They learn that you are not a threat then bunnies are naturally curious and want to explore and see what you are soon they will get closer and closer thats when you can continue to look at your phone but feed them like spinich or apple then they accosiate you with food my bunnie would come up and nudge me after a month of doing this now I can hold her pet her and mess around un her pen I got her from a breeder who did a horrible job of socialising her she would attack me if I went anywhere near her. Just give your bunny some time. Hope everything gowles well
Hi, can you post some photo of his setup? Does he have a cage or his own little place to feel safe?
When you bring a new rabbit home it is best if you have a cage or a small area covered with a blanket or something so he can feel safe there and leave him covered for 24-48 hours in there with his hay, food, water and toilet, do not disturb just let him be, just come say twice a day to give some hay/food/water and say hello, try not to be invasive, well it depends on a rabbit, if he wants you to pet him you can do that but don't be invasive.
After a day or two you can uncover his cage and spend some time sitting or laying next to him with the door open or closed, depending if he is feeling safer with the door closed it's fine. Don't talk to him too much don't try to take him out, just sit or lay on the floor next to the cage and do something like read a book or play music don't look at him, let him study you so he can see you're not a predator just also living there and not trying to approach him.
After a couple days, maybe a week or so he will feel more comfortable in his small place you can keep his door open for a couple hours a day so he can come out and explore, again, don't try to take him out just sit there next to him and do something on your own, let him study you and when he feels safe he will approach you.
As others said, you can have something to give him when he's coming to you so he will know that he gets something when he comes to you, I don't use food only words and pets, but you will see what works best for you building relationship with your rabbit.
From what you said I think you just expected him to be playful and brave from day one and he doesn't have his own place to hide and maybe you are trying to approach him too much he's hiding because it's a new place for him and you are trying to get him he doesn't know why.
Just start from giving him a small place so he can use it as his home base and he knows it is safe and no one will take him out of there. Then after some time you can attach a playpen to it and after a few weeks you want him to be a free run in your room maybe, but you also have to rabbit proof your room to make it safe for him, hide all cables and things that could be potentially dangerous for him. Do some research on rabbit proofing your home.
Good luck and keep us updated
When you bring a new rabbit home it is best if you have a cage or a small area covered with a blanket or something so he can feel safe there and leave him covered for 24-48 hours in there with his hay, food, water and toilet, do not disturb just let him be, just come say twice a day to give some hay/food/water and say hello, try not to be invasive, well it depends on a rabbit, if he wants you to pet him you can do that but don't be invasive.
After a day or two you can uncover his cage and spend some time sitting or laying next to him with the door open or closed, depending if he is feeling safer with the door closed it's fine. Don't talk to him too much don't try to take him out, just sit or lay on the floor next to the cage and do something like read a book or play music don't look at him, let him study you so he can see you're not a predator just also living there and not trying to approach him.
After a couple days, maybe a week or so he will feel more comfortable in his small place you can keep his door open for a couple hours a day so he can come out and explore, again, don't try to take him out just sit there next to him and do something on your own, let him study you and when he feels safe he will approach you.
As others said, you can have something to give him when he's coming to you so he will know that he gets something when he comes to you, I don't use food only words and pets, but you will see what works best for you building relationship with your rabbit.
From what you said I think you just expected him to be playful and brave from day one and he doesn't have his own place to hide and maybe you are trying to approach him too much he's hiding because it's a new place for him and you are trying to get him he doesn't know why.
Just start from giving him a small place so he can use it as his home base and he knows it is safe and no one will take him out of there. Then after some time you can attach a playpen to it and after a few weeks you want him to be a free run in your room maybe, but you also have to rabbit proof your room to make it safe for him, hide all cables and things that could be potentially dangerous for him. Do some research on rabbit proofing your home.
Good luck and keep us updated
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Alliscat
Well-Known Member
I do have a cage for him but I leave the door open so he can free roam my room he hasn't shown any interest in the cables yet but he loves being underneath my bed hes a sweet and dosent bite when I pet him but does grind his teeth and his ears are back so I stopped doing that and would just lay next to him he is a bit more active at night but doesn't exactly play I want him to play so he dosent get depressed but he seems to just enjoy exploring for now
Augustus&HazelGrace
Well-Known Member
Are his ears just turned back or laid down on his back?
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
They are laid against his back
Augustus&HazelGrace
Well-Known Member
If he is doing soft teeth grinding when you pet him but his ears are back that tells me that he likes you petting him but he is still nervous about you.
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
Ok that's a good thing I ask notice his nose twitching slows down and his eye lids drop a bit
Augustus&HazelGrace
Well-Known Member
Ok with that bit more of information tells me his actually relaxing. YAY! You are bonding with your bun and he at least trusts you enough to relax! Don't try to pick him up or anything yet this may cause a set back.
A lot of buns don't "play" like dogs or cats would they would much rather explore as rabbits are very curious animals. And under your bed is like a cave and he may like that it is dark and safe so that might be why he stays there a lot. But for toys rabbits seem to like toilet paper rolls and cardboard boxes.
A lot of buns don't "play" like dogs or cats would they would much rather explore as rabbits are very curious animals. And under your bed is like a cave and he may like that it is dark and safe so that might be why he stays there a lot. But for toys rabbits seem to like toilet paper rolls and cardboard boxes.
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
I have cut up some boxes and made like a lil dig thing and put like carrots in it and he seemed to like it also because he is a lion head how can I groom well without him freaking out because he doesn't like much and I am trying to pick me up but it's hard
Augustus&HazelGrace
Well-Known Member
I have never had long-haired breeds so someone else may have to help you on that one because I have no clue but.... maybe when he comes to you for pets take the brush and run it over his back slowly while still petting him if he draws back offer a treat. Eventually, he might get the idea that he gets a treat when you groom him. This is just an idea I have never tried it, but long-haired breed owners may have better ideas.
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
Thank you I have been doing that but I still need to get underneath him also which he will not let me yet
Don't worry about not getting under him just yet. Maybe he just won't let you do it after all. My bun has been with us for about five months now, he was well-socialised from the get-go, but he still won't let me comb him from the belly, or even anywhere neck-and-below. Don't worry!
Alliscat
Well-Known Member
Thank you I give him treats to brush his fur on his back
