Help! New rabbit - doesn't even like treats/no bonding?

[BuddyRabbit7]

Hello,

I'm a new bunny owner. I got a 3 month old holland lop 2 days ago and he doesn't seem to like treats (1 freshly cut apple slice). He would sniff it and sniff my hand, then run away and hide. I think everytime I get close to his cage, he runs and hides.

How do I get him to stop running away? I keep him in my room so I see him all the time. I give him fresh hay and pellets and he only seems interested in that (not the treats). I try to give him his space & I dont touch/pick him up at all. But he is still TERRIFIED of me.

Will he ever stop running away? I had a guinea pig before and he rarely ever ran away unless I tried to pick him up.


Thank you.

 

[Hermelin]

It takes time, my bunny as a kit wouldn’t touch his pellets for 5 days during the day. He would only come out at night when I was sleeping.

It takes nearly 1 month to 3 months to bond with your bunny. At least to get somewhere with your bunny. Wait for 1 week for him to settle down, just spend time outside the cage and talk.

He will first need to get use with your presence and then you can start bonding.

New treats take longer for them to get use and start eating. I know my food crazy bunny was not food crazy when I got him. It was first when his fear towards me that showed he loved food more than life.

Skittish bunny take longer to build a bond to than outgoing and brave bunnies ^^

Myself have handled 3 skittish bunny out of 4, so have patience and take it slow

 

[BuddyRabbit7]

It takes time, my bunny as a kit wouldn’t touch his pellets for 5 days during the day. He would only come out at night when I was sleeping.

It takes nearly 1 month to 3 months to bond with your bunny. At least to get somewhere with your bunny. Wait for 1 week for him to settle down, just spend time outside the cage and talk.

He will first need to get use with your presence and then you can start bonding.

New treats take longer for them to get use and start eating. I know my food crazy bunny was not food crazy when I got him. It was first when his fear towards me that showed he loved food more than life.

Skittish bunny take longer to build a bond to than outgoing and brave bunnies ^^

Myself have handled 3 skittish bunny out of 4, so have patience and take it slow

Okay, thank you.

Do you think I should take him out for exercise? There is an dog exercise pen connected to his cage, but I dont think he realized the cage is open to it. I read that they need at least 5 hrs of exercise a day.
(But, at the same time, I'm trying to litter train him so not sure if coaxing him out into his exercise pen would ruin that.)

 

[Hermelin]

Okay, thank you.

Do you think I should take him out for exercise? There is an dog exercise pen connected to his cage, but I dont think he realized the cage is open to it. I read that they need at least 5 hrs of exercise a day.
(But, at the same time, I'm trying to litter train him so not sure if coaxing him out into his exercise pen would ruin that.)

Wait until he settles down at your place and then slowly expand the area he lives in when he’s litter trained. Expanding too fast will make it harder to litter train him and will be quite stressful.

They often litter train quite fast takes a couple of weeks.

Myself let my bunny get outside the cage when they have gotten used with me being there and go on the litter box. Then I just move the litter box with them and lay it where they are going to play around.

But wait at least 1 week before you start with it, you can also start litter training already.

Took my bucks 3 days to pick up the habit going to the litter box, while my doe took 1 week and a year later she stopped going to the litter box xD

You will have to neuter him later, there teenage period are awful. They often stop being litter trained and take up until 1 year old for them to stop marking like crazy.

 

[Blue eyes]

Okay, thank you.

Do you think I should take him out for exercise? There is an dog exercise pen connected to his cage, but I dont think he realized the cage is open to it. I read that they need at least 5 hrs of exercise a day.
(But, at the same time, I'm trying to litter train him so not sure if coaxing him out into his exercise pen would ruin that.)

Don't ever "take him out" of the cage. He will do that when he's ready. He's still getting used to his new home and he feels safest in his cage. Reaching into his cage will take away his feeling of safety. Let him have the cage as "his space."

Give him time. He will venture out when he feels brave enough.

In the meantime talk to him often and be nearby. You can even sit in the pen area and read a book. If he approaches, ignore him. Yes. Ignore him. This teaches him you are safe. Gradually you can try petting him when he approaches, but don't push it. You want him to realize that you are no threat. It can take some rabbits considerably longer than others to feel comfortable.

 

[ThePelletnator]

So much good advise. Just remember that new bunnies are so scared, they jump at a another bunny passing gas. But with time, they come around.

 

[BuddyRabbit7]

Update:
So I figured he hates apples for some reason but he loves lettuce & carrots. He no longer runs from me and is comfortable sniffing me & even allows a few pats (provided I have food in hand).
I'm hoping he'll warm up soon, but I have to take him with me for the Holidays. Drive is about an hour but I'm taking his cage & xpen/all supplies with me.

 

[ThePelletnator]

I may be new to the forum, but transporting a new bunny around does nothing more than confuse them, so don't be surprised if you get set back with bonding with the little one. When I recently adopted one, he was a digestive mess from running around from pet stores, being held, etc. He finally relaxed in a few weeks to being back to regular. Keeping things calm is always the safest route.