How to Train Temperamental Bun?

[Bunnykinz]

Wow! I think I'll have to try that again when we're ready to get another bun. Maybe it's just a Netherland dwarf thing?

 

[Madalynster]

ZRabbits wrote:

Madalynster wrote:

This sounds do much like my Desmond!!!.. before I found him his friend Charlie.

Desmond was exactly as you're describing your Bryn, I adopted him when he was 4 months old and I am not sure what happened to him before I got him, but he was a complete S***, haha. I loved him but he was so destructive and aggressive about everything. At first I tried spending more time with him, where I was on the floor and he would play with me, he liked that but as soon as I tried to pet him or anything he would just be a brat.

So I asked my vet, and he said it sounded a lot like Desmond was looking for a friend, that wasn't a cat or myself. So I looked up a local rescue and decided to bring Desmond with me in a carrier to meet bunnies and hopefully find one he liked. I figured he would pick a girl but he got completely attached to a lionhead dwarf male, so I got him.

When I took them home, I had already read a lot about bonding bunnies, so I kept them separate, but in two weeks I found that they were bonded. I was watching tv and went to check on them, and found that Charlie had jumped the baby gate and they were cuddling on the bed. It was so cute and Desmond has made a huge improvement since he has a wittle friend now

Thanks for sharing your bunny bonding experience.    Always great to hear about successful bunny bonding since mine went down hill after puberty.   Give me incentive to try again.    I would love to see them play together. 

K

That is great, I have always heard, that once your bun's bond is broken, it is almost impossible to bond them again. But I don't believe that at all, I kind of work with my bunnies like I used to with my horse(who was a crazy arabian filly from a bad home). Animals that have attitude always want something, with my buns its their curiosity that gets them together, I always get on the floor in front of their cage, which they are separated in, and play with something or read a book. They always look at me and then try to talk to each other, like " what is this crazy lady doing?" Then I let them out and let them run, if they fight, I intervene with a squirt gun, if not I go about doing something pretending to ignore them, and their curiosity always gets the better of them. Ha its a slow process but very fun for me, I love seeing how my buns interact.

PS: I am almost finished building their new cage, that is designed to strengthen their bunny bond, I will post it up here soon.

 

[Madalynster]

Bunnykinz wrote:

Wow! I think I'll have to try that again when we're ready to get another bun. Maybe it's just a Netherland dwarf thing?

Haha! Might be, my vet had mentioned that when I was talking to him about Desmond's behavior, I mentioned how I feel like he acts like my arabian horse. And he said that rabbits are a lot like horses, and maybe some breeds just have that distinctive attitude, like arabian horses are known to be flighty and have attitude. lol

 

[LakeCondo]

That makes sense.

 

[Bunnykinz]

I'll have to see some pics of that bunny bonding cage!!

 

[Madalynster]

Bunnykinz wrote:

I'll have to see some pics of that bunny bonding cage!!

I will certainly post some, I am planning on moving them into it by the end of this week, it has two levels that can be connected but are separate for now, the thing I like though is that they are living close together and each have a level to themselves.

 

[Bunnykinz]

Cool! :biggrin:

 

[Bunnykinz]

I've been letting Bryn exercise himself on the deck. He's much happier and less aggressive now. He also proved he's really litter trained as he's been up there for at least 5 hours all together the last week or so and no accidents!! :biggrin: Inside it's around 65-70 degrees F and outside it's almost 40 F. I've been letting him play inside too, and I hope the temp change isn't too large?

 

[LakeCondo]

It depends on how long he's outside at a time. 15 minutes should be fine; longer if he's running around.

 

[Bunnykinz]

He lives outside full time. I was just wondering if it was ok if he came inside for a bit every few days.

 

[LakeCondo]

Yes, but it would be best if it were in a cooler room. If there's too much of a temp change when he goes back outside, he'll be uncomfortable for awhile.

 

[Madalynster]

Hey all, I finally finished the bonding bunny cage and moved the wittle buns into over the weekend, check it out, under housing and environment, I put some pics up

 

[Bunnykinz]

Checking it out right now!! :biggrin:

 

[juliew19673]

sounds like your bun is just being reactive; his only other bun died; and now he's alone, sad and becoming cranky. Get him another bun (love the suggestion to take him to an adoption center to see if he likes another).

Just sit with him and read a book; I did this with a crazy shelter bun that was cage aggressive that I have taken in and he now does not bite me (took a good 3 - 4 months), but when he is cranky now, he still "growls" I just look at this behaviour as his only way he knew how to communicate prior and pay it no mind (I do not back off when he growls as I used to do); he will try boxing me when he gets TRULY cranky (putting him in a carrier to the Vet, etc)..

Good luck to you both.

 

[ZRabbits]

juliew19673 wrote:

sounds like your bun is just being reactive; his only other bun died; and now he's alone, sad and becoming cranky. Get him another bun (love the suggestion to take him to an adoption center to see if he likes another).

Just sit with him and read a book; I did this with a crazy shelter bun that was cage aggressive that I have taken in and he now does not bite me (took a good 3 - 4 months), but when he is cranky now, he still "growls" I just look at this behaviour as his only way he knew how to communicate prior and pay it no mind (I do not back off when he growls as I used to do); he will try boxing me when he gets TRULY cranky (putting him in a carrier to the Vet, etc)..

Good luck to you both.

Excellent suggestion. The bunny hears the sound of voice when you read. They associate your voice with safety because you are calm when you are reading. My boys know Jake's bark. They know his tone and that's how they function.

It does take a good 3-4 months to get your bunny to trust you. Or break any habit. But you need to be consistent. Any change will throw your bunny off and when a bunny is thrown off track, they do get scared and growling, boxing and biting are their defense. It's a wild animal.

Wishing you both luck. Keep trying. Bunnies are definitely worth it.

K

 

[Bunnykinz]

Yes they are worth it! Thanks! I've been letting him explore the house more every few days with me just sitting there talking to him occasionally. He seems to get the routine as I bring him inside in the litter box then let him hop up the stairs himself. It's always so cute when I bring hime in for the night and close the glass door to the deck. He runs over to it, puts his paws on it and tries to go out on the deck again! So cute! :biggrin: I can just picture him saying "Aw please?? Just 5 more minutes? "