For months my boyfriend and I have been researching getting a bunny. We looked into EVERYTHING and finally decided it was time to give it a shot. Our nearest House Rabbit Society was a little bit too far for us to go the amount of times they expected, so reluctantly, we went to our local mom & pop pet store that we've loved for all our other pets. Two days in a row we visited this beautiful, HUGE 1.5 year old lion head female that had been donated to the pet store by her previous owner, all along with her sister (who did not get along and lived in a separate cage-- NOT BONDED). The sister had already been sold. In the store, bun was very timid, a little fidgety when picked up, but seemed to like people.
So we brought her home three days ago and named her Bucket. The first day she explored the apartment, let me put bows in her fluffy mane, and let me groom all of her hair. The second day she avoided us when it was time to pick her up and go back in her cage, but was manageable.
Yesterday, when I went to feed her a piece of Timothy Hay which she seemed to like before, she growled/barked then jumped and bit me. For the rest of the day, even when I gave her space, she would thump at me, especially my boyfriend, even when in her own cage, which we do not invade. She bit me again this morning when I was picking up old lettuce and a baby carrot she didn't eat. (Rabbit who won't eat carrots, weird.)
I understand that this process takes time, but her behavior seems particularly volatile. I would love suggestions. I'm giving her as much space as I can, but I would feel SO much more comfortable if I could clip her nails, I'm a pro at clipping with cats I've had, and I'd feel safer if she couldn't scratch my face off. Advice?
So we brought her home three days ago and named her Bucket. The first day she explored the apartment, let me put bows in her fluffy mane, and let me groom all of her hair. The second day she avoided us when it was time to pick her up and go back in her cage, but was manageable.
Yesterday, when I went to feed her a piece of Timothy Hay which she seemed to like before, she growled/barked then jumped and bit me. For the rest of the day, even when I gave her space, she would thump at me, especially my boyfriend, even when in her own cage, which we do not invade. She bit me again this morning when I was picking up old lettuce and a baby carrot she didn't eat. (Rabbit who won't eat carrots, weird.)
I understand that this process takes time, but her behavior seems particularly volatile. I would love suggestions. I'm giving her as much space as I can, but I would feel SO much more comfortable if I could clip her nails, I'm a pro at clipping with cats I've had, and I'd feel safer if she couldn't scratch my face off. Advice?