new bunny questions!!

[chelseajuliam]

just got 2 new baby bunnies,normal for them to be afraid? hiding?

 

[Augustus&HazelGrace]

Yes, they need a few days to adjust to their new home.

 

[chelseajuliam]

thank you! they are so sweet but so nervous,its our third day with them.Last night one fell asleep, all flopped on my daughter so i am hoping that is a good sign!

 

[Blue eyes]

What are their ages and ***? Are you housing them separately? I assume you are hoping to bond them?

If they seem super nervous, I'd give them some space. Leave them alone if they seem too frightened. How they seem can change throughout each day so try to be aware of their current mood at any given time. If they are receptive to cuddles, by all means, enjoy.

 

[chelseajuliam]

they are totally bonded,they cuddle all day.They are brother and sister born jan 4th,had them 2 days.

 

[Preitler]

They are not bonded, at 6 weeks they are still quite young kits. They all get along until puberty hits. Well, with a girl and a boy chances are very good that they will get along later, but if you don't seperate them when they hit puberty they will get along a little too well and you'll end up with a pile of rabbits

Rabbits start to mature around 9-10weeks, so you'll need to seperate them then and keep them apart until one or both are neutered, even some time after that.

 

[Watermelons]

They are 100% not bonded. Please seperate them before the male gets the female pregnant or they fight!

 

[Blue eyes]

It may be hard to imagine, but as Prietler and Watermelons said, babies don't bond. They all snuggle....until hormones kick in. So be prepared with a 2nd cage to separate in about 3 weeks.

Can't tell you how often we've heard the same story on RO. "What happened? My baby bunnies were best of friends and now they're fighting??"

Of course you don't want him getting her pregnant at too young of an age either. In 3 weeks, they can live separately until they are old enough to fix. Males can often be neutered before females can be spayed. But that works fine because males also need 6-8 weeks after surgery for hormones to fully dissipate. The bonding process can begin after they've both had recuperation time.

Would love to see some photos of the bunnies!

 

[chelseajuliam]

We are going to the vet next month to get him fixed. In the mean time how do we get them to be less nervous with us?

 

[Orrin]

Yes, it is normal for your bunnies to be hiding. Rabbits are at the bottom of the food chain and by instinct they know that to keep from being eaten they need to hide or run; they need to get away from sudden movement, unfamiliar noises, and the like.

You will learn to move slowly in order to keep from frightening your bunnies. Turn the audio down on your TV or stereo. Don't yell to someone in the next room, etc. Any one of these things can startle and send them into hiding.

Take a cardboard box, turn it upside down, and cut "doorways" in and out. In other words, make a tunnel. It will soon be a hidey-hole where your bunny can take refuge. Have at least one in each room.

Bunnies are instinctively wary. They are not naturally cuddly with people. Let them come to you on their terms, not yours. Eventually, they'll become comfortable with you. Offer them healthy treats, such as diced papaya or Cherrios. It might take a long time before their natural fear is overcome by their desire for goodies. They'll come around.

I suggest you watch all the Mary Cotter/Amy Sedaris videos you can find on YouTube. The "House Rabbit Handbook" is a quick and informative read.

 

[chelseajuliam]

Thanks!! Just a bit nervous, they are not so happy with us yet. It is a bit better but i guess i am used to my late bunny who was super cuddly and friendly. Hope it gets better!thanks for suggestions.​

It may be hard to imagine, but as Prietler and Watermelons said, babies don't bond. They all snuggle....until hormones kick in. So be prepared with a 2nd cage to separate in about 3 weeks.

Can't tell you how often we've heard the same story on RO. "What happened? My baby bunnies were best of friends and now they're fighting??"

Of course you don't want him getting her pregnant at too young of an age either. In 3 weeks, they can live separately until they are old enough to fix. Males can often be neutered before females can be spayed. But that works fine because males also need 6-8 weeks after surgery for hormones to fully dissipate. The bonding process can begin after they've both had recuperation time.

Would love to see some photos of the bunnies!

how do i know when to separate them?

 

[Blue eyes]

how do i know when to separate them?​

Whichever comes first: 9 weeks of age, or when they start showing signs of circling each other, aggression, humping.
​

 

[Orrin]

Like Blue eyes said. Members of this forum will remember I recently had a similar situation with a brother/sister pair. When they were babes everything was sweet and wonderful. Then, the male's hormones kicked in and he wouldn't leave his sister alone. At that point we separated them.

We got lucky. The male's testicles had already dropped, so we had him neutered, immediately.

It took about five weeks for him to settle down to where we can once more allow the buns to spend the day together. He still pesters his sister, now and then; but, for the most part they are bonded and will groom one another like in the good old days.

We still keep them in separate rooms during the night. That way, we are assured the sister will get some peace and quiet while we're not around to supervise.

It has been a long ordeal--nearly two months, all told--but it turned out to have a happy ending.