Rabbit update + Questions

[yasha2802]

Ash is still VERY scared and sound or movement sends her running to hide. I can put her out of her hiding place and put her by the greens and she will eat for a sec before getting scared. I have seen her quickly pick at pellets to but again she got scared and ran so I can only hope she stays and eats while I'm not around.

I know Ash and Twix are getting along seen them clean each other and they choose to sleep with each other. Ash also when scared sometimes hides behind Twix as long as Twix is by a wall or litter box, Ash will then hide between Twix and that object.

Twix is is very out going runs over and licks our feet when she sees us tries to follow us and explore the house(can let her use the full house yet). If she leaves the room ash will just stay in hiding. It also seems like Twix wants to play but Ash runs away from her when she tries.

I've been questioning if it would be a bad idea to get a 3rd or 4th rabbit to see if I can get someone Twix can play with. I'm thinking it maybe easier to introduces someone new before Twix thinks the whole house is hers. She's not mean but is a little dominant over her room. She has ran off all the cats and even chances the dog making him think she wants to play, so I can only guess she wasn't biting him hard as he's a baby that yelps at small stuff. He's also a bigger boy at 54lb so I have to watch him when he's pounces at her like its play time.

Another question does this look like a ok littler box?


The hay feeder is just like that as I haven't built one to fit next to the box yet. I want to build one like one pictured below that will run the full side of the box the hay is on or the full side by the cabinet. Depending on what you guys say about the box setup.


@Blue eyes you've been very helpful so far so I want to make sure you see this post to in case you have anything you'd like to say.

 

[Oreo_Y]

Twix is a nice rabbit name, I have one called Oreo, or as we sometimes call it, dusty nose. It has grey on nose area

What does Ash do when he eats then gets scared? Maybe twix is bullying him?

 

[Blue eyes]

Is Twix the one in the litter box? That litter box and the wooden hay rack look just fine to me. I don't see a need to change it unless you just don't like it for some reason.

If Ash & Twix are grooming each other and sleeping cuddled up, then they are doing well. They must be getting along if Ash is hiding behind Twix when scared. They sound bonded to me.

I would not consider getting another rabbit to "play" with Twix as that just isn't how rabbits do things. The grooming and sleeping together that you're already seeing is their together time. When a rabbit 'plays', she explores her surroundings or zooms or binkies about. It isn't really something they do together but might do at the same time. Twix has her partner even if that partner is more skittish. Eventually, Ash will become more bold because of Twix. Some shyer rabbits can take months & months to find their boldness.

Ash should come around eventually. Just give it time. In the meantime, don't feel that Twix is missing out. She has a partner. Even if her partner were outgoing, the two wouldn't really do anything differently. Rabbits don't tumble and play with each other like cats or dogs do. Just hanging out together is their 'togetherness.'

On a different note, just wanted some clarification. You mentioned your dog wanting to 'pounce' with the rabbit for playtime. What's going on in that scenario? Even gentle dogs need to be taught what behaviors are acceptable around a rabbit. Otherwise they will play with the rabbit the way they would play with another puppy. Dogs play by "play-fighting" but this is not at all how rabbits play. This innocent behavior can be interpreted as aggression by a rabbit and it can cause extreme stress (even if bunny doesn't show it). So the playful puppy bow that dogs do to show they want to play is not something understood by a rabbit. There's a section on my website that goes over some of this. Just want to be sure that the dog is getting taught how to behave around the rabbit even if the dog is being gentle.

 

[yasha2802]

Twix is a nice rabbit name, I have one called Oreo, or as we sometimes call it, dusty nose. It has grey on nose area

What does Ash do when he eats then gets scared? Maybe twix is bullying him?

Oreo is also a very cute name. It's likely what I would have named one of mine is it was black and white. Our cats/dogs/birds all have nix names like that the rabbits haven't got any nix names yet.

It's not Twix scaring Ash its me being there or moving, or the sounds of the other pets in the house. I can say this as they will both eat out of the same bowl and Ash just runs off Twix never moved from eating to bug Ash. With the greens I can 100% guarantee it's not Twix as she will be on 1 side of the container and Ash the other about 10 inches apart.

Ash does ask like Twix trying to play is bullying though. Twix doesn't chase when Ash runs to hide though so I'm guessing its just Twix trying to play. Twix always hyper and on the movie LOVES checking everything out and running after all our other pets. Twix doesn't run after Ash though. Twix does a little bite like thing that looks like playing and then just stands there and looks when Ash runs and hides Twix goes about doing her own thing till she joins Ash in there little hut for some sleep.


Here's them in there hut. It's not very clear but you can seen Twix in the back laying kind of sideways with her back legs towards Ash and front legs in front of her. This is the way she always lays be it in her room or on the couch. As I'm sure you can see in the picture Ash is siting there as more of a ball of hair no starching or laying down. I have seen Ash lay down a little more 2 times after being on the couch for some time she finely laid down fasting Twix and put her front paws out while keeping the back under her or as in the pic below had her back legs a little more out but still kind of ready to run.

 

[JBun]

Like Blue eyes said, rabbits don't play the same way cats and dogs do. They don't play chase, they don't play bite or play fight. Rabbits play is generally by themselves. Their play is essentially practicing their escape moves. Like running really fast, jumping, doing quick turns, and exploring. The only type of play that is interactive is that some rabbits will like a type of hide and seek game, but that's not necessarily the norm. I've never had a rabbit that did it, but I have read of other rabbits that do.

If Twix is nipping, that is not play with rabbits at all. Rabbits nip to get attention, to get another rabbit to move, to boss another rabbit around, or if they are upset. So if Twix is nipping Ash, it's probably either to tell Ash to move or boss Ash around. It doesn't mean they don't get along, but it does mean that Twix is the boss and telling Ash what to do.

You mentioned in your previous thread about Twix running around biting Ashes tail area. So this brings us to them not being fixed. Are you absolutely certain you have two females? Because nipping at another rabbits bottom like that can mean that you have a male rabbit trying to get the female rabbit to get up and let him mate with her. So I would make absolutely sure Twix isn't a male.

If you haven't seen this website, it has some good info on how to understand rabbit body language.
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

 

[yasha2802]

Is Twix the one in the litter box? That litter box and the wooden hay rack look just fine to me. I don't see a need to change it unless you just don't like it for some reason.

If Ash & Twix are grooming each other and sleeping cuddled up, then they are doing well. They must be getting along if Ash is hiding behind Twix when scared. They sound bonded to me.

I would not consider getting another rabbit to "play" with Twix as that just isn't how rabbits do things. The grooming and sleeping together that you're already seeing is their together time. When a rabbit 'plays', she explores her surroundings or zooms or binkies about. It isn't really something they do together but might do at the same time. Twix has her partner even if that partner is more skittish. Eventually, Ash will become more bold because of Twix. Some shyer rabbits can take months & months to find their boldness.

Ash should come around eventually. Just give it time. In the meantime, don't feel that Twix is missing out. She has a partner. Even if her partner were outgoing, the two wouldn't really do anything differently. Rabbits don't tumble and play with each other like cats or dogs do. Just hanging out together is their 'togetherness.'

On a different note, just wanted some clarification. You mentioned your dog wanting to 'pounce' with the rabbit for playtime. What's going on in that scenario? Even gentle dogs need to be taught what behaviors are acceptable around a rabbit. Otherwise they will play with the rabbit the way they would play with another puppy. Dogs play by "play-fighting" but this is not at all how rabbits play. This innocent behavior can be interpreted as aggression by a rabbit and it can cause extreme stress (even if bunny doesn't show it). So the playful puppy bow that dogs do to show they want to play is not something understood by a rabbit. There's a section on my website that goes over some of this. Just want to be sure that the dog is getting taught how to behave around the rabbit even if the dog is being gentle.

Twix is the Brown and white in the litter box Ash is the long haired gray.
If they don't play like that is Twix being mean when she does a little bite at Ash front legs? I talked about it a little more in my post above. I feel a little better about Twix running around alone knowing that but now have more questions at what I though was a play bite as I said. She also bites at the cats front legs but throws in a hit with both front feet then chases.

I hope Ash can at least stop getting scared of sounds or me moving a finger(shes that bad) I'm fine if she doesn't want to be friends with me little sad if I can't pet her but Twix is more then happy to be my buddy and if Ash makes Twix happy and isn't scared then we can all be a happy family.

He does that front paws out ass up type thing and she is in middle of his legs and he looks at her to see if she want to play she just runs around after like hes not there then comes back to him. Kind of like a adult dog and puppy. He would sniff her like that as well. I know I want to teach him not to but it was there 1st introduction on the ground and not one I had planned by any means. I was pulling up old carpet in the hall connected to there room so I can let them run in the hall and meet throw a gate/screen door and Twix being that rabbit that she is when I had the door open working on the flooring that goes under it she ran out half way down the hallway and after Jaz (one of my dogs) He tried to sniff her and she bite at his leg so he pounced. He then walk in to her room to check it out with her following along. I called him out and closed the door. I then opened the door later to finished the small piece of flooring this time watching her closer while doing so. I should have though to block the door the scarier part was a floor half ripped u with nails on the floor I was telling Jaz to leave the hallway and that's when she ran out to him. No one was hurt and it was a oversight on my part I didn't think Twix would run out of the room so wasn't watching for it.

I'm happy to know that he doesn't mean her harm but do have to teach him to treat her like the cats. He's fine with that cats and my parrot. He has a few cats he licks that come u to him for that reason and dose nothing with the other cats or my parrot. One of our other cats is grumpy and even slaps at him as he walks by now and then and he doesn't mind. I think what set him in play mode was Twix biting at his leg. It was his 1st time meeting a rabbit on the ground and like I said above not how I was planing it. I hope next time I can introduce them with a barrier so they can smell and see each other then work on them in the same room on the floor. When the rabbits are on the couch with us the dogs will come up and look but stay a few steps away so Twix leans off the couch to sniff them.

Now Twix wants to run out of the room half the time we open the door and I'm still not fully ready for her to have run of the hall should be later today though. Most of the time now my fiancé cant stop her so she runs out of the room throw the hall to the living room and back then he closes the door. He watches her the whole time and no one bugs anyone she just goes for a quick lap. It's kind of fun to watch as most the time I'm in the living room ready to catch her if she tries running further or bite something she shouldn't. I won't have to worry about it at all when I get done moving some stuff out of the hall. She however will be locked of to the room there in now and the hall as the living room is not rabbit proof yet ( want to so she can come to us when she wants) and has carpet and they both still pee on soft stuff like carpet. That's part of while I was redoing the hallway changing the carpet to linoleum and to answer a question I see coming I do have mats and blankets on the linoleum so they have more traction. The linoleum is also a fake wood and has feel-able ridges so not as smooth as any other linoleum I've seen I didn't even know they had some without a nice finish till found this one. I think it should be better then normal linoleum but I'll make sure they have someone for traction anyway I've read they need that and can understand it. I had a dog that was scared to walk on linoleum or hard wood in the past so can understand it not being safe for a rabbit to run on.

Not that I am going to do so but would like more info. If its not a good idea then its not going to happen but would a group of 3 or 4 rabbits get along or is it unlikely? If they would likely get along would it be better to get the new ones to introduce before my two own the whole house so they can meet in a area that isn't anyone's territory? I've seen a few others I'd like that need homes but what I like more is to keep mine happy. Keeping my current pets happy is most important then helping one I don't know but if I could do both at the same time it's nice.

My fiancé and I are really enjoying the rabbits. We have actually talked about maybe not getting a dog when ours pass away and just having the rabbits, cats and parrot. We really love our dogs and don't want them to go sadly we also know for Jaz it's very unlikely will have him more then 6 years. He's going on 10 now and has had multiple strokes its definitely messed with his mind he seems more like a puppy again not listen as well peeing in the house but still a big lovable goof ball I'll miss that SO much when he does go. The vet said all his blood work was fine and everything but sometimes it just happens with dogs and to keep a eye on him if they start happening more then will need to talk about what to do next.

Our other dog is a big cuddlier and shes only 5 so hopefully will be here for a longer time. I love dogs and don't want to be without one at the same time we living in a trailer so don't have much room for them and my fiance can't physically hand taken them out on leashes. Last time I was in the hospital him caring for the dogs almost made him join me. I think I have to look at all that and say no more new dogs sadly. At least I still have our dogs for a good amount of time and with how my back is starting to act(genes) I don't know if I physically will be up for taken a dog out every day x times a day when time comes to see about a new dog if I were to.

Yes cleaning all the rabbits poo up is a lot of work but it's a lot easier to sit on the floor with a dust pan and broom and sat hi to the rabbits (If ash comes around to me as of now its say hi to Twix) as I sweep. I also know my fiance can care for them without to much difficulty(his disabled and everything is difficult for him) if I end up away from the house for some reason. I had to rehome my fish as leaning over the tank and sumps to clean was killing me. I'm trying to say sometimes something that is more work is still easier physically for the body to deal with then something that is less work. Taken the dogs out on a leash to do there thing is almost no work say with picking you 2 sets of poo but the leaning over is more painful then sitting with the rabbits to sweep there dropping up. Anyway again I go off on my thoughts and didn't need to type all of that. It's WAY more info then needed to answer the questions I have and understand my answers to your questions.

 

[yasha2802]

Like Blue eyes said, rabbits don't play the same way cats and dogs do. They don't play chase, they don't play bite or play fight. Rabbits play is generally by themselves. Their play is essentially practicing their escape moves. Like running really fast, jumping, doing quick turns, and exploring. The only type of play that is interactive is that some rabbits will like a type of hide and seek game, but that's not necessarily the norm. I've never had a rabbit that did it, but I have read of other rabbits that do.

If Twix is nipping, that is not play with rabbits at all. Rabbits nip to get attention, to get another rabbit to move, to boss another rabbit around, or if they are upset. So if Twix is nipping Ash, it's probably either to tell Ash to move or boss Ash around. It doesn't mean they don't get along, but it does mean that Twix is the boss and telling Ash what to do.

You mentioned in your previous thread about Twix running around biting Ashes tail area. So this brings us to them not being fixed. Are you absolutely certain you have two females? Because nipping at another rabbits bottom like that can mean that you have a male rabbit trying to get the female rabbit to get up and let him mate with her. So I would make absolutely sure Twix isn't a male.

If you haven't seen this website, it has some good info on how to understand rabbit body language.
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

If i mentioned Twix doing that then she most have but hasn't in a while was maybe only the 1st two days or so. I've lately only seen Twix nip at front legs on all our pets she meets with the dogs and cats it was a bite and kick followed by chase. With Ash it was just a quick tuck her head under Ash's head and bite the front leg(only seen it once but doesn't mean she isn't doing it when there alown). Ash Hide and Twix just when about do her thing.

I was told Twix was female I believe her to be female but never having had rabbits (other then as a kid for a short time before it was given to nana) I can't truly say. I could ask to get my fiance to take a better look I would think he should know. Going to say it to explain my reason but guessing its very unliked to be talked about. His family breed meat rabbits so he used to know the differences was a very long time ago though.

Would this site be correct on how to tell gender? https://www.raising-rabbits.com/sexing-rabbits.html
I really should make sure can't always believe what your told. The person I got them from said they were female but I don't know how she got them from or how long she had them.

I've glanced over that web page but haven't really read it. I have Aspergers and find reading hard for a few reasons, 1 can't read a lot of words so have to try understanding it because of what I understand around it. Sometime because I try so hard to understand a word I don't process the full part I just read. secondly I don't always understand the way most people do and have to have it put in a way I can understand. Because of all that I tend to try asking my fiance to read stuff with me or for me and explain it to me. But I try not to ask hm to do so to often. Other then that I use other assistance to help with spelling and words. You don't want to know how many times I said Alexa how do you spell... or googled something in just this reply alone. I've been working on this thread for 2 and a half hours.

 

[Oreo_Y]

^ Same here but mines more severe.

 

[yasha2802]

So I used the link I asked about about I hadn't got a answer and going off of it I would say Twix is not a male but I also just saw what looked very much like Twix ****ing Ash's head. Why would she do that?

 

[Hermelin]

bunnies hump to show domiance also, if you are 100% sure it’s not a buck [emoji5]

 

[yasha2802]

bunnies hump to show domiance also, if you are 100% sure it’s not a buck [emoji5]

Thank you for the reply

I when off the pictures in this link https://www.raising-rabbits.com/sexing-rabbits.html . I can say it didn't look like the male.
I just looked at this link http://www.pet-informed-veterinary-advice-online.com/sexing-rabbits.html and the picture under Female Rabbits (Does) looks like Twix.

Do I have to worry about one being a dominant girl and the other being a shy little girl, or as long as they're not fighting and clean each other all is ok?

 

[JBun]

If they don't fight and the non dominant rabbit has accepted her place in the relationship, it's usually ok. But always good to keep an eye out for any upset or changes in the relationship.

 

[Blue eyes]

In reply to your question about getting a 3rd & 4th rabbit, I'd say that would not be a good idea. You will have your hands full with these two and keeping an eye on their relationship. Group bonding is a difficult accomplishment and typically only works if all of the rabbits happen to be particularly laid back and submissive. You already know that Twix is not that way.

Adding any more rabbits would make things much more difficult for you and probably be a nightmare for Ash.

 

[yasha2802]

Ok thank you both. I'll make sure to keep a eye on them. So far they still both eat out of the same bowl and sleep together. Ash is even starting to follow Twix while we're in the room. I've been petting Twix and Ash follows her up just far enough to smell my leg then runs away after smelling (Twix stands up on my leg for pets) but at least Ash is now smelling then jets off. Ash also started to come out to get the fresh greens just after I put them down but gets scared still and only gets a sniff in before runs away till I leave the room I have peaked in on them and they were both eating.

My fiance keeps wanting to try petting Ash to get her used to it. I told him I think its better to just pet Twix in front of Ash and let Ash see Twix likes it. Maybe that way Ash will decide let me try this. Am I right about being hands off with her? Right now if you try to pet her she now only runs away before you can but also throws a loud stop sound in there as she runs.

 

[Blue eyes]

Yeah. Don't force Ash. Give her time. She will learn from Twix and gradually get more brave. You are already seeing that with her. I'd say hands off. She needs to be able to approach you, sniff you, and perhaps even put her paws on you without receiving any pets (yet!). That way she will learn that you are 'safe.'

After she gets braver, the next step would be to hand feed her (like a special green or treat). Once she gets excited over being hand-fed treats, that would be the time to slowly begin petting her.