Rehome

[hxkev]

I really don't want to do this but I feel like I have no choice but to rehome my 8 months old bunny boy (he was 7 months old when we got him). I want to find him a better home than what I could give him. I think I might have put too much pressure on him by forcing him to do certain things (which I know is a bad thing but this was my first time owning a bun and I didn't really know the boundries). I know maybe if I would be a little more patient with him we could be friends but either way I feel like I would just end up traumatizing him. And I didn't do a lot of research before getting him and it was probably bad for him in the start. He's also a bit aggressive towards me, like when I closed his play pen he sarted growling and chewing the bars all over.

Anyway, I guess when I'm ready to properly take care of a bun I would probably get an 8 weeks old lop bunny (since I'm pretty sure his aggression might be because he's much older). I just wanted to ask if it's okay to do this, because I feel really bad about myself because I would have to rehome him so soon after I got him (we will probably still rehome him, I just wanted to know so I don't feel bad about it ).

 

[Maki_p29]

Are they neutered? It sounds like your bunny may just need some more time spent with them and training... I don’t think you should give up on them so easily. What’s to say your next bunny even though a 8 week old wouldn’t develop the same attitude or habits as they grow older? Then what will be done then? Will they have to be rehomed too?

I say do your research and try to stick things out with them. It can be a rewarding experience!

 

[hxkev]

Are they neutered? It sounds like your bunny may just need some more time spent with them and training... I don’t think you should give up on them so easily. What’s to say your next bunny even though a 8 week old wouldn’t develop the same attitude or habits as they grow older? Then what will be done then? Will they have to be rehomed too?

I say do your research and try to stick things out with them. It can be a rewarding experience!

I guess you're right. I'm just hopeless sometimes in these situations when he gets mad at me or he looks like he clearly hates me. He was neutered a month ago by the way. I was thinking that I should get him another bun to bond with, since I am barely home because of school. Is it okay to bond him with a baby rabbit? I know that I have to seperate them until the baby is mature enough to neuter them. Would this make him less aggressive?

 

[Blue eyes]

I answered your other question about why not to try to bond a baby rabbit with an adult rabbit on the other thread.

Here I wanted to address a common misconception. I believe you are thinking that if you begin with a baby, you can train him/her to be 'less aggressive' and more handle-able. This is a HUGE common MYTH about rabbits. It is understandable to think that, though, because it is the case with other species (like dogs). But with rabbits, their personality is simply not evident until after hormones. Until then, you (or anyone) is not going to be able to alter their inherent personality. In other words, early handling is not going to make a rabbit more handle-able.

Founder of Bunny Bunch rescue, Caroline Charland, states, "People often think a rabbit must be held a lot as a baby in order to like being held as an adult. I don't find this true at all. Over the years, the Bunny Bunch rescue I founded has saved many mother and baby rabbits from shelters. All the babies were treated the same. When they became adults their personalities varied-- some liked to be held, some hated to be held and some tolerated being held."
(Rabbits USA 2014 magazine)

 

[Flakes]

I barely ever hold Dortmund and we get along just fine. I've only had him for about three weeks now and he is my first rabbit. Sure he gets surly occasionally. He was angry with me for two days after I brought him home from being neutered. Wouldn't even eat the bits of banana I left for him. And I didn't even touch him for the first thee days I had him (he just hid most of that time).

These days though we get along fine. I usually wake up when he begins to stomp at around 4:30 in the morning, (his stomping is his way to tell me he's hungry or bored) to clean his litter box, feed him, and replace his water. I let him eat and poop for about a half an hour, then I open up his cage. He hates being picked up so whenever I want to move him around all I do is I shake his litter box, and usually he hops in then I just carry his entire litter box to where I want him to be and he hops out when I put it down. So at 5:00 am I usually move him to my bed and let him run around until I get up.

He spends this time sniffing me, hopping on me, running from one end of the bed to the other. If I'm awake I try to scratch his nose when he gets close. When he doesn't want his nose scratched he runs away. Mostly he just ends up tiring himself out these days, and lies down beside either me, or his moose, to sleep. The thing is, he's gotten used to me like this. I've become this non threatening jungle gym who occasionally gives him treats.

Since the only time I hold him is when I give him medication or when I try to stuff him into his travel box to go to the vet, everything is copacetic on his end. Plus he does funny ****. Once he did a flop but didn't realize he was on the edge of the bed and went tumbling over the side, it was hilarious, though he glared at me like it was somehow my fault. But um... never mind... I'm just being the doting rabbit daddy.

I guess what I'm saying is let him have his space. Let him get used to you in his terms.

 

[Maki_p29]

I guess you're right. I'm just hopeless sometimes in these situations when he gets mad at me or he looks like he clearly hates me. He was neutered a month ago by the way. I was thinking that I should get him another bun to bond with, since I am barely home because of school. Is it okay to bond him with a baby rabbit? I know that I have to seperate them until the baby is mature enough to neuter them. Would this make him less aggressive?

It can be stressful and one can feel at a loss of what to do when their furry companion may be upset at them ... let your bunny get used to your schedule by creating a usual routine with them. Ex. On school days tell your bunny your going to school and will be back later. Then when you get home tell them your back and take them out to play for a little bit or give them their favorite treat, etc.

Then on days you don’t have school try to spend more time with them, let them know your coming to play with them and then enter their enclosure. Just sit there and let them come to you and pet them when they come so they learn it’s a good experience with you. This may help them to get more used to you. Try to find out what works best!

Neutering can take 6 to 8 weeks after the procedure for their hormones to be at a calm level. I think getting a companion bunny would be good. Get a female bunny since you have a male bunny. Wait till after the 8 week mark post neuter surgery to start looking so there will be no chance of pregnancies occurring between them. Get a female bunny that is close to their age , no younger than 6 months old but if you find another bunny that is 8 month old would be great.


Before you get your second bunny as a companion. Do research on bonding two bunnies and how it should be done. There may be some posts on here that have good information on bunny companionship and bonded pairs.

Best wishes and hope this is helpful to your situation!