Shaking Rabbit

cvstray · Jan 25, 2017

Hi All,

We recently received Bun Stiller (a mini lop mix) as a gift. He came from the Humane Society and is 1 year old. Whenever i pick him up he starts shaking. The longer i hold him the more he starts to shake. By the end of 10-15 minutes he is shaking so much that I am shaking. We have only had him 5 days, but shouldn't he shake less the longer I hold him? Also, should I wait until he is comfortable with me before taking him to my local vet? He also will not touch lettuce or carrots, but is fine with pellets and Timothy Hay.

Watermelons · Jan 25, 2017

Most rabbits dont enjoy being picked up. They are prey animals. He sounds scared.
While some tolerate it, its best to leave those feet on the ground and teach them to tolerate being picked up only for necessary things.

Ditch the carrots they should only be a rare treat anyway.
He may take time to learn to like lettuce.
Try Cilantro and other herbs.

Give him time to settle before you take him for a checkup.

Aki · Jan 25, 2017

:yeahthat:
Yeah, you would think that animals would get used to things or understand that we don't do things to hurt them when it lasts or that you do it often... it doesn't work that way. You'll see when you have to give meds to your rabbit for one reason or another: the first day, he will tolerate it, and it will become more difficult and he will react to it more badly everytime. It's the same thing with the dog and the cat, to be fair ^^.
I try not to pick my rabbits up when it's not absolutely necessary. I generally kneel down on the floor to do it and stay there to save them from experiencing the roller-coaster from death. Considering you've only got yours for a week, I wouldn't force him. If you want him to trust you, you'll need to be patient and let him come on his own. It might take a while - rabbits are not for people who like to rush things ^^.

cvstray · Jan 25, 2017

Okay, the only reason I tried holding him is because I read a book suggesting to hold him I n order for him to get acquainted with me. When i let hum roam around the house he just runs under the couch and stays there

JBun · Jan 25, 2017

It sounds like he may not be very well socialized with people and is terrified when being held. You're going to have to take things slow and teach him that you are safe and that he can trust you. When spending time to bond with him, just sit and read or use your laptop/tablet and let him explore and play. This is best done in a more confined area so he can't just run away and hide somewhere. Small rooms such as bathrooms work well. If he has problems with slippery floors make sure to put a towel or blanket down for him, and give him a litter box with some hay in it. You can also set up a puppy play pen to make a more confined area to bond with your bunny. Take a look at this link for good tips on bonding with your rabbit, also check out the link on how rabbits communicate.
http://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm
http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

eta: A note about using treats to bond with your rabbit. Rabbits have a sensitive digestive system. New foods should be introduced gradually and one at a time to minimize chances of digestive upset. Dark leafy greens and herbs make good healthy treats, iceberg lettuce should generally be avoided as it can lead to harmful digestive upset and diarrhea. I prefer to avoid using any cruciferous foods due to their potential to cause gastric upset. If fruit or carrots are used, these should be limited to a very small amount because foods high in sugar can disrupt a rabbits gut microflora. Some rabbits can't tolerate high sugar/starch foods or even some veggies, so keep a close eye on the rabbits droppings for the next few days following introducing a new food. If there is any sign of smaller than usual fecal poop, or uneaten or mushy cecotropes, probably best to not feed that particular food. If your rabbit has gastric upset and stops eating/pooping, take to rabbit savvy vet as a rabbit not eating/pooping is usually considered an emergency.
https://www.saveafluff.co.uk/rabbit-info/safe-foods-for-rabbits
(good list if it's working now)
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/feeding_en.pdf

katiecrna · Jan 25, 2017

Don't pick him up unless you have to. He is just scared and it takes a long time for them to get use to you. My rabbit would run under the couch and hide for like 5 hours. But she then came out and I just let her do her own think and she learned that I wasn't going to try to grab her and Now she rarely goes under the couch. It takes a lot of time and patience for them to get comfortable with us and the more you grab them or try to touch them the longer it will take.