Tail of a Fuzzy Bunny

[Myia09]

We should totally have an RO book!

 

[Happi Bun]

I love the video of Gus doing agility. I can tell that he enjoys it, he's such a natural!

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Thanks, guys!

I tried to take some more video of Gus this morning, but by the time I got the camera, he'd decided he was done and wouldn't jump anymore.

I think I may need a rabbit whisperer, though.

Gus seemed to be improving in the growling and nipping department, but this last week he has been downright incorrigible!

Every little thing we do seems to irritate him and we get growled at, our feet or hands get boxed,and our clothes, and sometimes even skin,nipped. He's decided the dining room table makes a good hidey place and now if we sit there we get the brunt ofhis disapproval.

The kids have been much better about picking him up, buthe growls and scrabbles even worse than before ifhubby or Ihave to pick him up.

We've also stopped pinning him. But if we try to pet him he growls and nudges us. I've been trying to gently push his head down and continue petting him. It seemed to be working, but this week he's back to being grumpier than ever. :grumpy

Hubby went away again last weekend and the kids had a three day weekend and I think that might have upset him. But really, he can't just take it out on the whole family! This is unacceptable!

I've decided that he's getting his treats cut off. I think that may be part of the problem. I think heassociates our hands with treats and when he doesn't get a treat (and instead a pet), he gets growly. That's just not cool!

Anyway, we'll try this for 2 weeks and see if there's any improvement.

He tried to nip hubby last night when he offered him a raisin. I didn't think he'd be so brazen, but he's really treading thin ice trying to nip the boss!

Any thoughts or suggestions how else to deal with this?

Thanks!

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Well, Gus has been off treats for only three days and already he seems to be behaving better.

I found a website that seemed to explain his behaviour to a tee:

Off with you! Banished from the kingdom

While it's easy to make a rabbit very happy with some fine petting, it's also very easy to offend the rabbit. Uninvited petting, playing that interrupts lounging time or failing to show respect may elicit a response demonstrating how much the owner has offended the rabbit.

If you somehow engage in an offensive behavior, the rabbit will let you know by hopping away from you and turning sideways. That's an indignant "well" response. They might hop away with an exaggerated manner, flicking their feet at you. The exaggerated foot flick is a general signal, used when your rabbit wants nothing to do with you - or when he feels he has outsmarted you by grabbing his treat from your hand and dashing off with it.

Continued offensive behavior like pursuing the rabbit, thrusting your hand in front of his face again, or trying to pick the rabbit up, will likely earn you the next response in the offendedness scale. The rabbit will move away from you again and turn his back to you. You have just been frozen out.

Although you should consider these actions a warning, if you proceed and continue with the offensive behavior, you'll stretch the rabbit's patience. If you do that, you may earn the last warning signs to back off, and the rabbit may put its ears back, growl, lunge at you, and maybe even nip at your hand. Don't say you weren't warned.

While it's easy to offend a rabbit, it's also easy to be forgiven. Waiting a little while and then offering some petting again will likely put you back in good graces. You can always try the food approach because the way to a rabbit's heart is definitely through the tummy. A veggie snack or a little piece of fruit might buy your way out of the doghouse - this time.

http://www.adoptarabbit.com/articles/packet/behavior.html

I don't care if he never becomes a "pick me up and cuddle me" type of rabbit, but to become so offended over just a pat on the head, is a bit much IMVHO.

Anyway, now that we're not giving him treats, he seems to be like, "Hey, guys, where's my treats? Did you forget about them? Hey! Helloooo? Somebody pay attention to me! Helloooo?"

Andhe's actually let me "scritch" his forehead a couple times as I'm walking past him (or he's come hopping up to me). That's a first! Usually he'd sniff my hand and then give me the bunny butt when I have no treat! So this is a VAST improvement!

He's still not too impressed with the kids and if you try to pet him under the kitchen table he gets super snarly, but that's okay. We'll just leave him be under there.

What was really bugging me was that he'd come hopping up to us and then get all irritated and offended when we'd try to pet him. That's just not cool in my books!

In other news:

Am now working on chapter 2 of THE RABBIT ATE MY HOMEWORK. The kids are loving it. Here's another funny bit (IMVHO):

The rest of the afternoon basically went like this:

Libby squealing: "Aw! Drew, look! He can wiggle his tail!"

Me: "Great, Libby. Would you close the closet door before he gets out?"

Libby squealing again: "Drew! Come see! He’s licking his ears! Aw! What a cute little bunny!"

Me: "Great, Libby. Please leave him alone!"

Libby squealing once more: "Drew! Do something! He pooped on his bed!"

Me: "That’s what bunny’s do, Libby: They poop. Now would you come do your homework?"

Libby squealing yet again: "Drew! Drew! He got out! What do I do?"

Me: "Libby!"

:biggrin2:

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

So it's been about two weeks since we stopped feeding Gus so many treats andhis behaviour hasimproved IMMENSELY! He still growls from time to time, but he's not nipping. And he's much more accepting of pets than before. It still has to be on his terms, but he's less likely to get grumpy if he's lying down and you come over to pet him. Now he just gets comfy and lets you pet him. Whereas before he'd nudge your hand away and nip it. So HUGE improvement!

Plus, I've discovered the reason he chews the carpet: He wants me to pet him! I always thought it was because he was upset with me/us about something (late withdinner or whatever!), but really he just wanted to be pet!

Silly rabbit!

The book is going along swimmingly. Half way through Chp 7 and over a third of the way done!

Anyway, this weekend I'm bunnysitting and I think I'm in over my head!:shock:

Rue

 

[tonyshuman]

He's such a smart bunny! Sounds like you have to treat him like a little kid that has tantrums and stuff.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Too smart for his own good, I think.

Thanks, Claire!

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

"Listen you little puffball, that's MY HUMAN in the kitchen with you! Don't even think what you're thinking!":laughsmiley:

The boys are getting along so well...

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Well Buttercup (who my husband started calling Butterball! :rofl, went home last Tuesday. The teacher is thinking of getting him neutered. So that's good. I also gave her a big bag of hay and she was really appreciative of that. Hopefully, now she'll cut back on the pellets.

In other news:

Gus licked me last night! I was petting him in his cage, and when I was done, I leaned in and kissed him on the head and he licked my nose and then lickedmy eyelashes! It's only taken 9 months! But I know now that he loves me too! :bunnyheart

Also, last night, somebody left the bag of pellets on top of his cage and he managed to tear a hole in it and ate waaaaaayyyy too many pellets! :shock:

Fortunately, it doesn't seem like he was able to gorge himself too quickly (the pellets were kind of trickling out a small hole), so he didn't seem to have any gastric upset today (not that I didn't watch him like a hawk!). But I didn't give him anything else to eat all day! Hisbelly wasPLENTY full! :rollseyes

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Omigosh! I can't believe how long it's been since I posted here!

Not much is new. Gus is doing well. We took him camping for three days last week and he LOVED it!

Here are some pics:

Our campsite with Gus's pen set up.

Gus lounging in his pen.

All tucked into bed for the night in the tent.

Anybody awake yet? I want breakfast!

Bunny likes exploring!

He was VERY popular with the kids at the campground. Wehadlittle kids coming to ask to pet the bunny on a regular basis! We taught them how to properly pet rabbits and that they don't like to be picked up and what to feed them, etc. It was all good!

I was worried about howGus wouldhandle camping, but he was like a little piggy in mud out in the woods. Twice he even managed to sneak out of his pen (the gate hadn't been properly secured and he squeezed out!) and went adventuring on his own. Fortunately he didn't get far before we found him and caught him. Little turd!

One thing I think I'll do differently next time (aside from making surehis pen is always 100% closed!)isbring some hardware cloth to cover his pen in case any eagles or hawks are around!

Otherwise, it was all a very positive experience! If anyone else has an outdoorsy bunny, I'd recommend taking them camping too! :biggrin2:

Rue

 

[fuzz16]

great pics! so cool you got to take himn capmin! id be afraid to wit any of mine lol

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Hehe! I was a bit worried about him at first (mostly that he'd be stressed being in a new environment), but he was totally relaxed from the start. I swear he flopped more times in those three days of camping than he usually does in a whole week here at home. Crazy rabbit!

Rue

 

[Hazel-Mom]

Great pictures Rue!
White Chocolate (who looked very much like Gus) loved camping as well. Hazel is fine with it, but not too enthusiastic. She much prefered the "cabin camping" we did last summer.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Hehe! I think White Chocolate and Gusare long-lost siblings.

Rue

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Oh, it's been WAY too long since I updated this!

Gus is doing very well. He's gotten a bit fat on the new food I was trying him on, so I've switched him back to the Martin's.

I think the reason he keeps shedding is not his food, but fur mites! Poor guy! He's so itchy! I've been saving my pennies and will hopefully be able to get him treated soon. I feel so bad for not treating him before. I should've known letting him outside was inviting parasites! Poor guy!

We've had some snow this winter and Gus has LOVED playing in it! We call him a bunny snowplow, because he pushes the snow with his front feet!

Here's avideo of him playing in the snow:


[flash=320,256]http://www.facebook.com/v/10150378354765506[/flash]"

Rue

 

[JadeIcing]

Poor guy. Good thing you know what is bothering him.

 

[tonyshuman]

Poor little guy. I used a spray for fur mites on my hamsters with mites and I think it worked. It is also supposed to be for rabbits, although I have not tried it on them. It was $5 for a huge bottle, and you can treat them and their environment with it. It might be a solution that's not as expensive as the Revolution/Advantage drugs.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Thanks, guys.

I'm hoping to take him in by the end of the month. In retrospect, I wonder if this is why he's always been so grumpy? He's never been the most affectionate bun, but I did notice a markedchange in his behaviour last spring (plus a major increase in shedding!).

Makes you wish they could talk!!!

Rue

 

[Hazel-Mom]

Hi Rue, nice to hear from you and Gus again! He looks like he had so much fun in the snow
Too bad we don't get snow here, I bet White Chocolate would have loved that too

I don't know whether you ever saw a picture of her? She did look remarkably like your Gus.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

I've got no doubt White Chocolate would've loved the snow! She was just that kind of bun!

Rue