Is your Rabbit weird?
By Naruto555
@Naruto555 (173)
United States
July 26, 2010 12:49pm CST
My rabbit is a full grownup I got when it was a grownup from my neighbors who couldn't have no more because there son had asthma so they gave it to me but it gets really scared and stares at me all the time Im outside in my backyard and every time I pick it up and then put it down it kicks and scratches at me is this normal for a rabbit iv'e had for about 8 months know.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@moog27 (60)
•
26 Jul 10
You need to give it a chance to get used to you slowly. All the time that it is still scared of you it will just panic. I suggest that you let it get used to you slowly and quietly. Like just sit quietly on a chair next to it for a few minutes every day (dont try and touch it or stare at it - but just let it get used to your presence.) Then once it seems relaxed (signs of it being relaxes are that it will happily eat or clean itself while you are there) then you can get a bit nearer. Once it is relaxed with you being close, just rest your hand next to or inside its hutch - so that it doesnt feel like you are trying to grab it but so that it can get used to you being their, used to your smell and gradually it will feel confident enough to sniff you.
Once it is happy enough to sniff your hand on a regular basis you can slowly lift your hand to stroke its head. If it runs away, just relax your hand back down. Eventually it will realise that you are no threat and should end up letting you stroke it. Once you have stroked it, it will probably begin to realise that it quite likes the affection and you will be able to progress to picking it up without it freaking out!
Just remember that it will take time for it to trust you and see you as someone to be excited about rather than scared off. Just take it slowly and try and avoid doing things that upset it.
@Naruto555 (173)
• United States
26 Jul 10
I also let it out but then my sister's dog trys to fight with it.
@moog27 (60)
•
26 Jul 10
when you let it out - keep the dog away and then just sit cross legged on the floor. Although it might take a while - eventually it will realise that you are not a threat and come up to you to have a sniff. Its just a case of showing it that you are not something it should be scared off and letting it get used to you in stages.
@Naruto555 (173)
• United States
8 Aug 10
Yeah I but the dog on the leash but then my little baby sister comes out and pulls the leash on the dog so its like a never ending sequence so the only time I could take my rabbit out is when my little sister is asleep.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
28 Aug 10
I have 6 rabbits and their personalities are very different. 4 of them enjoy it when I touch them, and I when I walk past the cage and they jump up and down to get my attention. The 2 others are completely different, they are very shy and scared and they always try to run away and hide when I get near the cage. When I pick them up they kick and scratch just like your rabbit.
I treat all 6 rabbits the same way, but I think that they were born with different personalities. If your rabbit gets used to you, it might become less scared little by little, but it is also possible that it will always be relatively shy and scared, that is my experience.
@Naruto555 (173)
• United States
31 Aug 10
Yeah when I let my rabbit out in my backyard she always hides behind the shed our in really tight places also gets really scared with planes.
