I recently took over care for a friends rabbit who wasnt properly taken care of. It lived in a small cage with no room to hop around, was not taken out of his cage to get exercise, and was hardly ever handled, and also had no toys to chew on or hay to eat. Now he lives in a much bigger cage with lots of toys, hay and plenty of room to hop around, but when i try to take him out of his cage so he can get out and hop around other places he goes to the back of his cage and when I pick him up he is breathing really heavy and shaking because hes scared. How can I make him not scared to be picked up?
2007-03-22 03:28:22 · 7 answers · asked by meganzss 2 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
Also I keep his cage in another part of the house and when i get him out to hop around i put him in a different area that is more open. Should I coax him into a box with treats then carry the box the the other area?
2007-03-22 04:23:41 · update #1
Rabbits do not like to be lifted and held unless they are gradually taught to tolerate it. Your rabbit has not been held very much in his life, it will require patience to teach him to accept it. You need to spend time with him at his level. Put him next to you and give it a chance to get to know you. Rabbits are curious by nature he will soon come up to you to investigate. Once your bunny knows it can trust you it will not feel nervous or afraid when you try to pick it up.
Here some more tips on my bunny’s sites
http://bunny-holland-lop-rabbit.blogspot.com/
http://mini-dwarf-rabbit.blogspot.com/
2007-03-22 03:52:02 · answer #1 · answered by diniana 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Instead of picking him up out of the cage, try to lure him out of the cage with treats. Keep the door open with treats outside the door, eventually, he will come out. Sit close to the cage and allow him to come up to you without picking him up. It sometimes helps if you get your face down on his level as well and if you pretend to clean your face (like a rabbit does). He will eventually get used to coming to you. Rabbits enjoy human companionship once they get used to it, but it will take time if he is not used to it. Just coax him slowly. Also, when it is time to go back into his cage, try to coax him in again with treats and guide him in with your hands behind him (instead of picking him up). That way, he will think of his cage as a home, not as a trap. When you have to pick him up, make sure to hold him towards you, with your hands under his back legs. Once he gets to know you, he won't be so nervous around you and will allow you to pick him up with no problem. Be patient, it will take some time.
2007-03-22 03:41:38 · answer #2 · answered by Heather Mac 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of rabbits just dont like to be picked up plain and simple. I once raised a rabbit since it was a baby, he loved to be pet and hop around but just didnt like being picked up. to get friendlier with your rabbit place the cage on the floor and open it and just sit and watch tv on the floor eventualy the rabbit will come and check you out. (To put him back just stand up and shoo him back in.) A few bunny pointers, rabbits LOVE to play with old towels. They will throw them around, crawl under them, and even dig at them. also lasty every now and then slip in a bit of pineapple in their food (maybe once a month or so) rabbits shed a lot and can get hair stuck in their neck the pinapples acidity helps keep that clear.
2007-03-22 03:42:43 · answer #3 · answered by pissedoffrabbit9 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just give him time to adjust,he will come out of his cage eventually ,he has been programmed to living in cramped conditions , just leave the door open for a little while, ensuring that he can't get out of the garden ,(do not move his hutch around he will be confused).watch him from a safe distance.His curiosity will soon get the better of him,he is stressed out and confused because of the change in his environment, he will soon discover it is better for him to be with you although he will have to learn to trust you, encourage him to venture out leaving trails of food outside his living area, rabbits are natural foragers.He is about to embark on a whole new adventure with you.He is a very lucky rabbit.
2007-03-22 03:46:08 · answer #4 · answered by Lindsay Jane 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just show him that you won't hurt him, go and sit by his cage and talk to him. Get him used to you, your voice, your smell, and the new environment. It's a traumatic change to go to a new home, new owners, new cage, etc. Just give him time to adjust to all the new things. You can try to give him plain shredded wheat as a treat from your hand and see if he won't take it from you, if he won't show him your where it came from and if he wants it he has to come get it from you. I wouldn't pick him up right away just sit there and talk to him eventually he will start to come to the front of his cage, then you can pet him and stuff like that. He needs to build trust before he'll let you pick him up without a fight.
2007-03-22 03:44:28 · answer #5 · answered by neth_dwarf2004 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Rabbits don't like being picked up. It's best just to let him come out on his own. http://www.rabbit.org
2007-03-22 08:31:51 · answer #6 · answered by sugarcarat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
arrrrr, give it lots of cuddles and food
2007-03-22 03:35:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋