# Our new bunny poops and pees on us



## ElliesMike (Jun 25, 2004)

We have a new bunny, Miss Ellie, who poops andpees on us when you pick her up. She does not seem to mindbeing held and loves to be petted. Is this a naturalreaction?


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## CuddlesMom (Jun 25, 2004)

She could just be "marking" you lol


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## ElliesMike (Jun 25, 2004)

She's marking us allright....you should see the pile of wash!


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## Delphinum (Jun 25, 2004)

LOL well you're all hers now!

Personally it's never happened with any of my rabbits so I've no ideawhy they would do that! Henry only pees on us when he'sstressed out (like when his nails get clipped) so maybe it's the stress.

Did you leave her for the first few days to get used to her hutch and establish it as her home before handling her lots?


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## ElliesMike (Jun 25, 2004)

We were told by her breeder to handle her right away....sounds like that was a mistake!


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## Delphinum (Jun 25, 2004)

Strange, we were told that for the first two days or so, you should leave the bunny in it's hutch. 

This is what we were told;

Come and feed it at the same times each day and let it sniff you so itknows who you are. Then put your hands on the front of thehutch for about 5 minswith the door closed, so the bun cansmell you. Do this several times a day and the bunny linksyou with the food, etc and will get used to you. On it'sfirst outing, let it sniff who it likes but don't handle it too muchcoz you might stress it out.

It could just be stress with the little thing. Try nothandlingher alotfor a day or so and see how shereacts when she's out. 

Henry's a really scared rabbit when he's held for too long or feelspeople touching his feet. We've only had him for 6 weeks andhe still isn't sure about the picking up. Sometimes they getused to it and sometimes they don't. It really depends on therabbit. They usually won't defecate outside their hutch.


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## junior_n_sweetpea (Jun 25, 2004)

Sweetpea was like that when we first brought himhome. We would always put a towel over our lap before we held him. Andsure enough there would be a little puddle and pile of pellets therewhen we lifted him up. He seems to have outgrown it as hehasn't done it in quite a while.


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## Sarah (Jun 25, 2004)

Pauly peed &amp; pooped on us like crazy whenhe was a baby. He grew out of it as well. He was always verycomfortable being held and loved. It actually seemed like he'd get socomfy that he'd just let 'er rip. My other rabbit, Mella never wentthrough the peeing on us phase, but she's always been less comfortableand more skittish. I don't know if there's any coralation.Coulddepend onindividual personalities, or aterritory thing. Maybe the more smitten the bunny, the moreterritorial. Anyway, after altering Miss Ellie (if that's your plan)and once she's a bit older I think she'll grow out of it.

I'd love to see a picture of her. How old is she?


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## junior_n_sweetpea (Jun 25, 2004)

*Sarah wrote:*


> My other rabbit, Mella never went through thepeeing on us phase, but she's always been less comfortable and moreskittish. I don't know if there's any coralation.


It was theexact opposite for us. Sweetpea is the more skiddish of our twobunnies. I always told the kids that they were probably scaring thepoop out of him. LOL.


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## gjsara (Jun 25, 2004)

when i got lyla she wee'd on my bed a couple oftimes grrrr silly bunny but she has stoped that knock on wood lol nowshe runs the house and hops back to her cage when she needs to potty


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## ElliesMike (Jun 25, 2004)

Thanks so much for your advice!


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## trekcip5 (Jun 26, 2004)

No! It was not a mistake. The more youhandle, the calmer the rabbit will be. They pee and poopbecause they are babies, and they are nervous. But byhandling them you become the calming influence. Whenever weget new buns, we bring them in every night and hold them and they getthe run of the couch where I sit, covered in towels ofcourse. After a few days, they are very calm, but will stillpoop and pee. We recently got an 8 weeks old hollandlop. My son would carry him around and he would catch hispoops and bring them out like a magic trick. It was reallyfunny to watch. We never have this problem with our own kitsas they are handled and cuddled from the time they are born, so arevery at ease with being handled. Donna


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## dajeti2 (Jun 26, 2004)

*I can say from experience that the morebunnies are handled the better. When we got Apollo and Athena thedifferences were like night and day. Apollo how had been handled fromday one was loving, out going and adjusted well from day one. Athenawho had not been barelyhandled was shy,skitish,very reserved and took awhile to open up to us. She was like arare orchid that with patience and endless love. Blossomed into themost beautiful flower. Miss Ellie sounds perfectly fine.*

*Tina*


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