# Bunnies settling in



## curiouscarrot (May 18, 2013)

I've had my new adopted rabbits for a week now. 

I've given them some people names as well as their bunny names, so they are aka Cassie and Stuart. They don't come when called, so I don't think they'll be too confused by it. All the superstars have stage names. 

The cold front came in that I was worried about the bunnies getting wet from. It wasn't that bad, but we did get some rain. Their hutch stayed nice and dry, even downstairs, so that's good to know. 

The bunnies got to have a run around in their portable pen. As it had rained and the ground was all wet, I just put it on the patio, but then madam picked it up with her teeth, so I know for the future that it needs to be pinned to the ground or she could very well get out and be on her way. 

My dog started barking at them at first, but I told her to stop, sat her down, and that was that. I'd never leave them unsupervised, but as she didn't persist with making a fuss I'm sure they'll all learn to tolerate having each other about which is good. The cats don't seem the slightest bit interested in them, which is also good. 

Stuart did some humping of Cassie and then Cassie did some humping of Stuart. It's nice to know they've each got a hobby.  I hope it's normal for them to act like that. They seemed to be biting each other on the back when they were doing it, and there were a couple of tufts of fur afterwards.....

They did some really cute washing with their paws, and Cassie licked Stuart's head. He pushed his head up to her and she groomed it for him. 

I went to a rabbit show today to ask the people there some questions. Lots of nice bunnies, it would be quite easy to become a "crazy bunny lady" and start getting all different sorts. The rex ones had such lovely soft fur. 

I just wish you didn't get so much conflicting information when you are trying to learn things.


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## curiouscarrot (May 22, 2013)

My bunnies sniffed me. I'm so happy, they didn't look like they thought I was going to kill them. I think they are getting used to me. 

I've been putting flywire on their new hutch and she's eaten some.... I hope it isn't dangerous. It's supposed to keep them safe.


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## curiouscarrot (May 26, 2013)

Cassie's having her operation tomorrow. I hope she'll be ok.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 2, 2013)

Well, Cassie didn't get to have her operation, it's going to happen later. 

Yesterday, I sat in their little run with them and had some apple on my lap. They were coming over and had some and then Cassie decided she'd stomp on me and bite me. I don't know what that was about. 

Today, they had some play time in one of their new runs (it's not set up properly yet, but it was fine today). Cassie immediately started trying to dig her way to China. Something is going to have to be done more than pavers around the edge to keep her in. She's a very skilled digger. They did some very cute running around, Stuart did that binky thing I saw on youtube. I'll have to build her a sandpit that she can't dig out of the run through. 

The dogs barked, my (old) girl decided to copy them and tried to get her "little brother" to chase her about and one of the cats was stationed on the other side of the hutch having a good old look. 

It'll be good when I have time to secure the runs and flywire them and they can run around without me having to fish them out and put them back in the hutch.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 3, 2013)

Stuart went into the run, but Cassie wouldn't come to me to fetch her out, and she stomped at me and tried to bite me. We had a bit of a "bonding session" and she eventually let me pat her, but she doesn't seem to like me much.


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## Azerane (Jun 3, 2013)

Cassie might still be getting used to you, some bunnies can take quite some time to get used to new settings and people. Having said that, try to see if you can determine what triggers her biting, whether it's you approaching her when she doesn't want to be, or you not getting out of her way or getting some other message. It's entirely possible she's sending you signals before the bite, but sometimes bunny signals can be subtle and hard to read until you get used to looking for them. I think having Stuart around should help her though too, as him being calm around you should help her to be too. It sounds like you will definitely need some wire mesh or something on the bottom of the run if Cassie is determined to dig out though  Bandit likes to have a little bit of a scratch at the lawn, but nothing crazy thank goodness 

Also, having re-read your post above, did cassie try to bite you when you went to take her out of the hutch? You might need to condition her to having you being around and reaching into the hutch. Start doing it without touching her, and work your way to offering her treats and then to petting her and picking her up. Hopefully she'll associate you coming and reaching into the hutch with good things. Alternatively, if you have a cat carrier (preferably without cat smell) or similar that fits inside the hutch, if you sit that down in the hutch with some tasty treat inside, Cassie may go in (I find that Bandit goes in almost instantly every time, I'm either lucky or he likes it because it resembles a burrow). Once she's in, just close the door, then carry her over to the run in the carrier before letting her out. Some rabbits never like/adjust to being picked up so using a carrier might be a good alternative if that ends up the case.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 3, 2013)

Thanks, Azerane. The issue is related to their big hutch. She wants to be left alone, and she's got the room in there to keep away from being handled or petted. I just need to keep insisting that she doesn't call the shots. She'll get used to me and everything else, in time... It just makes you feel bad when you have an animal that doesn't trust you, when you are trying to be nice. I'm not too concerned about the stomping and biting. IMO, it is a display rather than a real "attack". She is going "NO! you can't pat me, I'm running over there and if you try I'm going to show you that you can't! I'll stomp at you" and I just go "yep, I really am, here I go, you are going to get patted, little girl" and she goes "oh, all right...." It's just a little bit of a "discussion" about who is in charge, I think. Maybe she'll adjust, or maybe she'll never like it and we'll carry on from there. I just feel bad when she tells me to go away, even when I've got some nice things for her to eat.....


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## Azerane (Jun 3, 2013)

I certainly understand that, I had a bit of a struggle with Bandit when it came to him being ok with me picking him up. But I just persisted and now he's completely fine with being picked up. Sometimes he'll jump away when I go to do it (same with any animal really if they're just not in the mood), but he doesn't struggle at all anymore.


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## JBun (Jun 3, 2013)

It might help to spend some quality one on one time with Cassie. A small room, like bathroom, or sitting in an xpen with her, would work best, then she can't run and hide anywhere. You can have a few activities for her to do like tp rolls, toys, but without her buddy, she won't have him to turn to, and will have to look to you more. It's usually best to just do your own activity, like laptop or book, and ignore her. Eventually her curiosity should overcome her.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 3, 2013)

Yes, we'll work on our relationship over time. She has to have her operation yet, so that might influence her as well.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 10, 2013)

Cassie has demonstrated a keen interest in gardening. Here she is helping me.


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Jun 10, 2013)

Aww, she's so cute! Ash likes to help me garden too.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 13, 2013)

Cassie sat on my lap for a pat yesterday. I was so pleased. Because she hates being picked up and kicks and tries to get away, I've been letting her be as much as possible, but yesterday I decided to try a bit of a "cuddle" with her. She was quite happy to sit on my lap and be stroked, she didn't try to jump away or struggle or anything. 

I got a whole heap of bunny stuff cheaply. The people had unfortunately lost their bunny and didn't want to replace her. Some extra litter trays will be handy so I don't have to dry them but can rotate them. 

I'm making progress with attaching one of their runs. It'll be good when I don't have to lift them out for "playtime", although it's only the smaller one that'll go on first. I might leave the other one off and move it about. Cassie'll do a great job of weeding for me.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 19, 2013)

I've discovered the secret to having the bunnies come to me. Starvation.  Not really, of course, they have plenty of hay and still had some veggies in there they hadn't finished. I had to go out this afternoon and I actually got a warm reception when I came back to give them their dinner. Normally I'm going out there all the time with something for them and they just sit there and look at me. They came running to me today. I guess they might appreciate me more if they aren't having day-long a la carte service.


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## Azerane (Jun 19, 2013)

Aww, that's so cute. Sounds like your bunnies are settling in really well.  Cassie (or what I can see of her) is really cute in that pic!


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 19, 2013)

She's really keen on digging. Stuart doesn't do it, he just sits there, but she goes like the clappers, digging and pushing with her front feet. When I get their runs sorted properly, I'd like her to be able to dig in the bigger one, bit I'm not sure how to keep her in and safe. At the moment there are some slabs around the edge, but she digs underneath and undermines them, so I have to stop her and fill her holes in (I stuck some rocks in there too, to stop everything collapsing.) They've got some soakwells at Bunnings, I might be able to bury the halves of those. She won't get far down, but she'll still be able to move the dirt around if she likes. Somehow, I don't think that's what she's after. She's planning the great escape.


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## Azerane (Jun 19, 2013)

There are several options (the rocks while a good idea may fall in on her as you said) you could bury some wire mesh about 30cm deep around the edge of the run. Mesh the bottom of the run itself which will obviously stop her digging completely, but then you could buy a tub, or one of those kids clam shell pools and fill it with dirt or sand pit sand for her to dig in.

Females are more inclined to dig than males though, I'm not surprised she's going at it. Bandit occasionally tries to dig at the tiles in the laundry, not sure how that's working out for him


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 19, 2013)

Their hutch is meshed on the bottom, and I'll probably mesh the little run so they can't get out, but I'd really like to let her have a sandpit. It's what she likes so it seems mean to mesh her in so she can't have any fun. The soakwells are along the lined of those clamshells but seem a bit deeper, and I can run them end to end (the run is sort of rectangular so the shape might work better than the circular clamshell shape.) The rocks aren't a problem I've just chucked them in her holes so she can't dig under the slabs. You need to watch her though, she gets quite far in not very much time.


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## Ilovemyrabbit (Jun 19, 2013)

Yeah I don't think males dig as much as females. When I let Ash outside he digs a little shallow hole in the ground and than sits in it. Nothing like what Cassie dug. Ash will also dig at the tiles once and a while. 

I'd like to get Ash a sandpit. Maybe he'd dig some more.


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## curiouscarrot (Jun 19, 2013)

Ilovemyrabbit said:


> I'd like to get Ash a sandpit. Maybe he'd dig some more.


Maybe he would, but if he's not that interested, probably not. Stuart's got every opportunity when he's in the run, but he just sits there and Cassie knocks herself out. Ash might like it more than Stuart, seeing as he's done a little bit to show he might be into it.


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