# any taming tips?



## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

hi i was wondering if anyone might have some tips on how i can tame my female bunny? 

ive had her almost a year now and ive never had any problems taming an animal before, but basically with her im really struggling 

she was a rescue bun so its possible she couldve had a very bad time before we got her but basically ive tried everything, handling her everyday, taking it slowly at 1st, giving her treats... ive never done anything "scary" like make loud noises around her or anything... ive tried bringing her inside and reading a book i.e. showing no interest in her so she doesnt see me as a threat.... ive even tried lying down on the floor so i look less scary etc, all sorts really!

she does come running over when im putting food in the hutch but if my hand goes anywhere near her she runs off, stamps her feet etc.... and if i need to pick her up so i can put her in the garden shes absolutely terrified....i cant help but feel a bit sad that she doesnt like me sometimes  its not her fault, but if anyone has any new ideas id really appreciate it.... i would love for her to like me :crying:


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## Hellsbells (Jan 25, 2010)

Just a thought but could you smell of your dog when you handle the rabbit? Would be worth washing hands lots and touching her things to pick up her scent just to see if there is a link there. 

I had to learn how to trance my rabbit (upside down in arms like a baby) and holding him close to be able to groom him and administer medicine etc and that seemed to calm him down after the inital kicking and grunting wore off - that seemed to help us bond.

Will she take treats from your hand?? Poor little scared girl - can imagine how its upsetting you! xx


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

A husband could settle her down


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

get her a friend so she has company

also change her set up so she doesnt need to be picked up everyday, this has made such a huge difference to my rabbits. They will learn that your not going to pick them up which scares the crap out of them. train them to go in their hutch or cage by shaking food or rattling plastic, by the end of the month you will have a much happier rabbit. 

If you really want a tame and cuddly rabbit then I would suggest moving her permanently indoors, give her a whole room to run around in, preferably one that you spend time in, but make sure to cover all wires and acclimatise her properly.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

My Dreamer was the same, he used to shake when i went anywhere near the hutch and shake! Now he chases me round the garden  and loves nose rubs!

Id get her a friend (neutered buck) from a rescue. Do you have an area where you can sit with her? I spend alot of time with my buns, just sitting and letting them come to me, id avoid picking her up as much as possible because buns dont like being picked up generally until they really trust you. You need her to associate everything good with you, like food, sit and give her treats, my buns come charging down the my 90ft garden for treats! lol

Heres a coule of vids of them last summer


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## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

hi thanks for your suggestions 

she already has a hubby his name is william, took me like 9 agonising months to bond them but now theyre the best of friends 

He's the laid back one... i can pretty much do anything around him, pick him up, snuggle him, hes not bothered  and hes always binkying about the place!

i understand that their personalities can be different but id just really like her to feel more comfortable around me, so that shes not feeling terrified like that.... i think a big problem like 1 of u mentioned is that to clean them out/put them out in their pen i have to pick them up which she HATES so maybe i need to look at re-arranging things.... she will take treats out of my hand but as soon as i try to touch her shes off!

ive tried sitting with them both (i thought with william there she might feel safer) but she just stays in one place and wont budge when im there  i need a breakthrough!!


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## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

also i possibly could smell of my dog so thats a good suggestion to wash hands more, and putting her on her back might be a good idea, i actually did that once when she was having some stitches out at the vets and she suddenly went all calm/trancelike, forgot about that until u mentioned, so thats a really good idea!


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## SnowBaby (Mar 4, 2010)

is she spayed?


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## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

crofty - really sorry only just noticed the vids ur bunnies are absolutely gorgeous :001_tt1:

and snowbaby she is spayed yes xxx


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

xliljanex said:


> also i possibly could smell of my dog so thats a good suggestion to wash hands more, and putting her on her back might be a good idea, i actually did that once when she was having some stitches out at the vets and she suddenly went all calm/trancelike, forgot about that until u mentioned, so thats a really good idea!


Don't try trancing her. The trancing is a state of extreme fear in rabbits. Its a fight or flight responce, play dead so the predator thinks they're dead and won't want to eat an already dead rabbit (not a fresh kill so to speak) then bolt at first chance.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Kammie said:


> Don't try trancing her. The trancing is a state of extreme fear in rabbits. Its a fight or flight responce, play dead so the predator thinks they're dead and won't want to eat an already dead rabbit (not a fresh kill so to speak) then bolt at first chance.


I second this.

Time and patience is the key with any animal. She may not like being stroked so perhaps just dont try for now, let her hop round without you doing anything for a few weeks, Tinkerbell doesnt like being stroked, she likes nose kisses and her bum being scratched, joey adores cuddles, dreamer loves nose rubs and doesnt mind a stroke if hes in the mood and Teddy loves cuddles and strokes (he'll sit for hours!) but isnt so keep on being picked up. They are all different you just got to find out what they like and avoid the things they dont like 

Can you put her in a carrier rather than picking her up?


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

crofty said:


> I second this.
> 
> Time and patience is the key with any animal. She may not like being stroked so perhaps just dont try for now, let her hop round without you doing anything for a few weeks, Tinkerbell doesnt like being stroked, she likes nose kisses and her bum being scratched, joey adores cuddles, dreamer loves nose rubs and doesnt mind a stroke if hes in the mood and Teddy loves cuddles and strokes (he'll sit for hours!) but isnt so keep on being picked up. They are all different you just got to find out what they like and avoid the things they dont like
> 
> Can you put her in a carrier rather than picking her up?


Ember is a lot like your Tink, she runs away if your hand goes near her for a pet but if I get down to her level and use my nose to stroke her head she sits quite happily and purrs away. She's slowly starting to trust me more if I go down to her level and lay on the floor with her she'll let me give her a little head rub now but still runs if I go near her back.

Sophie used to love cuddles and I could carry her around like a baby, she was the only rabbit happy to be semi on her back but I never ever tranced her it was just the way she was. She even slept half on her back sometimes.

Some rabbits just aren't cuddly at all.


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## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

thanks  i do have a carrier so i could try to use that instead of picking her up... whether i can coax her in or not is a different matter 

theyve been in my younger sisters old wendy house for the winter because its warmer, trouble with this is theyve got to be picked up to get them out for a run/to clean it... hopefully soon they will be back in their big hutch, its a hutch with a run attached, and you can shut like a sliding "door" on the hutch to keep it separate whilst you clean it etc

i think maybe its the having to pick her up thats been going wrong so i will try and avoid this now and see how things go... just got to keep perservering with it i guess


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## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

I have to use a carrier for morg and clay as they dont like being carried.

I wouldnt trance her if she isnt used to it tho as the others have said. Show buns and buns that have been tranced or laid on there back from an early age are ok as used to it and dont find it scarey.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

xliljanex said:


> thanks  i do have a carrier so i could try to use that instead of picking her up... whether i can coax her in or not is a different matter
> 
> theyve been in my younger sisters old wendy house for the winter because its warmer, trouble with this is theyve got to be picked up to get them out for a run/to clean it... hopefully soon they will be back in their big hutch, its a hutch with a run attached, and you can shut like a sliding "door" on the hutch to keep it separate whilst you clean it etc
> 
> i think maybe its the having to pick her up thats been going wrong so i will try and avoid this now and see how things go... just got to keep perservering with it i guess


I leave the carrier in with them all the time with plenty of hay in it so they are used to going in and out and dont think its just a trip to the vets!


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## xliljanex (Sep 2, 2009)

ooo good idea crofty i will try it, they can use it as a play hut


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