Socalizing my other rabbit to humans

So maybe this has been brought up before. I quickly browsed the memories and common posts and I didn't see it, so I'll query here.
I have two male rabbits, both of them fixed name JJ Slingshot and Peppermint. Peppermint is my baby, I got him when he was very young, and so he is very well socialized and loves to be pet and get attention from me. Slingshot however is very afraid of people and won't let me pet him at all. We rescued Slingshot from my sister in law's children when he was still a baby bunny back in early June. They were being forced to move and couldn't keep him, and were storing him in an aquarium, plus the children were a bit rough with him and it just ended up traumatizing him to people. Well it has been nearly 4 months now and he has gotten to be where he is larger than Peppermint, and yet he is still afraid of humans. If I try to pet him he runs into his house, or tries to get away. When I feed them, Peppermint runs up and always gets first pick from the bowl because he is not afraid of me, but Slingshot hides.
Its gotten to be a bit frustrating because I really want to have interaction with both my rabbits, but I don't want to give Slingshot away because he has bonded well with Peppermint and they groom each other and play together.
So I'm looking for tips on how to socialize Slingshot better and bring him around to enjoy being petted and interacting with me and my boyfriend.
Any suggestions about how I could do this are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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Thanks!

Thanks for all the links and advice about spaying. I am feeling a lot better about the situation. Made the appointment for next Tuesday... I have to bring her in between 7:30 and 8 am and will pick her up sometime after 3. They want to keep and eye on her after the surgery to make sure she comes out of the haze okay. I like that.

Oh, and other good news: the rabbit has finally decided "Yes! i like carrots!". That's the first non-pellet thing she hasn't turned her nose up at. A minor step, but a step nonetheless.

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Qucik question:

Is it two weeks or four weeks that a male rabbit is still 'viable' after being neutered? I've forgotten. (I'm just wondering because Moxy has been gazing forlornly across the hall at Coniglio dall day, poor thing - she misses him; she'll have  bit to wait either way but I thought it best to check).

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On Saturday Bruiser and I took a trip to the local rabbit rescue to go pick him out a girlfriend.

We came home with a lovely 2 year old albino girl named Smirnoff. She'd been owned by students (hence the name) who didn't think about what they were going to do with her when they graduated so she ended up in the rescue in July.

The lady at the rescue had a very diferent method of bonding than anything I've heard here. She put them into a carry case together for about 5 minutes and stroked them both lots to let their scents intermingle then let them both straight out into Smirnoff's run. I thought seeing as it was Smirnoff's territory that would mean they'd fight, but they didn't. There was some sniffing and a small bit of humping on both sides and that was about it. The owner of the rescue then said to take them home in the same case as it was a good bonding experience and then to put them both into Bruiser's cage and leave them in there for 24 hours rather than keeping them seperate but next to each other like I had planned.

I'd never heard of bonding rabbits by just letting them get on with it before, but it must have worked as within 4 hours of them being in the same cage Smirnoff was grooming behind Bruiser's ears.

They've been together now since Saturday and are getting on wonderfully. There hasn't been a single fight. There has been some territory marking (Bruiser, who was perfect in his litterbox habits now poops on the floor) but only with poops. Smirnoff hasn't been litter trained before but it's going well. She did a few pees outside the box in the first couple of days but since then has peed in the box wonderfully.

She's so much different to Bruiser. For a start she's a lot bigger! I knew Bruiser wasn't a large rabbit but the only other bun I see regularly is my friend's dwarf, so he always seemed big. Next to Smirnoff he's titchy tiny! Smirnoff is a lot pushier and bossier as well. She demands pets and treats rather than asking for them. She's a lot more trouble too! For example, I've always been able to leave my bedroom door open because Bruiser hates walking on the laminate flooring in the hallway and refuses to leave my bedroom. Not so much with Smirnoff. If I forget to close the door she ends up poking her head around the sitting room door, or the kitchen, or goes into my flatmate's room. I've now had to remember to close my door everytime I leave because my room is the only bunny proofed one. She's always the first one out of the cage when I open the door and the last one to go in (when I try and shoo her in she runs to the opposite corner of the room). She grunts everytime I touch her and she doesn't want me to (when I want her to go home, when she's eating, when she doesn't wnt to be picked up...).

But I love her to pieces already. And so does Bruiser. He adores her! He's taken to hiding behind her when I come in and he follows her around the cage too (she goes up a level, he goes up a level. She comes down a level, he comes down a level), it's so cute!

Anyway,
Here's Smirnoff!

I'm innocent I tell you!


You could have bought a comfier pillow!


Disapproving bunny down a tunnel!


Bunny flop!



Omm nom nom (yes, Bruiser's bowl is rabbit shaped!)


I disapprove of this petting!


Bunny yawn!


She makes Bruiser look so tiny!


OK, enough with the pictures now Mum. Srsly.
There was a moment I wish I had a picture of this morning! The bunnies were making noise so I got up and fed them and left their cage door open whilst I got into bed for "10 more minutes". Smirnoff started having a nosy around and clmbed on top of my dog to see what was on top of the bed. The dog just looked at her with this perplexed expression on his face! It was so cute and I wish I'd taken a picture but my camera was on the other side of the room and getting up would have made her get off. It was absolutely adorable though! And I'm so proud of my dog for letting her do it. He's just a young pup and can be very excitable at times, especially when the rabbits are running around the room and he wants to join in (don't worry! I keep a careful eye on them!).

x-posted

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On Saturday Bruiser and I took a trip to the local rabbit rescue to go pick him out a girlfriend.

We came home with a lovely 2 year old albino girl named Smirnoff. She'd been owned by students (hence the name) who didn't think about what they were going to do with her when they graduated so she ended up in the rescue in July.

The lady at the rescue had a very diferent method of bonding than anything I've heard here. She put them into a carry case together for about 5 minutes and stroked them both lots to let their scents intermingle then let them both straight out into Smirnoff's run. I thought seeing as it was Smirnoff's territory that would mean they'd fight, but they didn't. There was some sniffing and a small bit of humping on both sides and that was about it. The owner of the rescue then said to take them home in the same case as it was a good bonding experience and then to put them both into Bruiser's cage and leave them in there for 24 hours rather than keeping them seperate but next to each other like I had planned.

I'd never heard of bonding rabbits by just letting them get on with it before, but it must have worked as within 4 hours of them being in the same cage Smirnoff was grooming behind Bruiser's ears.

They've been together now since Saturday and are getting on wonderfully. There hasn't been a single fight. There has been some territory marking (Bruiser, who was perfect in his litterbox habits now poops on the floor) but only with poops. Smirnoff hasn't been litter trained before but it's going well. She did a few pees outside the box in the first couple of days but since then has peed in the box wonderfully.

She's so much different to Bruiser. For a start she's a lot bigger! I knew Bruiser wasn't a large rabbit but the only other bun I see regularly is my friend's dwarf, so he always seemed big. Next to Smirnoff he's titchy tiny! Smirnoff is a lot pushier and bossier as well. She demands pets and treats rather than asking for them. She's a lot more trouble too! For example, I've always been able to leave my bedroom door open because Bruiser hates walking on the laminate flooring in the hallway and refuses to leave my bedroom. Not so much with Smirnoff. If I forget to close the door she ends up poking her head around the sitting room door, or the kitchen, or goes into my flatmate's room. I've now had to remember to close my door everytime I leave because my room is the only bunny proofed one. She's always the first one out of the cage when I open the door and the last one to go in (when I try and shoo her in she runs to the opposite corner of the room). She grunts everytime I touch her and she doesn't want me to (when I want her to go home, when she's eating, when she doesn't wnt to be picked up...).

But I love her to pieces already. And so does Bruiser. He adores her! He's taken to hiding behind her when I come in and he follows her around the cage too (she goes up a level, he goes up a level. She comes down a level, he comes down a level), it's so cute!

Anyway,
Here's Smirnoff!

I'm innocent I tell you!


You could have bought a comfier pillow!


Disapproving bunny down a tunnel!


Bunny flop!



Omm nom nom (yes, Bruiser's bowl is rabbit shaped!)


I disapprove of this petting!


Bunny yawn!


She makes Bruiser look so tiny!


OK, enough with the pictures now Mum. Srsly.
There was a moment I wish I had a picture of this morning! The bunnies were making noise so I got up and fed them and left their cage door open whilst I got into bed for "10 more minutes". Smirnoff started having a nosy around and clmbed on top of my dog to see what was on top of the bed. The dog just looked at her with this perplexed expression on his face! It was so cute and I wish I'd taken a picture but my camera was on the other side of the room and getting up would have made her get off. It was absolutely adorable though! And I'm so proud of my dog for letting her do it. He's just a young pup and can be very excitable at times, especially when the rabbits are running around the room and he wants to join in (don't worry! I keep a careful eye on them!).

x-posted

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What shampoo does everybody use? Mickey definitely has been getting peed on and I feel bad for him.

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The Telegraph - Heron catches rabbit: Dramatic photos - 29.9.2008

These photos are a little distressing :o(

Another good reason for keeping our bunny buddies indoors.
And perhaps evidence that "fancy" (i.e. non-agouti) rabbits in the wild are destined to become somebody's dinner...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/09/29/eaheron129.xml

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Bought and Spayed for.

Bruce and Reuben were spayed on Monday, and it's all a little worrying.
They have their little plastic cone collars on to keep them from biting/scratching their war wounds, which makes them look particularly sorry for themselves.
Bruce has discovered an ingenious way of eating; he uses the cone to scoop up pellets and then gorges himself. Reuben is not so smart, I've been hand feeding him banana and basil.
In a week or so I'll be able to let them live together again, which is a relief. I had to split them up during the pre-op weeks due to incessant spraying, humping and fighting.
Earlier Bruce managed to wiggle out of his cone and wore it like a crown for a little while.
C'est la vie!
Post op:

Poor Reuben! ...




Poor Bruce!






The collars (and cuffs) will be gone by Thursday. Fingers crossed.

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The lump...

The vet looked at the lump on Fraggle's leg this morning and was concerned. She is getting it removed today but they said to get it biosied would cost upwards of

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At 8PM I descended down into the rabbit basement to clean the cages of my respective warrens: Nixie and Monk on the left, and Huxley and Tacey on the right. Two garbage bags later, all the scattered poos (piles of poo I should say) torn newspaper, and uneaten hay is scooped. I fill their dishes with pellets, refill the hay container, and freshen their water. I'm all set to return upstairs when I realize I have a spare cardboard box. . .

Now, I've wanted to do something about the set-up for sometime. Each warren is a NIC rectangle, 24 NIC squares around, 2 NIC squares high. Altogether the parameter is 48 squares around. But they share a wall. This wouldn't be a problem (they've happily had it this way for some time) if it weren't for cleaning up.



Literally within a day they will have marked along the entire perimeter of their cage with poos. Both sides. Nixie and Monk along their side, Tacey and Huxley along theirs. This means they're forever ruining their floor (along that edge only) which means more cleaning & the more I have to go out & buy new flooring. A little while ago I decided that when it came time to throw out this floor (which wasn't tonight) I'd dismantle the cages, create two separate pens (not attached) and move them to separate places in the basement. So that they no longer destroyed their floor & perhaps were happier bunnies? That I wasn't so sure about, but I figured they couldn't be too happy constantly marking territory - especially now that they each have a 'special' bunny to share their lives with. (It was different when I had three). But anyway. . .

I decided to literally erect a cardboard wall between the two pens. Well, put up a cardboard shield. And. . . although they appeared to be very concerned by what was going on, all standing on their back legs trying to peer over the wall (they failed - the wall is too high for their little legs to stretch!) within minutes I had my answer:

Huxley slumped down in the newspapers. Tacey did three very impressive binkies. Then she groomed him. And slumped down on top of him. On the other side of the cardboard barrier, Miss Nixie binkied around the cage at super sonic speed. Binkies I've never seen before. (Not the usual helicopter or running man binky she's famous for). Monk joined her. Then Nixie groomed fake Nixie (the stuffed rabbit she's shared her cage with since she was a baby). Monk came over and groomed her. Then they too snuggled.

Usually they're contented bunnies, binkying around, snuggling often (often seems like an understatement given their nature - relentless grooming & lovings). But tonight they seemed super happy. And there wasn't nearly the running up and down the 'wall' laying down droppings. So. . . I guess I got my answer. Until they eat through the cardboard wall, I've at least bought myself some time. And I will officially break apart the cage & rebuild within the month. I'm in no hurry though, after all, rebuilding is not fun & my hands thanks to electric ties especially especially hate the process. But, I think they'll benefit in the long run.

As I walked the short distance to the stairs Nixie did one final celebratory binky. I'm sure it was as if to say "YAY, I no longer have to see that bossy Tacey anymore! Woo hoo!" Tacey is especially bossy to Nixie, even through a fence. . .


My little Monk and his adoring Nixie-wabbit.


My sweet Huxley and his bossy but beautiful Tacey.


I also can't believe that all of my bunnies are now older than Kenya was when he passed away. I used to think that if they could all out live him I'd be a very happy Mommy. Now that Monk is two months older than he was when he left us, I want them all to survive at least another three years. My poor Nixie (if it weren't for those astounding binkies tonight) is nearly four years old. Even my eldest I'm not ready to lose anytime soon. I know, it can't be helped. But I swear I still worry incessantly about them. They're all so unique and special in their own wonderful way.

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At 8PM I descended down into the rabbit basement to clean the cages of my respective warrens: Nixie and Monk on the left, and Huxley and Tacey on the right. Two garbage bags later, all the scattered poos (piles of poo I should say) torn newspaper, and uneaten hay is scooped. I fill their dishes with pellets, refill the hay container, and freshen their water. I'm all set to return upstairs when I realize I have a spare cardboard box. . .

Now, I've wanted to do something about the set-up for sometime. Each warren is a NIC rectangle, 24 NIC squares around, 2 NIC squares high. Altogether the parameter is 48 squares around. But they share a wall. This wouldn't be a problem (they've happily had it this way for some time) if it weren't for cleaning up.



Literally within a day they will have marked along the entire perimeter of their cage with poos. Both sides. Nixie and Monk along their side, Tacey and Huxley along theirs. This means they're forever ruining their floor (along that edge only) which means more cleaning & the more I have to go out & buy new flooring. A little while ago I decided that when it came time to throw out this floor (which wasn't tonight) I'd dismantle the cages, create two separate pens (not attached) and move them to separate places in the basement. So that they no longer destroyed their floor & perhaps were happier bunnies? That I wasn't so sure about, but I figured they couldn't be too happy constantly marking territory - especially now that they each have a 'special' bunny to share their lives with. (It was different when I had three). But anyway. . .

I decided to literally erect a cardboard wall between the two pens. Well, put up a cardboard shield. And. . . although they appeared to be very concerned by what was going on, all standing on their back legs trying to peer over the wall (they failed - the wall is too high for their little legs to stretch!) within minutes I had my answer:

Huxley slumped down in the newspapers. Tacey did three very impressive binkies. Then she groomed him. And slumped down on top of him. On the other side of the cardboard barrier, Miss Nixie binkied around the cage at super sonic speed. Binkies I've never seen before. (Not the usual helicopter or running man binky she's famous for). Monk joined her. Then Nixie groomed fake Nixie (the stuffed rabbit she's shared her cage with since she was a baby). Monk came over and groomed her. Then they too snuggled.

Usually they're contented bunnies, binkying around, snuggling often (often seems like an understatement given their nature - relentless grooming & lovings). But tonight they seemed super happy. And there wasn't nearly the running up and down the 'wall' laying down droppings. So. . . I guess I got my answer. Until they eat through the cardboard wall, I've at least bought myself some time. And I will officially break apart the cage & rebuild within the month. I'm in no hurry though, after all, rebuilding is not fun & my hands thanks to electric ties especially especially hate the process. But, I think they'll benefit in the long run.

As I walked the short distance to the stairs Nixie did one final celebratory binky. I'm sure it was as if to say "YAY, I no longer have to see that bossy Tacey anymore! Woo hoo!" Tacey is especially bossy to Nixie, even through a fence. . .


My little Monk and his adoring Nixie-wabbit.


My sweet Huxley and his bossy but beautiful Tacey.


I also can't believe that all of my bunnies are now older than Kenya was when he passed away. I used to think that if they could all out live him I'd be a very happy Mommy. Now that Monk is two months older than he was when he left us, I want them all to survive at least another three years. My poor Nixie (if it weren't for those astounding binkies tonight) is nearly four years old. Even my eldest I'm not ready to lose anytime soon. I know, it can't be helped. But I swear I still worry incessantly about them. They're all so unique and special in their own wonderful way.

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Question about a bunny

Hello all, we have finally got the place ready to let the bunnies our recently so that they can play around our living room. Hiro gets most of the time, cause Julian we have to nearly always have to chase him out of area's that are not ready for him to go in yet or gets back to hiro's cage. We have noticed something about Hiro though, that I just want to make sure isn't something to worry about. She has been leaving little spots of bunny pee here and there (something that in and of itself isn't normal for her), but we have noticed that these spots are very orange. As for personality, she get nippy when we cuddle (she use to love cuddling) for to long and has stomped a few times without us having any idea as to what could be wrong. She is still active as ever and is eating and drinking a fair amount. Please, let me know if you guys have any idea's.

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Question about a bunny

Hello all, we have finally got the place ready to let the bunnies our recently so that they can play around our living room. Hiro gets most of the time, cause Julian we have to nearly always have to chase him out of area's that are not ready for him to go in yet or gets back to hiro's cage. We have noticed something about Hiro though, that I just want to make sure isn't something to worry about. She has been leaving little spots of bunny pee here and there (something that in and of itself isn't normal for her), but we have noticed that these spots are very orange. As for personality, she get nippy when we cuddle (she use to love cuddling) for to long and has stomped a few times without us having any idea as to what could be wrong. She is still active as ever and is eating and drinking a fair amount. Please, let me know if you guys have any idea's.

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Question about a bunny

Hello all, we have finally got the place ready to let the bunnies our recently so that they can play around our living room. Hiro gets most of the time, cause Julian we have to nearly always have to chase him out of area's that are not ready for him to go in yet or gets back to hiro's cage. We have noticed something about Hiro though, that I just want to make sure isn't something to worry about. She has been leaving little spots of bunny pee here and there (something that in and of itself isn't normal for her), but we have noticed that these spots are very orange. As for personality, she get nippy when we cuddle (she use to love cuddling) for to long and has stomped a few times without us having any idea as to what could be wrong. She is still active as ever and is eating and drinking a fair amount. Please, let me know if you guys have any idea's.

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1 yr old!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OLIVE!!!  1 YR. OLD!

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Hello, this is gonna be a rushed post because I'm getting ready for a holiday flight...but recently I got a new cage for Coffee and Komi. ($80, good deal?)

This morning I discovered they'd eaten a large portion of it, enough to know some of the protective bars out.

How do I discourage this nibbling behaviour? They've got two types of chew sticks they use :c
(Cages are expensive! ;_

Thank you!


Culprits:


Very disapproving.

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Spaying questions

Well, Bunbun came through his/her GI stasis just fine. However, during this time, as you may recall, I found out from my vet that Bunbun was an intact SHE and not a neutered HE. I contacted the PetCo (where I got him/her) corporate office, and they contacted the PetCo that I got Bunbun from. After a rigmarole of trying to find the purchase in the system (they never did... the people working there that fateful night in January were apparently just desperate to get me out of there. They gave me nothing I was supposed to recieve.) I finally got a call informing me that I could take them to their local vet (it's a good one, I've checked up) and they will sex him/her again. If they find him to truly be a her, they will perform the spay free of charge.
I am very glad that this mix-up has turned out so well, but now I am facing the fear of getting her spayed. I've never had an animal that has had surgery. I'm not so much nervous about her getting the surgery (he/she's still a young one... a little under a year). I am nervous about what to do for her when I bring her home. She has quite the interesting cage with a platform and a little cozy box built into the side. I am thinking that I can take out the platform so she doesn't strain against the stitches, but the little cozy box is her safe place. However, she has to hop up into the little box, so I don't think it would be a good idea to keep accessible. Should I maybe drape a sheet over one side of the cage to keep her quiet and comfortable after she comes home? How long does recovery actually take? 

Advice, links, anything you guys can come up with would be most welcome! Thanks!

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Вот мой Чикито:)

ЧИКО вместе с котом Рыжиком,его верным другом и братом
А у кого во что играют кролики?Хочу подарить мальчику игрушку,но с 2мя уже промахнулась)Посоветуйте)

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Notes From a Happy Household

I live in a shared flat - myself, my flatmate and my four beloved bunnies.

The only one who normally stays in my room is my younger female - Moxy - who I've had to seperate from my younger male - Coniglio - for obvious reasons. Moxy is the most laid back and quiet of my bunnies, so she can stay in my bedroom at night without much issue. The others ae all much more active at night, so they stay in the hall or the living room where they can bounce around with waking anybody up.

However, when I'm going through a stressful time (and these last couple of weeks have been my first back at university, so I'm feeling the pinch) it gives me the strangest sense of well-being to move everybody into my room and sit on my bed, where I can see them all, pottering about, doing their bunny-business.

Today I had Coniglio and my older female, Lucy, fixed. I dropped them off at the vet's in the morning before my first lecture and spent the entire day worrying about whether they'd be okay. I know the vet's a half way decent one and he neutered my older male, Robin, a Netherland Dwarf, who's considered smaller than avarage for his breed, without a hitch, so I knew I didn't actually have anything much to worry about. But I did anyway. I lost all seven of Coniglio's brothers and sisters when I tried to hand raise them - Connie was the only one who survived, and that only just, given that his ear was necrosing and got massively infected when he was three weeks old. So now I have a bit of a complex about him dying - and Lucy is my first bunny!love. She was my first rabbit; I adored her from the moment she came into the shelter/petshop where I worked and the thought of losing her makes me feel slightly ill.

So when I got them back, safe, sound and slightly dosey from the vet this afternoon, I was so relieved I might have cried.

But instead, I put my still somewhat aneasthatised buns into their respective cages, moved them into my room, turned down the lights, made them both a nice little nest of hay to lie down in and munch, then pulled Robin and Moxy in too, so they weren't left alone in the hall.

I have two bunnies on my right, another at my feet and one more on my left. And I feel better than I have done in days.

I think it's a nesting thing....

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прогулки

всем привет. хочу познакомить вас с моей девочкой, ей 9 месяцев и зовут ее зовут Карамба



хотелось бы задать несколько вопросов знатокам.
1. мы переехали на новую квартиру и здесь есть достаточно места для вольера (120х120 см), то есть она большую часть времени проживает там.
в связи с этим хотелось бы узнать, сколько часов/минут в день ей будет хватать на прогулки по всей квартире. следить за ней постоянно возможности нет, а без присмотра не хочется оставлять - сами понимаете обои... провода...
2. до каких пор крольчушек можно выгуливать на улице? я знаю что переносят они и минусовую температуру, но естесственно в минус я ее морозить не поведу
спасибо

p.s. порыскала по сообществу, у всех просто супермегазашибенные крольчики милашки!

@темы: фото, прогулки