Handling my rabbits?

Question

Yesterday I brought home 2 baby lion headed rabbits. Naturally they're nervous but they keep running away from me. I know this is normal. What should I do regularly to make sure they aren't still scared in the future?

Answer 1

try to hold them a lot  

Answer 2

for the first few days they'll want to be left alone to get used to their new home. i'm guessing their outside? but either way, wherever their allowed to run around, sit in with them and wait for them to come to you (they will rabbits are naturally curious), hand feed them some veggies like broccoli but in small amounts if they've never had it before. as you are sitting they are more likely to come to you, as your lower down and not so much of a threat to them. soon they will come around and let you stroke them and hold them. but sitting in their run with them is definitely a good start

Answer 3

My rabbits were like that when i first got them . Sit with them in a  small room with the door closed, have a bag of treats nearby, and they will be your friends sooner then you know it. Dont chase them all over let them come to you.

Answer 4

its takes a while for rabbits to get use to you

i had baby rabbits i only kept two though, they have got use to me

after feeding them eveyday they do get use to you, also stroking them ( trying to sroke them or leaving them alone if they dont want to be stroked)

one of my rabbits is very playful and use to run away from me in the end it use to follow me- if i opened the sleeping compartment it was there if i opened the other door it ran there

in time they should get use to you, just talk to them stroke them a little bit and show them you mean no harm

oh and a word of advice about lionheads they need regular brushing i bought a lionhead last year an adult and it had been neglected all its fur was matted

this can cause health problems, i have a lionhead rabbit (lionhead cross with a lop eared) i brush it regularly by its bottom and near its head where there is a lot of hair i bought a brush especially for matted fur

they are about 3/4 pound but its worth it

also brushing you rabbit helps them to get use to you my rabbit was biting me a lot from when it was a baby ever since I started brushing it doesn't bite anymore cos its got use to me  

Answer 5

Siting down on the floor, stroking them often while they are still on the floor, personally giving them food they like by hand (eg. carrots, etc.) so they get used to your smell. Hint - no strong odours on your hands.  I know this is fairly obvious, but if you've handled anything with strong odours (onions, tobacco, even detergents..) they really hate it. In our house Grandad smokes a pipe outside and is always surprised when the rabbit hops away from him when he wants to stroke him, but is ok first thing in the morning!  Make sure it's only you handling them at the beginning. Move on to having them on your lap. They are frightened by hights when little, so no long carrying around etc., or if you must, hold them close to your chest with the face turned away.  That worked very well for ours.

Talk to them so they get used to your sound.

If they are house rabbits you'll soon find out which places they like to lie down while surveying goings on, eg in the kitchen. If they lie spread out it's a sign of them feeling safe and contenct. Get a couple of boxes from supermarkets, cut out 2 "windows" and leave the front open, put in old towels and watch them snuggle up there and "redecorate".  Look at the towel the next time you wash it, you'll be surprised how chewed up it is!

You must have heard this before, but at the risk of repeating advice, do watch out for cables. The hem line of curtains also get chewed. Any big pile of washing whether done or not yet gets explored. Watch out for explorations behind fridges, washing mashines, dryers (ours did that 3x and came out a sight!), cookers, sofas, etc.

No need for expensive toys. Cellotape boxes together to form a tunnel. You can buy an octagonal collapsible pen for outside so it can run on fresh grass (via the web).

Don't shirk on vaccines, some areas have nasty stuff that can kill them.

Anyway, I've "rabbited" on enough. I wish you many years of happyness with them. We've had ours for 3 years now and despite medical costs would not do without him.

Answer 6

Well start off by just stroking them and getting them to eat from your hand, so they get used to how you smell (Not meant offensively). Then you can start making them walk onto your hand and gradually build it up to holding them.

Good Luck =]

Answer 7

hi,

you must give your rabbits time to cope up with the things around them.as you had said,they are quite nervous for now.try to give them time to cope up.

whenever i have a new rabbit,i always do this to introduce myself to them:

♦hand feed them.place some vegetables(preferably small amounts on apple chunks) on your palm.then try to approach the rabbit slowly.when they are now eating,pat them on the neck and stroke them.they like it.do this procedure for a week until they had gotten used to you.

♦do not yet carry them up.they will freak out.keep bonding with them everyday.

also,you may want to place their cage(if ever they are indoor rabbit) near you.preferably your own bedroom.put them on a place where they will most likely see you everyday.

good luck.

Answer 8

i have breed many rabbits and i am a proud owner of rabbits.

Introduce noises slowly so say your mowing the lawn do it in a distance not near the cage then gardually get clser and closer.

So no loud noisers.

pat them for 5 mins each day.

sit down when patting them not standing.

Give food when patting them.

hope this helps:)

Answer 9

i also own lion heads, the best thing you Can do is regularly visit them throughout the day bring veg with you. then they will associate you with food and will approach you when you go near the hutch. Also try not to hold them to much as it angers them and they may furiously  kick!!!

Answer 10

just sit near them and wait for them to come to you.

handle them every day

dont be nervous around them because it will make them nervous