Providing Information About Rabbits

Bunny’s New Home - The First Few Days

Before rushing out to get your new rabbit, it is best to get all the basic rabbit supplies ahead of time. This way you can set up the cage, in a quite area, with litter, food and water before bringing the rabbit home. This helps make the transition easier and less stressful.  

Once rabbit is home and transferred from the travel box to the cage, leave the rabbit alone for the remainder of the day. The rabbit is probably stressed and in desperate need for some quiet solitude in order to become better acquainted with its new surroundings. During this transition period your rabbit may be easily frightened by regular household noises such as the television or vacuuming and family chatter, so try to keep loud and unexpected noises to a minimum until your rabbit is more comfortable in its new home. You may even find yourself being awakened in the middle of the night by a scared thumping rabbit. If this occurs, you might want to consider the amount of light where your rabbit is. Rabbits do not see well in total darkness, therefore leaving a night light on will provide some comfort for your rabbit.

 The second day, sit beside the rabbit’s cage, several times throughout the day. Quietly talk to your rabbit in a soothing tone as this will help the rabbit become accustomed to your smells and voice. If there are more than one member of your family get every one to spend time beside the rabbit cage either alone or in pairs, try not to crowd the bunny.

 If your rabbit shows signs of being interested in your close proximity, such as putting its nose up to the bars in the cage to smell you, you can slowly place you hand up close to the cage. Do not put fingers into the cage or up too close to the rabbit’s nose as the rabbit may be more inclined to bite. Again, do not put your hand into the cage unless necessary, such as to provide fresh food and water.

 The third day, you can start putting your hand into the cage and allow the rabbit to approach and smell you. Afterwards you can then slowly approach your rabbit and try petting it. When approaching your rabbit it is best done from the side, as rabbit’s have a blind spot right in front of their nose and could be easily startled.

You may also want to let your rabbit run outside of the cage for a short time. While your rabbit is out of its cage stay on the floor (either sitting or lying down), this way your rabbit can approach you on its terms and become more comfortable near you. After about an hour or so, you will want to put the rabbit back in its cage to avoid any bathroom accidents. When you do this, try to gently guide your rabbit back to the cage or by coaxing with a treat food. Avoid chasing the rabbit, however, until the rabbit is fully trained which may be unavoidable at times. When holding your rabbit it may start to struggle and squirm so ensure you have a good strong hold and support the back end. Incorrect handling can result in serious injuries to the rabbit.

The transition period varies with each rabbit and the amount of activity in your home it could take as little as a few days or as long as a couple of months before your rabbit is fully adjusted to life in its new home. The key is to be patient. Continue to spend time sitting beside the cage and talking to your rabbit when it is not run time. When your rabbit is running around stay at rabbit level, this way your rabbit will have lots of time to get to know you. When holding your rabbit let it go as soon as it starts to wiggle and squirm. Each time you hold your rabbit the length of time will increase as the rabbit learns to trust you more and more. Rabbits, by nature, don’t like being picked up as they are afraid of heights and of falling so it will take time for it to trust you and become comfortable being held. Some baby bunnies and “teenagers”  will want more run time and less holding time, however around the age of 2 (sometimes sooner)  they usually settle right down for longer holding and cuddle times, but then again some rabbits love to be held and cuddle right from the start.

Following the above guidelines will help you and your rabbit to start off on the right foot to what can be a long and wonderful relationship.

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