Nov 28 2011, 05:05 AM
QUOTE(Hikaru @ Oct 17 2011, 12:32 AM)
OK. Time to post about my bunny, Mello.
Bought him at the end of last year from J Jay Petstation. He's a Holland Lop. I think I posted pictures of him on this topic before =]
Now he's reaching 1 year old (He was born around October or November if I remember correctly) and he's been with me for months, but he doesn't seem to be happy at all.
1. He wouldn't eat ANY Timothy hay. I know reading a lot of resources that at 6th month onwards I should gradually switch him to Timothy hay, but Mello wouldn't even touch it. I think he rather die than eat Timothy hay (There was once I tried to not feed him anything but leave Timothy hay in his bowl only for a whole day, but he rather starve than eat it). What can I do about this? I'm continuing to feed him Alfalfa and Pellets since those are the only things he eat, but I don't think this should continue for long.
2. He is VERY timid. He does not like coming out of his cage to play. I can leave the cage open but the only thing he will do is (when I'm gone) walk out and start shredding the newspaper that's put under the cage into a million pieces, and then stomach some of it. Then he will find a corner (or even the gap between the cage and the wall) and just stay there quietly. Similarly, if I bring him to my bed/living area he just finds a corner and just stay there. Really doing my best, but no idea how to get him to warm up to me.
3. He is very easily startled. Like, if you try and touch him also he will startle with a fast jerking motion. Try and pat him and sometimes he will startle and run inside the potty triangle to hide.
4. Refuses to be toilet trained. I tried the tactic where people say you take their poo and newspaper with their pee and place it under the netting in the potty. Done that for months, yet he still prefers pooping and peeing randomly.
Sigh... it's like everything that could go wrong went wrong with how I am having him as my first pet. Don't know what I can do =/ I care about him, I really do. Anybody with any suggestions?
Strangely, my Lop rabbits are 2 months ++ old and they seem to be happy bunnies, toilet trained and eats everything I give and very freindly. The male Lop seems to have a habit of licking my fingers whenever i hold the cage, and its adorable! Bought him at the end of last year from J Jay Petstation. He's a Holland Lop. I think I posted pictures of him on this topic before =]
Now he's reaching 1 year old (He was born around October or November if I remember correctly) and he's been with me for months, but he doesn't seem to be happy at all.
1. He wouldn't eat ANY Timothy hay. I know reading a lot of resources that at 6th month onwards I should gradually switch him to Timothy hay, but Mello wouldn't even touch it. I think he rather die than eat Timothy hay (There was once I tried to not feed him anything but leave Timothy hay in his bowl only for a whole day, but he rather starve than eat it). What can I do about this? I'm continuing to feed him Alfalfa and Pellets since those are the only things he eat, but I don't think this should continue for long.
2. He is VERY timid. He does not like coming out of his cage to play. I can leave the cage open but the only thing he will do is (when I'm gone) walk out and start shredding the newspaper that's put under the cage into a million pieces, and then stomach some of it. Then he will find a corner (or even the gap between the cage and the wall) and just stay there quietly. Similarly, if I bring him to my bed/living area he just finds a corner and just stay there. Really doing my best, but no idea how to get him to warm up to me.
3. He is very easily startled. Like, if you try and touch him also he will startle with a fast jerking motion. Try and pat him and sometimes he will startle and run inside the potty triangle to hide.
4. Refuses to be toilet trained. I tried the tactic where people say you take their poo and newspaper with their pee and place it under the netting in the potty. Done that for months, yet he still prefers pooping and peeing randomly.
Sigh... it's like everything that could go wrong went wrong with how I am having him as my first pet. Don't know what I can do =/ I care about him, I really do. Anybody with any suggestions?
Whereas the female Lop is abit more active and can be crazy but shes also friendly and they both never bite me in anger.The way I toilet trained them was, I just noticed how they always pee in one of the corners of the cage. They WILL have a spot they like to pee in their cage. Then I bought a toilet like 2 weeks ago and put in the same corner as they usually pee. And they're toilet trained to pee /poo there. But the pooing still happens to be scattered but I'm fine with that as long as they dont wet the whole cage. They also love to sit and sleep on the toilet for some reason
My lops used to be very startled also when I first got them, they were scared and did not recognise me. But after awhile I started playing and holding them alot and bonded alot through just giving them food haha! Its usually easy to 'trick' your rabbit into becoming your friend when they're hungry. Maybe you can try giving him treats?
Currently, my 2 months+ NDs are being less sociable haha They also dont like to come out of the cage. In the morning, when its feed time for them. I tried tricking them by putting their bowl with pellets just a few cm's away from the open cage door and see if they will come out for food. The Female ND dare to come out and eat but then the male ND doesnt want to. When I move close they would run back inside. I try and do this everyday so they can use to 'going outside'. And sometimes I feed them from my hand with pellets and pet them so they know I mean no harm. And i think its working cause, for a few days already they're not scared of my hand on cage. Instead of running to the back side of the cage, they come closer to my hand.
Sorry very long reply, but yeah hope your rabbit will bond with you. It takes time!
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. some bunnies are timid, i hv to accept that. generally speaking, rabbit is not suitable to be cuddled. u can only pet or stroke their forehead, ear and neck. 
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