Everything is prepared, the hutch is ready, and your friends and relatives are starting to think you’ve gone a little bunny-crazy. It’s normal to want to start playing and bonding with your pet straight – you’ve been dreaming about this day for weeks and you can’t wait to get acquainted!
Take a second though, to stop and consider your bunny’s feelings. He or she will probably have had to under a journey in an unfamiliar box after having been suddenly taken away from her litter and her home. Your new bunny will probably be scared and tired. The best thing you can do when you place your bunny in its cage is to stand back and leave him alone.
The First Few Hours
- Place the transport box in the cage if you can (everything should already be set up and waiting for your new guest!), open the door and close the cage door
- Give the bunny all the time it needs to venture out, sniffing and exploring its new home (my new bunny took about 15 minutes to venture out and another hour or so to properly explore his new home)
- Make sure the room is calm and quiet, avoid family members crowding around the bunny to avoid frightening him
The First Day
- After he has settled in, sit beside the cage with the door open (I prefer cages which open entirely in the front) and talk softly to allow him to get used to your voice
- If your bunny is used to it, try coaxing him to come near you by offering him treats
- Slowly let your bunny get used to your hand by making him place a paw on your palm to get the treat
The First Few Days
- Spend as much time as possible with your bunny, preferably in an enclosed area outside the bunnies cage
- Let the bunny hop out of its cage on its own and sit quietly in the enclosure ignoring him (read a book, write a letter)
- Your bunny is curious by nature and will eventually come over to sniff you. When he does, reward him with a treat
- Some bunnies like to be petted, some don’t (see blog posts ‘Django’s first few days’ for how I got along with my new bunny). Make sure you go at the bunny’s pace. By the end of the first day, you can get your bunny jumping in and out your lap without any coaxing from you as he discovers that you make an excellent climbing frame
Should I pick my bunny up?
It is difficult to know how soon you should pick your rabbit up. Rabbits that have been handled from a young age are much more inclined to let themselves be picked up (e.g. from a breeders) even though they might protest with a few kicks. Whilst you don’t want to scare your rabbit and ruin the good work you’ve done by bonding with him, bunnies should be used to being picked up a little bit as there are times when this will be inevitable (e.g. at the vets’). Ideally, you want to have enough time to allow your bunny to get used to being stroked and have him climb onto your lap of his own accord. However, this is not always easy and some bunnies take a lot more time than others. Bunnies that are handled very young are often much more tolerant to strokes and being carried. It is best to avoid constantly picking your bunny up and carrying it around the house, as you may startle it and it may hurt itself attempting to escape. If you must pick your bunny up, for example to transport him to an outdoor run every day, then a good compromise is to pick your your bunny up once a day, every day. Place your hand carefully underneath his bum and another supporting his chest, once you lift him place him directly against your tummy or on your lap, supporting his back legs the whole time so he can’t kick out or hurt himself. As soon as he calms, release him gently and reward him with a treat (if he is calm enough). Let him wander off as soon as he wants to, and reward his stay with his favourite snack.
My Dwarf Bunny 