How can you make the bunny feel safe?

Answer 1

The best thing to do for a scared rabbit is to leave them alone in peace and quiet.

If you are in a situation where this is not possible (i.e. the vets/car ride etc) covering a bunnies eyes by putting your hand over the forehead can sometimes help. Gently talking to the bunny and stroking slowly from head to rump will also help to calm a rabbit who is already comfortable with human contact.

However, part of this is dependent on what is causing the rabbits fear. If you know what is causing the fear then remove the stimulus if you can. i.e. Rabbits can be scared by something as simple as a helium balloon in the room...

Answer 2

Give her a padded room at the playboy mansion? HOW: Just make him like he is at HOME, and when I say home I mean like in nature. STEPS: 1.Take a nice cage 2.Put some bedding (leaves,wood) 3.Put some "natural" food (green leaves,fresh water,vegetabels) 4.Do NOT build a home (don't build it on your own, let him build it!) 5.Do NOT put toys for chewing or stones 6.Put some grass in the cage 7.Cover the whole cage with leaves or grass BUYING A BUNNY: 1.Go to a BEST store (do not go to stores that have sick animals) 2.Find the bunny that you like, but don't forget to check if he/she is sick 3.Ask for age and is it a male or female AT HOME: 1.Name the bunny 2.Talk to him/her BEFORE you put him/her in his/her cage 3.Slowly, without any noises, put him/her in his/her cage 4.Let him/her explore and see their "home" 5.While he/she explores talk to him/her about his/her new home (say that he/she will live there,"ask" him/her does he/she like it...) 6.Leave him/her alone for some time so he/she can see where he/she is. PLAYING WITH A BUNNY: 1.First let him/her be in your house for some time 2.Put your hand in his/her cage (on your hand you can put some food) and when he/she walks in to your hand, pull your hand LOWLY out of the cage EVERYTHING ELSE IS ON YOU!! SOME BUNNY NAMES: Hippy Hungry (if he/she eats much) Sleepy (is he/she sleeps much) Cutie Greyee (if he/she is grey) Princess Speedy (if he/she is fast) Coolie (if you think he/she is cool) Mr./Mrs. Hoppy (if you want more "normal" name) Mr./Mrs. Hippy Note: If something goes wrong contact me on my e-mail enamaslak@windowslive.com

Answer 3

Rabbits will scratch, hop on, or kick other rabbits if they want to defend their territory.

If there is a predator such as a coyote, the rabbit will run away. It will not fight it.

Answer 4

If your rabbit's showing signs of stress, that usually means he's feeling insecure. Rabbits are prey animals and naturally concerned with security; they're also very susceptible to stress and too much of it can lead to illness, shock, even death.

To reduce a rabbit's stress, provide him with a secure home, the freedom and opportunity to express his natural behaviours, and health care. And think from the point of view of the rabbit, as well as the human: rabbits don't know what we know, or think and feel what we do, so the things we know/think/feel won't have much impact on the rabbit's emotional health.

Secure Habitat

Put a nest/hidey-hole in your rabbit's habitat where she can hide whenever she wants to. It can be a cardboard box, a litter box with lid, a woven grass enclosure (like the Oxbow Timothy Bungalow), a wooden crate, etc. Make sure any materials used are clean, safe, non-toxic. Two entrances/exits work best to make a rabbit feel safe. Never disturb the rabbit when he's in his nest (unless it's an emergency), and leave it in the same basic place in his habitat. It should be away from chaos (loud noises, heavy foot traffic, etc.).

Respect your rabbit's sense of territory. Don't let other animals or children into the rabbit's enclosure, and minimise how much you go in there too (although you'll have to a bit, at least to give the food dishes and clean the litter).

Freedom of Will

Your rabbit will become stressed if he's never allowed to do what he wants to. If your rabbit doesn't want to cuddle, don't force her. If she wants to hide, let her. If he doesn't like certain activities (like being picked up -- most rabbits don't), don't make him do them.

**Obviously, the exception here is do what you must in order to keep the rabbit safe and healthy. Don't let a rabbit hide if you suspect she's ill! Don't avoid grooming your rabbit because he doesn't like it! Just be gentle and calm, but authoritative, when you have to do something your rabbit doesn't like.**

Ability to Express Natural Behaviours

Rabbits are social and playful animals. If they have no friends (human or rabbit, or even other pets), and if they have no toys or structures to expend their energies on and divert their attentions, they'll become stressed. There are all kinds of rabbit toys on the market, but you don't have to spend much money: household refuse like toilet paper rolls, old Yellow Pages, old blankets and squares of carpet (make sure they're clean and absolutely no eating allowed!), and old hard-plastic baby toys (toy keys, rattles, etc.) can all make fine toys. Spend at least four hours a day playing and cuddling with your rabbit.

Rabbits are also grazers, and should have access to hay at all times to keep them busy (and to keep them healthy -- hay should make up about 90% of their diet).

Know Your Rabbit

When something traumatic happens, comfort your rabbit the way he likes best. If your rabbit loves and trusts you and is soothed when you hold him close and say "shhhh," do that. If your rabbit struggles to get away from you, let him run back to his nest.

Socialize Your Rabbit

If your rabbit doesn't love and trust you yet, you'll have to let her get used to you. Spend a lot of time around her. Talk to her incessantly. Let her smell you. Pet her gently anytime she lets you.

Neuter/Spay Your Rabbit and Health Care

Pregnancy and nursing are huge strains on your rabbit. (It's also not very socially responsible, because rabbits are overpopulated and hundreds are killed every year in North America just because there's no room for them.) Even if your rabbit isn't in risk of pregnancy, though, neuter/spay is widely recommended for health and behavioral reasons. Sex hormones do cause your rabbit stress.

There are many things that can make your rabbit sick. You should perform at-home physicals to monitor your rabbit's health every month, and bring your rabbit to the vet every year for a professional physical and diagnostic testing.

Answer 5

If this is a new rabbit, let it stay in their cage for a day or two. Then it will relax and calm down. After these days are up, put your hand by the bunny. It will sniff you. If your rabbit puts it's head down, it wants to be petted. If if goes away, give it another try the next day. Every day give your rabbit some kind of treat, like part of a strawberry. Not too much treats, though.

Everyday you visit your rabbit, it will trust you more. But here are some extra tips, just in case. Never make loud sounds. Loud sounds can hurt the bunny's little ears. And don 't punish it if if bites or scratches you. This will annoy the rabbit. I hope this answers your question.