Shy Rabbits

My bunny doesn't like to be held, what can I do?

You are distressed that your bunny doesn’t like to be held. Consider for a moment the natural history of the rabbit. This is a ground-dwelling animal that is a prey item for many predators. It is completely against the nature of the rabbit to be held far above the ground where they cannot control their own motions and activities. When you *force* them to be held against their will, you reinforce their notion that you are a predator who is trying to restrain them.

Holding a rabbit who kicks and struggles is not only dangerous for you or any kids (you’ve probably noticed the sharp nails by now), but even more so for the rabbit. It’s not unusual for a young rabbit to be brought into a veterinary office with a broken leg or spine because someone ”insisted” on carrying them around and handling them against their will. You love your bunny, so don’t let this happen to your rabbit companion.

After all…you likely wouldn’t force a dog who didn’t want to be carried. Why treat your bunny any differently, simply because of their superficial appearance?

How can I better understand my bunny's shy behavior?

To understand rabbit behavior, you need to begin to think more like a rabbit.

Step 1

Go online and order a copy of House Rabbit Handbook: how to live with an urban rabbit, fifth edition, by Marinell Harriman. Written by House Rabbit Society’s founder, it shares the collective knowledge of scores of HRS volunteers–licensed educators, chapter managers, veterinarians, fosterers, and others–that the rabbits have shared with us across three decades–and some 40,000 rescues.
Step 2

Note that the domesticated rabbit, unlike a dog or cat, evolved as a “prey” species. Dogs and cats are predators. Also, dogs and cats have been bred for centuries to not be afraid of humans. Rabbits have been bred primarily for meat, fur, and physical characteristics. That means that when you adopt a bunny, you adopt a lovely, domesticated animal with the heart and spirit of a wild animal (but who is unable to survive in the wild). It is much more challenging to win the trust of this sensitive, intelligent creature than it is to win the heart of a puppy or kitten, who has been bred to trust you from birth.

Some rabbits will give their friendship to you freely. Others are naturally shy. Still others will happily bounce up and greet you, only to dash off at the glimpse of your hand–because they are terrified of being touched. It is up to you, the flexible human, to compromise and alter your behavior so that the bunny understands that you are a friend.

How can I win my rabbit's trust?

Here’s how you can enhance your friendship with your rabbit: Begin with you and bunny should in a private, quiet room. No other pets. No distractions.

One of the many reasons House Rabbit Society recommends an exercise pen over a cage for house rabbits is that it more often permits the rabbit to come and go without the need to be lifted or carried. If they are repeatedly lifted, grabbed, or chased when playtime is over, they will have a harder time learning to trust.

Hold a treat, such as a carrot slice or a small bit of apple, banana or pinch of oats in your hand.
Lie on your tummy on the floor and do nothing. Don’t expect bunny to approach you right away. Remain quiet and patient, even if it takes a long time. Rabbits are naturally curious. Eventually, you will be joined and sniffed.
At this point, resist the temptation to reach out and pet the bunny. Instead, let them check you out. Let them sniff, hop on you, just get to know you. By being non-threatening, you will teach them that you are not a threat.
If the bunny finds the treat you have, hold it while it’s nibbled.
Do this every day. Gradually, you will be able to begin to pet the bunny, by giving a gentle “scritch” on the forehead. (Bunnies like this).
Do not force anything. During this period, avoid grabbing, lifting, or chasing bunny for any reason. This will only undo all the patient sitting you have done to gain their trust. If you need bunny to go into their enclosure or a carrier, rather than chase them around the room ordering them to Go. In. There., be patient and walk alongside your bunny as you encourage their advancement into the pen or carrier.
Once the bunny learns that you are a friend, you will have earned their friendship. Bit by bit, the two of you will bond.
It’s also important to have adolescent bunny neutered/spayed once they reach sexual maturity. Otherwise they’ll want to make love to everything. Spay/neuter will stop this behavior as well as will eliminate the very real risk of ovarian/uterine cancer in females. Spay/neuter will also make litter box training easier and more reliable. To find a rabbit-savvy vet near you, check our referral list.

Rabbits like to be the masters of their own mobility

Even though they look like little stuffed toys, they have strong opinions and hate being made to do anything, like being carried. They each have strong personalities and can express their displeasure–or withhold their affection– if they feel threatened.

Look at the world through your bunny’s eyes, and put yourself in their place. In a new place where no one speaks their language, they have no idea whether you plan to love them or eat them. Gradually and patiently earn their trust. It can take hours, days, weeks or months, and it all depends on the personality–and past experience–of the individual rabbit.

HELP! The rabbit is not turning out to be the sort of pet we wanted for our kids.

Rather than be disappointed that the rabbit is not what you expected (it is unlikely most will ever learn to *like* to be held), take this opportunity to teach the kids respect for a new kind of animal. If they really want something to carry around, they need a stuffed toy—not a live rabbit. Finally, the ultimate responsibility for the rabbit’s welfare is yours—and not your childrens’. They are far too young to understand the necessity of constant, devoted care to another sentient life form. But this is your chance to teach them that, too.

Use this time to look at your rabbit with new eyes. They are not a toy; they are a highly intelligent, potentially loyal creature who can become a member of the family, if you allow them to be who they —and that is a rabbit. If you can do that, you are in for the most delightful companionship you can imagine.