How to Bond with Your New Bunny
You’ve found a special rabbit, brought them home, equipped their living space with everything and anything their little bunny heart may desire…now what? If you have never had a pet rabbit before, this is going to be a new adventure full of surprises! Rabbits have very different body language and habits than other common house pets, like cats and dogs.
Now, what should you expect as your new friend settles into their new environment? Rabbits are prey animals. They are naturally timid and shy of new places, smells, and sounds. They will be shy for AT LEAST the first few days, if not weeks or even months for an adult rabbit. This is normal. Gentle reassurance is very important during this period. You will be working on making them feel secure in your home, and with you as their caretaker. This does not mean keep them in a quiet place for a few days! They are leaving their family, and need to immediately start bonding to their new family to feel secure.
First lets talk about setting up a healthy and comforting “home base” for your rabbit. Following these guidelines will help your rabbit feel safe and make the adjustment period easier for them. This allows them to relax around you (and your family) so that you can start building confidence and trust.
Setting up a Rabbit Home
Sometimes people feel inclined to put their new rabbit in a quiet area of their home, but I advise the opposite. Changing your rabbit’s “home base” a few weeks after setting it up can be disorienting for a rabbit, and you want them to be in the middle of your home’s activity! Rabbits are most active during breakfast and late dinnertime so consider putting them near the kitchen or dining area, or perhaps where you hang out in the evenings after your meal is done. Rabbits LOVE to hang out while you watch TV. They will quickly get used to the activity and movement and their care will easily integrate into your routine.
Include a tunnel in your rabbits home design. Tunnels encourage play as rabbits love to run through them but they also give your rabbit a safe place to hide or sleep if they are feeling overwhelmed. You do not necessarily need to spend a lot of money on a tunnel! Your bunny will appreciate one made out of recycled cardboard boxes as much as one bought in a store. But if you are going to spring for something special, we love Little Beast Treats on Etsy.
Provide heavy ceramic or glass bowls for food and water. If you try to use plastic, they will throw them! Or find one designed purposely to discourage pets from flipping them. Also provide toys that are fun to throw because it’s too funny to miss! Wicker balls, baby stacking cups, or dried pinecones are all great for this. (And less messy than a flipped water bowl.)
Make sure the ground has traction. Rabbits need at least 4-6 feet or horizontal (flat) space to do zoomies and binkies. This is hilarious for you, but also important for rabbit health as this is how they reset their nervous system. A slippery floor is no good for running! Try using flatweave rugs that are easily washable in your home machine. Believe me, this is going to save you so many headaches, especially if your rabbit is still litter training. Don’t go for anything too plushy as this can tempt some rabbits to use the rug as a potty.
If litter training, start small. Using an exercise pen or large cage to keep your rabbit contained in the beginning is safer and cleaner than letting them free range immediately. Some adult rabbits may already be trained at their previous home BUT when they move to a new location it is common for them to want to “scent” their territory to define it as theirs. Putting the hay feeder and bowl for pellet food inside or above the litter box makes litter training much easier and contains some of the hay mess. For this reason get a large litter box, not one of the small corner ones.
Use calming herbs to help relax your rabbit during the first two weeks of transition. When a new rescue arrives at Breadbox, we use this Chill Out Forage Blend to help their brain and body find calm in the new smells, sounds, and activity of a novel environment.
First Bonding Activities
Get on their level. Laying on the ground while your rabbit is exploring an area helps them to become familiar with your body and smell without you seeming intimidating.
Start with the head and ears. When you pet a rabbit’s head and ears first, it is like a friendly handshake or hugging a friend. Rabbits who are reuniting after being away from each other spend a lot of time licking the each others’ face and ears to say hello.
The way to a bunny’s heart is through the stomach. If you are adopting a baby bunny, you will be slowly introducing them to fresh foods which is super fun and rewarding as they begin to associate you with all things yummy. If you are bringing home an adult, you get to try many types of greens, herbs, veggies, and even small pieces of fruit to find their favorites. Once discovered, use this knowledge to your advantage! Treat your rabbit for positive behaviors such as coming up to you, using the litter box, and just hanging out. They deserve some treats just for being so cute right?
Practice lap time. To do this sit in a dining chair. Couches don’t work well at first because your rabbit will just hop away to play on the cushions, and trying it on the floor is even harder. Make a flat lap with your legs together, and place them gently in your lap. Start with just a few minutes at a time increasing up to 20-30 minute sessions. Treats are always a good idea here! Eventually they will come to recognize this activity as safe and comforting.
Build trust around being picked up. If you are adopting a baby bunny from a breeder focused on good temperament, this should be pretty easily accomplished. Even if your rabbit is running away, there are kind ways of accomplishing picking them up. Stop them from running by putting your hand directly in front of where they are about to run. This takes some practice! Not even I get them on the first try all the time.
Say hello first by petting their head and ears, then reach one hand under the rib cage while the other scoops their bum up. Supporting the bum is the most important part for most rabbits feeling safe while being lifted. Once you have them in your hands, bring them to your chest right in front of your heart or even up to your shoulder. (Use caution and keep one hand on their back if raising them to your shoulder.) If you can get them to your chest, practice standing for a week, then move on to walking around with them held to your chest.
Putting them down carefully is just as important as the process of picking them up, as it can be frightening for them if you aren’t slow and confident. If you are standing, its a great idea to come down to your knees or to fit on a couch where they can have an easier transition down.
Once they build this bond of trust with you, you should practice picking up a few times a week, but it doesn’t have to be every day
*Please note that if you are working with an adult rabbit with little experience in being picked up, you will need to start on a slower program getting them used to your touch first. This will be covered in another article.
Speaking Rabbit
Rabbits have diverse personalities and preferences. Your job is to learn them and work with your unique rabbit to help them to understand and relate to your world in a positive way. Their body language can be confusing so here are a few guidleines:
Bowing of the head means “I am being submissive and would like to be groomed/petted.”
Shaking like a small dog or vibrating is actually not fear, but that they are hot from sitting on your lap or being in a warm place. They are breathing more rapidly and it can look like shaking.
Binkies are the crazy acrobatic playful hops that rabbits perform. This is how prey animals reset their nervous system, so it’s a joyful and positive thing! Binkies usually combine with zoomies, which is exactly what it sounds like; running FAST. So fun!
Chattering teeth while being petted isn’t fear, it’s them “purring".” They love it! Keep going!
For comparison, grinding teeth is negative and means they are in pain. They are usually doing this while sitting in a loaf and staying very still. This is bad and intervention is likely needed.
Flopping over, which looks like they are throwing themself to lay down on their side, is a sign of comfort in their environment. Bunnies don’t lay like this if they are scared or anxious.
Staying still for long periods is normal during the day when they are napping. They may even have their eyes open, but if their nose is still, they are asleep and faking everyone out!
Hiccups are not hiccups, but “clucking”, which is a sign of extreme contentment and very rare.
Honking, grunting, and soft humming or buzzing noises can be made at other bunnies or humans (sometimes even cats or dogs) and generally indicates some kind of intense love interest. I’ve also heard rabbits make a chortling noise like a drip coffee maker. I have only seen this in the same romantic circumstances as these other noises, but am not positive of the meaning yet.
Spraying urine on someone or something is a sign of wanting to mate. Gross, but they are IN LOVE, so take it as a compliment. Consider a neuter if it becomes a consistent issue.
This is a great start to learning to bond with your new rabbit but if I have missed anything please comment below and I will be happy to answer your question!
