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Guys, I messed up pretty bad.  I studied abroad for six months and left my bunny, Loaf, at my parents' place. I thought it'd be all right because we've had rabbits before, but when I got back, I discovered the poor thing had gone slightly feral. He's always had a pretty strong personality and would charge me when I put my hands in his cage to change the litter or food. He never bit, though. Now he charges everyone while grunting and bites whenever he can. He's always been independent, but now he's downright antisocial. The only family member he tolerates is my dad, and he still gets bitten.I'm guessing the main problem is that he's stressed out by my parents' dogs, even though he's kept in the least-doggy area of the house. I'd assume he's just undersocialized, but my dad adores him. He tries several times a week to pry Loaf out of the hutch to play outside or hop around while my dad watches action movies. I'd just take him out of the dog atmosphere, but I got kind of screwed by my roommates when I got back to the US. I had to find a last minute room in a building that doesn't accept pets. I thought I could just keep the little dude with my parents, but he's obviously pretty unhappy there. There's also a big chance that I'm going to be going to grad school outside the country. Can we "fix" Loaf's personality or is it better for me to just call the local house rabbit society to find out if they can find a new place for him? I feel awful doing it. I really did think I could take care of him when I bought him, but a lot of things have changed since then.
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Jul 31, 2007 17:52
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Tickle Me Emo posted:Is Loaf neutered?
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Jul 31, 2007 18:08
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alucinor posted:words! I think his hutch is ok. Here's what it looks like:  (toys pictured: wire hanging thing to put hay and treats in, two wooden chewtoys, a Ramune bottle, a Mountain Dew box, and a stuffed Dutch bunny I played with as a kid) My dad built it, of course. Loaf is generally good about his litter box but sometimes overshoots a bit, so we have a tray under the litter box end of the hutch. The top part is on hinges, so the whole thing can lift up and sit propped on the lower roof. There's also a smaller exit cut into the wire on the side. He generally completely ignores people when he's out of the cage and hopping around. I sat down and read with him for about three hours today. He hopped out of the hutch immediately when I moved far enough away from it. I sat pretty still and he eventually worked up the courage to come sit on me for a couple seconds while surveying the rest of the room. I also managed to get him to eat a carrot out of my hand. He was completely uninterested in being petted, though. Is he just standoffish or am I doing something wrong? I'm trying to give him interaction, but he doesn't seem too interested. I had initially planned on getting another rabbit to bond with Loaf, but hung back because I wasn't sure I could handle two. Is one more a lot of extra work? My mom had hysterics when I suggested finding a friend for him, which is fair enough as she's the one that's been doing the cleaning while I've been away. 15 hours a day is probably farther out of the question. I'll give the house rabbit people a call and see what they say. Thanks a lot! This was really helpful. theboojum fucked around with this message at 22:20 on Jul 31, 2007 |
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Jul 31, 2007 22:16
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