My Holland Lop bunny

[bassdawg]

Hi, i am new to rabbits an i am 61 years old . I wanted to have a pet bunny so i looked around an decided i like the Holland Lops . So i bought a girl from a breeder an she is 9 weeks old . I got a really big cage for her an she already goes in the litter pan .I had her now for over a week . I have her cage in my bedroom an she really jumps an runs all night an really makes a lot of noise . Now my question is a lot of times she runs from me when i try to pick her up . She also bit me . sometimes she comes to me an i rub her head . So is all this normal ? Thanks so much for your input .
Bill :bunnyhop:

 

[KatzNetherlands]

Yep, sounds normal to me! She is a baby yet so it will take her some time to want to be held alot... The biting, I think everyone does it different, I just say firmly "NO!" and push their noses back a little. None of my rabbits bite now(unless I have had food) and they are almost all house rabbits like yours.

Think of her like a little puppy that just doesn't know all the rules yet... give her time, she'll get it!

BTW, whats her name? And do you have pictures!?!?!

 

[bassdawg]

I really appreciate your input , Her name is Annabell an i will try to post a pic , I already love her a lot .
Bill

 

[ladysown]

what a sweetheart. looks like one i sold not that long ago.

 

[MaggieJ]

Sooooo pretty! What a sweet face.

Welcome to RabbitTalk, Bill! :hi:

 

[ladysown]

oh...how to handle the biting thing. A firm no, and a head hold down to the ground for at least five seconds. Part of it is learning to read bunny language as well. Generally if you come in a mid-range height to get her and you reach around her belly to pick her up you'll do better.

handle her LOTS. Don't put up with her guff. Remind her that you are big bunny.
Teach her that all good things come from you, and that if she's bad you'll remind her of proper behaviour. Sometimes in the first week of being in a new place bunnies can act out of character as they are learning yet what is safe. a bunny that feels safe is generally a very contented and easy to handle rabbit.

 

[MaggieJ]

You might enjoy this website, Bill. It will teach you a lot about how bunnies communicate.

http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

 

[fuzzy9]

Welcome to the forum, and congrats on the bunny, she is adorable!!!

 

[bassdawg]

Thanks to all for your help . I do think it is helping already .
Bill

 

[eco2pia]

She is a doll. She is an especially pretty color. I also like her toy--I have a bored doe who is going to be getting one of those whiffle balls within the week, what a great idea!

I breed big rabbits and don't have room for a second breed, but every time I see a Holland Lop I start wishing I had some littles again!!

 

[Pickles]

Awwww... What a beauty your new bun is! She may not like being held but dont let that stop you. The only way to get her used to being handled is to handle her & often. Pick her up then put her down... next time you pick her up hold her for a few seconds before putting her down. Over days & weeks keep this up and keep trying to hold her longer and longer each time. You may choose to give a treat to her while being held so she begins to associate being held with something positive. Eventually, You will wear down her defenses and she will relent.

 

[Miss M]

Oh, she's a sweetie-bun! She's still trying to figure out who you are and what the rules are in her new home, like the others said. The link Maggie gave is excellent.

When we got our first bun, he wouldn't stop nipping. I used the information on that site to handle it. The next time he nipped me, I took him immediately to his cage, unceremoniously put him in, closed the door, and then dramatically turned my back on him (looking first to see if anyone could see me), which, according to that site, told him that he had seriously offended me. A couple days later he nipped me again, and I repeated the treatment. He hasn't nipped me since. :lol:

 

[MaggieJ]

Yes, it really works!