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wild bunny trust issues

22 11:33:41

Question
The barn cat brought in a very young baby bunny several months ago, I bottle fed it for a week and then it began to eat on its own.  After two weeks or so it had become so used to being taken places and getting treats and food that I just didn't have the heart to release him onto our property (we have several bobcats, owls and other predators living around the farm)  he is now 4 months old and lives in my bathroom, he is fully potty trained (did it himself) and loves to run around my master bathroom.  My question is that he is still very shy about being touched and handled (very scred when you pick him up) I would like to get him to calm down but don't know how to go about doing this.  I try to pick him up and pet him several times a day.  He is very domesticated in the fact that he loves his food on time and loves treats but he is still scrared of me.  I love him no matter what but I would like to set up a better bond (he doesn't need to cuddle with me) but I wuold like to establish some trust but am not sure how to do this.  Also he eats alot and still seems skinny to the touch, it that a wild rabbit thing.  Should I get him fixed, could that helo the situation.  thanks so much

Answer
First, I wouldn't "advertise" the fact that you are "harboring" a wild bunny.  In most states this is illegal and you could be fined a significant amount of money if someone wanted to be mean.  This means that vet visits are probably out of the question, because vets are more likely to get in trouble if they are not approved by the state to take care of wild animals.  In a dire emergency, I suppose you could try to pass him off as a San Juan rabbit, this is a breed that very closly resembles the wild rabbits, but an experienced vet will know the difference.

Trust will always be an issue with a wild rabbit, no matter how long you have it.  I had a litter that was only about 3 days old when my neighbors hit the nest with a lawn mower.  They brought them to me, fortuneately I had 3 females nursing litters about the same age who raised them for me.  Even after being raised by domestic rabbits and being treated exactly like their foster bothers and sisters, the wild rabbits still acted wild and wanted out of the cages.  The spent most of thier time with their little noses pressed up to the corner trying to get out so I let them go.  My point is that instinct will be stronger than conditioning and his instinct is to be afraid of you or at least to be weary of you.  All rabbits are afraid of heights so the fear of being picked up is natural.  His early experience with the cat certainly doesn't help.

His thinness is a result of being more of a hare than a rabbit.  Wild rabbits are basically bony with little meat and less fat.  Surgery is tough on all rabbits, and some don't ever wake up (this is something the rescue organizations that stress spaying and neutering rabbits neglect to tell people).  I suspect it would be even harder on a wild rabbit and wouldn't suggest you worry about that -even if you could find a vet will to do it.

Hope all goes well.