The easiest method to help your rabbit relax is to place them in a familiar and secure environment. You're halfway there if your rabbit is already in its comfortable rabbit bed or close to its enclosure. Please turn off any loud noises and seal the door to keep other pets out of their secure place.
If your rabbit got spooked and is showing signs of fear, you can comfort your rabbit to help them calm down. By gently talking to your rabbit and petting them, you can let them know there is nothing to be afraid of. If that doesn't work, you can also use treats and toys to distract your rabbit.
Give a few small treats as you are getting to know each other. Eating is a social activity for rabbits and eating together builds trust. Small portions of carrot, apple, herbs, or oats are offerings a rabbit will appreciate. Hold your rabbit properly.
3-5 Years Old
Rabbits tend to become a little less active by the time they reach this age. It is said that rabbits also become more affectionate during this period and they will start to trust you more.
If you see your rabbit drinking more than usual, it can be a sign that he's in pain or very stressed. Check that nothing in their home is causing them to be upset, such as foxes visiting your garden and ask your rabbit-savvy vet to check for any health problems.
Euthanasia typically involves an injection into a main vein which will quickly and painlessly send the rabbit to sleep. Their breathing and heart will stop within a minute or so, and they will gently slip away.
As rabbits doze from mid-morning until early evening, they do not necessarily need darkness to sleep. A rabbit will judge their sleep schedule by their energy levels. If they're exhausted, they'll flop down and fall asleep. Despite this, it's crucial that rabbits enjoy a balance of darkness and light.
Rabbits will usually tense up if they are stressed or worried. They might go into a crouched position, or flatten themselves against the ground – like they're trying not to be seen, but are also ready to run if they need to.
In my work with rabbits and other animals, it's very evident that they love to lie on the red when they lack regular contact with the outdoors. In contrast to red, blue is cooling. It calms and soothes and acts as an antidote for too much red.
Sometimes, when your rabbit is stressed or scared, all it needs is a bit of space. In such cases, even attempting to calm your rabbit can make things worse. Instead, you need to just leave it alone so that it can calm down on its own. It could just need some time to adjust to a new visitor, smell, or situation.
A lonely rabbit may become hyperactive and angry. They may display destructive behaviour such as gnawing at the carpets and other furniture. Lonely rabbits may pull at their fur and overeat.
The most common reason rabbits suddenly become mean is because they hit puberty. Getting the rabbit spayed and neutered will typically fix their aggressive behavior. Other possible reasons for sudden aggression in rabbits include illness, territorial instincts, fear, partial blindness, and pregnancy.
Many bunnies enjoy cuddles and affection
Bunnies are super-soft, and many will love cuddling with you as much as you love cuddling with them. Once a bunny is comfortable in their new home, they may claim you as their own by rubbing their chin on you to mark their territory.
The nose, face, cheeks, and ears seem like safe areas to try. Under the chin might or might not be a problem area, depending on the rabbit. The back is likely safe. The belly, feet, and rear end seem like no-go areas.
Licking: Licking is a way bunnies groom each other. If your bunny licks you, it's a sign of affection as you'll often see pairs of bunnies grooming each other this way. A bunny lick is a sign of a bond.
Your rabbit will quickly pick up simple instructions like “no,” but try not to sound too angry when you give these commands. Once “no” has been mastered, you might be able to move on to more complex instructions such as “don't do that,” and “come here,” as well as telling them when they need to jump off your lap.
The signs of an unhappy rabbit
Pulling at their fur and over-grooming - or not grooming at all. A change in feeding or toilet habits. Drinking a lot more. Repeated circling or pacing up and down.
They put their head on the ground and close their eyes in contentment. They also love getting a good back scratch around the shoulders. That said, they tend not to like being touched on the ears, neck, feet, stomach or tail.
Food-based toys are the most effective [2]. Toys don't have to be expensive – food wrapped in paper, tunnels made from cardboard boxes, plastic flower pots hiding food, cat litter trays filled with soil for digging, and sturdy bird toys which rattle all make great, inexpensive enrichment options for rabbits.