Rabbits are flighty animals, thus entering a new area can be a frightening experience for them. This might make it difficult to make introductions at times.
Rabbits are prey animals, therefore all of their instincts are directed around fleeing away and avoiding being eaten. As a result, you’ll get a pet who requires a lot of patience and a slow introduction to your home.
In order to settle a new rabbit into a home, you will need to be patient and provide them with the utmost care. Your bunny won’t be completely at ease until he’s convinced there’s no danger in the house. You will want your new pet to feel at peace in this new environment and settle in quickly.
In this article, we will go through the ways you can help settle your rabbit into a new house. So, keep reading!
How Long Does It Take For A Rabbit To Adjust To A New Home?
It takes two days to two weeks for rabbits to adjust to a new home. Maintain a steady daily schedule and keep your rabbit in a calm environment in order to make them feel protected.
You may also boost your rabbit’s confidence by praising him for being brave and venturing into new territory. Some rabbits are quite confident right away and may enthusiastically explore on the first day. However, most rabbits will be comfortable into their new home within one to two weeks.
Rabbits who are familiar with you and are relocating to a new house usually adjust faster than rabbits who are brought home for the first time.
There are other rabbits who are more worried on a regular basis. These bunnies may require a little additional aid from you to acclimate to a new home. This is either due to their personality or prior trauma.
How Do You Acclimate A Rabbit To A New Home?
You can acclimate your bunny to your new home by following these steps:
1. Establish Home Base
Make sure you have a home base enclosure built up for your rabbit before you even place them in their new home. Whether your rabbit is allowed to walk freely or is kept in an enclosure, this is an important step in maintaining their safety and comfort.
Your rabbit’s home base should contain everything he or she requires. Include the litter box, food and water dishes, as well as some toys for the cat to play with.
A secure haven for your rabbit should be a home base. They’ll be able to relax in their surroundings. Also, they’ll have a safe haven to go to when they’re ready to explore the rest of the room and house.
If you’re relocating to a new house with a rabbit you’ve already lived with, try to set up their place in the same manner you did before. Place the litter box, food bowls, and other items in the same relative positions as before the transfer. Because your rabbit is already comfortable with their home base, the move will be easier for them.
2. Provide Familiar Items
You should try to relocate your rabbit into their new home with some familiar toys and bedding. Because rabbits are quite sensitive to the way everything smells, this is really beneficial.
They use their smell to acquaint themselves with items and establish their territory. When they are surrounded by their own fragrance, they feel safer and more in control.
It’s simple to ensure that a rabbit you’ve lived with has stuff to which they’ll feel attached. When you relocate your rabbit to their new home, all you have to do is make sure they have all of their old toys and furnishings.
This is a little more challenging when taking a fresh rabbit home. You’ll almost always have to buy your own rabbit supplies. Therefore, you won’t be able to carry home the litter box that the rabbit is used to.
You may be permitted to bring some familiar toys home with your rabbit depending on where you adopt your rabbit. If this isn’t an option, bring a towel to put in the carrier with your rabbit.
The towel should contain some aroma from the rabbit by the time you bring it home. Therefore, keeping it with them at their home base might make them feel a little more at ease.
3. Balanced Diet
A baby rabbit’s first few days in a new environment can be quite anxious. Unfortunately, stress may lead to a variety of health complications. Rabbits are more likely to develop GI Stasis at this time if they don’t consume enough fibre.
You’ll want to double-check that your rabbit is consuming a balanced diet to avoid these health issues. Make sure they have access to timothy hay at all times. If your rabbit suddenly stops eating, it’s an emergency. We recommend that you consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.
You should also keep a watch on your rabbit’s excrement to see how they’re handling stress. Rabbits who are under a lot of stress will produce little poops. These little fecal pellets are common on your rabbit’s first day in their new home.
However, if they don’t return to normal size within the first twenty-four hours, you’ll need to take further measures to assist your rabbit relax.
4. Environment
The majority of rabbits are extremely sensitive to loud noises and rapid movement. You’ll want to make sure your rabbit’s area is clear of big distractions during the first few days at home.
Make sure youngsters remain calm and quiet while they are around the rabbit. Your rabbit will adjust to their new home more quickly if they have a calm living place. Instead of being on continual alert for unexpected or loud noises in the vicinity, they will feel protected.
5. Peaceful Behavior
When you initially introduce a rabbit into a new home, you want to be kind with them. Allow your rabbit time to adjust to their new home and surroundings. This does not, however, imply that you should entirely avoid your rabbit.
Spend some peaceful time with your bunny instead. For a few days, read near them or work in the same room as them. Carry on with your day in a calm and assured manner to assure your bunny that everything is okay.
If your rabbit is already familiar with you, spend some time each day interacting with him or her. If you’re bringing a new rabbit home, it’s better to give them a few days to adjust before trying to pet or engage with them.
Because most rabbits are terrified of being picked up, it’s better to refrain from holding or snuggling with them until you’ve earned their trust.
6. Schedule
Routine is important to rabbits. It makes their days more predictable, which decreases their overall stress levels. When they don’t have any major surprises throughout their day, they feel safer.
Your rabbit will be lot happy and less anxious since they will know when to anticipate meals and when they will have time to exercise.
Routine provides other advantages. You’ll find that your rabbit is more inclined to open up to you and other caregivers. They are also more adventurous and keen to explore their surroundings.
7. Rabbit Proof Your Home
When you relocate your rabbit into a new home, you should spend some time bunny proofing it thoroughly. Rabbits are notorious for inventing new ways to create havoc in new environments. Therefore, don’t expect them to behave nicely in your new home just because they were in your last one.
Make a point of locating and covering any wires your rabbit could chew on, as well as covering the carpet, particularly in the corners of rooms. Keep any potentially harmful items out of reach or in a separate room.
8. Give Them Independence
You’ll want to start your rabbit in a tiny environment when you first bring him home. Rabbits can grow overwhelmed and agitated if they are given too much room too soon. Despite having greater space, they will be less inclined to venture out and explore.
They will be more confident and will gradually explore the area if they are introduced to a small amount of space at a time. Keep them in their enclosure for the first day.
Give your bunny half of the room on the second. Gradually expand the space until your rabbit has access to their whole exercise or roaming area.
9. Explore
Give your rabbit a reason to be daring to stimulate curiosity, and confidence. Hide goodies for your rabbit to locate throughout the room. To urge your bunny to leave their secure environment and explore, start by placing them near their home base.
As your rabbit’s confidence grows, try concealing goodies in new locations for him to discover.
You may also use petting as a reward if your bunny enjoys a good massage. Sit a few feet away from your bunnies and touch them if they come up to you bravely. This will help your rabbit build confidence more quickly since they will be more at ease in their new environment.
Do Rabbits Get Stressed When Moved?
Yes, rabbits can get stressed when moved. Moving to a new house is already a difficult experience. Anyone’s brain will spin if a rabbit is thrown into the mix.
You’ll want to make sure you have a strategy in place to minimise stressing your rabbit out while you’re moving. Set up a space for your rabbit that is free of all moving noises.
Ensure that they may relax as much as possible throughout the procedure. It’s also a good idea to pack some emergency supplies, especially if you’re travelling long distances.
How To Get A Rabbit Used To A New Hutch?
In order to get your bunny used to a new hutch, follow these steps:
1. Arrange Everything
When you bring your rabbit home, you don’t want to be scrambling for bedding or food bowls. She’ll be exhausted from her journey and long for a dark, quiet place to retire to.
Make sure that you have a spacious enough hutch for an adult rabbit. It should be two hops broad, three hops long, and tall enough for the rabbit to stand in. Food, water dispensers, toys, and a bedding should all be on hand.
2. Assemble Hutch
Place the hutch in a room without any noisy appliances. Straw or hay should be used to provide a deep bedding for the hutch. Make a discreet resting space within the hutch, such as a solid wooden box packed with straw.
Make sure that other pets in the home can’t get a scent of the hutch. This is because the other animals may startle the rabbit.
3. Place Your Bunny
Lift your bunny out of the carrier and set her in the hutch quietly. Speak softly and kindly yet sternly with her. Cover your rabbit with a towel before lifting her up if she appears uncomfortable in the carrier.
The towel’s blackness has a naturally relaxing effect on her. This may make her feel secure and tranquil.
When moving your rabbit to the hutch, be careful to hold her tummy and rear legs with your hands.
4. Allow Room
For the first three days after you bring your rabbit home, don’t handle her or remove her out of the hutch. Allow your rabbit to get familiar with and at ease in her hutch.
Don’t worry if she spends the first day hiding. This is typical. She’ll start to wander out after she’s used to the sounds and scents.
When she initially hears a disturbance, she may flee and hide. However, if she sees it isn’t a threat, she will become more assertive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Bunnies Get Stressed Easily?
Rabbits may quickly become stressed by their environment. As a result, a stress reaction might be triggered in a variety of settings.
What Do Rabbits Do When Scared?
Rabbits’ anxiety isn’t usually visible. However, crouching or hiding, restlessness, screaming and heavy breathing are all symptoms of being scared. It’s also common for them to thud the ground with their feet.
Do Bunnies Cry?
Yes, rabbits cry when they are in pain or on the verge of dying. Rabbits may make sobbing noises, but they do not shed tears. If your rabbit’s eyes are wet or teary, she might be suffering from a dental problem or an infection.
Final Words
If your rabbit is familiar with you, they will feel more safer and more at ease while you are there. Because you’re in the room with them, they’ll be more likely to come out and explore. Your rabbit, on the other hand, will be afraid if they find themselves alone in an unfamiliar environment and would most likely hide.
This means you should try to take a few days off work or work from home following your relocation if at all feasible. This will allow you to spend quality time with your rabbit while they acclimatise to their new surroundings.
It’s also critical that you take the time to rabbit proof the new location as soon as possible. Make sure any harmful things are out of reach of your rabbit. Also, keep him away from any possible trouble areas.
Drop down your doubts and queries regarding your furry bunny’s habits and preferences in the comment section below. We will answer them soon.
