gaining trust

Avoid the "pick up & cuddle"

All bunnies love affection and attention but being picked up is not the way to go. Imagine being lifted up so high that you
can't see the floor! There is a serious risk when picking up your bunny that s/he will panic and jump out of your arms - I've
heard of bunnies who have broken their backs struggling to get loose. If you need to pick up your bunny to move him or
her to a new spot, make sure you cradle your bunny on your chest while all four feet are against your body and are not left
hanging. Hold them very secure until you have reached your destination. It is recommended to squat down low to the
floor before releasing your bunny as there is less chance of injury.

Get down to our level

This is the best way to get to know your bunny. Try sitting on the floor and wait for your bunny to come to you. We are
an inquisitive bunch and love to check everything out. If you're right there on the floor with us, guaranteed we'll be giving
you the once-over in no time!

Offer yummy food

If you want a bunny to cover over to you, offer something yummy like continental parsley or a leaf of bok choy. I'd never
pass up stuff like that and I even sit on Karen's chest now to eat my yummy food (I never used to do that!). You can offer
maybe one sultana or a piece of apple occasionally as we all love sweet things but too much can hurt our teeth.

Do not yell or scold

If someone yelled at me or hit me, I know I would never ever trust them again. If I do something wrong (which I never do
because I'm a good bunny!) my friends at BOING clean up after me or usher me off something they don't want me
standing on. I get the hint! I'm no dumb bunny!

Get a friend

If you find that you have a very shy bunny (like me!), getting a friend is a good idea. When Pancake came to live with us,
we became great buddies and she taught me to be confident. I can now go for a run with her, knowing that she'll be
nearby to look out for me.

I'm a bit of a nervous nelly I'm afraid! I'm scared of anyone I don't know
and will run and hide. I know it's because I wasn't treated well, but I'm
getting much better. Here are some tips you can try when getting to
know your bunny.

Keep the noise down

Too much can cause us to run and hide. If we are new to our
surroundings, we can end up hurting ourselves as we won't know where
to run! Make sure you take the time to be particularly quiet when you
bring your bunny inside your home. Noises like tv & radio are fine, it's
the people noises that scare us the most!

Leave us alone

Just for a while anyway, to get to know our surroundings. Too much
attention at the start can confuse and worry us.