foster rabbit

Hamlet, an adult harlequin bunny, has arrived at Baby’s Bungalow!

He has definitely proven to us that all rabbits have totally different personalities, just like humans. While our first foster was a young bunny that didn’t quite feel comfortable with strangers, Hamlet knows exactly what he wants and will make sure you know. He’s very vocal, in the way that rabbits can be.

His lack of shyness tells me he’s ready to be the “man of the house” wherever he ends up!

Personality Profile

Three words to describe Hamlet?

Grunty
Bold
Hungry

Hamlet will grunt his needs

There’s a common stereotype with rabbits that they are very quiet and it’s very hard to tell what they want. They’re not like dogs, which have a wide vocal range of barks, whimpers, and whines.

But Hamlet pushes his communication skills to the limit.

You will know if you’re doing something “wrong.”

He has grunted:

When we were too slow opening the playpen so he could run around
When we reached out to pet him too fast (making him uncomfortable since bunnies have a blind spot right in front of their nose)
When we were too slow getting him his food (Why is your hand still there anyway? You need faster reflexes, obviously!)

It’s important to note that grunting in general is a communication technique, not necessarily an immediate indication of aggression. Hamlet has not bitten anyone! But we’ve also heeded his warning grunts. We’ve been respectful of his personal space and his (demanding) preferences.

Hamlet will claim your home

It took about a week for Hamlet to feel comfortable enough in the space to leave the playpen. We left the door open every night and sat nearby to supervise. But he only finally came out when he heard me unwrap a (very expired) lollipop for myself, not realizing that the crinkling was not me getting him a treat.

Once he was out though, boy was he out!

He immediately started running around investigating. After reviewing the area, he acted like he owned the place! He even came right up to me while I was sitting on the floor and bumped me with his nose, a “pet me now, please” signal.

Since then, he’s just been hoping right out and looking around every night.

Hamlet doesn’t know a treat he didn’t like

If you offer it to him, Hamlet’s eating it!

He loves all kinds of treats and hay, everything from rabbit biscuits to strawberry tops.

Don’t let him trick you into feeding multiple rounds of pellets! He’s definitely a bun that would fake starvation after just being fed.

Fast Facts about Hamlet

Here are some good things to know about Hamlet before considering adopting him:

Litterbox: He’s been trained to use the litterbox, and his habits are immaculate. Just know any bunny will accidentally kick out some poop as they’re jumping out of the litterbox.
Neutered: He has been neutered, so you don’t have to worry about the pricey surgery.
Petting Preference: Hamlet loves to be pet but likes pets to the head the best! And HE decides when you’re done petting him. If you stop too early, he’ll bump you with his nose and lower his head back into position for more! Hamlet is definitely one of those rabbits I can see asking you to pet him through an entire movie on the couch or something.