Skittish bunny goes from panic to peace

“He was one of the most scared rabbits I’d ever seen.”

And Keala Richter, a caregiver at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary’s Bunny House, has worked with many nervous rabbits over the years. But Phoenix stood out. He arrived at the Sanctuary from a nearby shelter swathed in shadows and fear. Just opening a door near his enclosure could send him into a panic.

Because rabbits are prey animals, it’s not unusual for them to be skittish, especially in new environments. But Phoenix’s fear was so intense that even gentle handling for a wellness check required full sedation. “He just couldn’t handle being touched,” Keala says.

But Phoenix wasn’t alone. From the start, his caregivers were determined to help him feel safe — and maybe even a little brave. When attempts to match him with a bunny buddy to help boost his confidence didn’t work out, the team knew Phoenix needed a different kind of support.

That’s when Keala reached out to a rabbit behavior expert. Together, they created a plan tailored just for Phoenix. Keala also took him home as a foster pet for several weeks to give him a quieter place to settle.

Progress didn’t happen overnight. “At first, he flinched every time a hand came near him,” Keala says. But then came a breakthrough — with the help of a banana.

“I held out a bite of banana, and he ran right out to me,” she says. “That was the first time I really saw his curiosity outweigh his fear.” From then on, bananas became a cornerstone of Phoenix’s training and trust building. Slowly, he began approaching people’s hands, accepting gentle touch, and even standing tall on his adorably fuzzy feet for treats.

Keala let Phoenix get used to things that once scared him at his own pace, and she rewarded his growing confidence with plenty of treats. She also found that Phoenix likes to be talked to in a soft voice. “Even just narrating what I’m doing helps calm him down,” she says.

[Learn more about adoptable rabbits at Best Friends]

Progress was slow but steady, and in time, Phoenix returned to the Sanctuary to meet potential adopters. “When he came back, it was clear he hadn’t forgotten any of the progress we’d made — and he’s continuing to get more comfortable with us,” says Keala.

He kept building confidence through activities like food puzzles, boxes to dig in, and outdoor playtime.

Then came Thumbelina — a sweet bunny just as shy as Phoenix. Caregivers introduced them slowly, giving them time to adjust to each other’s presence. To everyone’s surprise, Phoenix gently groomed Thumbelina during their first meeting — a hopeful sign that this friendship could last.

[A grumbly bunny’s life-changing friendship]

Now they live together, cuddled up in their own quiet space complete with toys, boxes, and plenty of things to chew on. They also enjoy supervised time out on the lawn, even approaching caregivers and visitors — a huge step for two rabbits who once lived in fear.

Phoenix still startles sometimes. Thumbelina is still learning to trust. But they’re learning and growing together, with plenty of banana bites and caregivers cheering them on every hop of the way.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.