How do I play with my bunnies?

[maherwoman]

Hey guys! You might think this weird, but I just realized I have NO idea how to actually PLAY with my bunnies!!

I've tried rolling their wire balls to them, and at times Maisie will kinda nose it back, but other than that, they don't really play WITH me...probably because I don't know HOW to play with a bunny.

Can you guys let me know...how do you play WITH a bunny? Do they like things rolled to them? I'm clueless!!

I want my babies to be as happy as they can possibly be, and I give them lots of love and LOADS of attention. They do loads of binkies and Dead Bunny Flops, so I know they're happy, but I also know they would be even happier if I knew how to play with them. They're both under a year old, so I know they would appreciate any advice/games/ideas you guys can lend!!

Thanks!!

 

[daisy052104]

About the only way that Holly will play with me is if I take her little dog and make it hop towards her she'll sometimes attack it and try to toss it. She'll also play with a hand towel if I drag it over her face and make her annoyed at it, she'll chase it. Then there's the ever fun game of attack the broom. I think that's her fav!!

 

[Bunman]

I lie down on my back & Daisy runs all over me..She likes to jump on my belly.

I get in the pen on my knees & she stamps her hind feet & runs toward me, then crouches down. I crouch over her & rub her belly while pressing my face onto the back of her head.

I throw crumpled up pieces of paper at her, which she loves to attack & destroy.

Just "be playful" - use your imagination to see what your bun likes.

 

[Haley]

My guys dont really like to play with me too much.

Sometimes if Basil is running around the room being silly, he will let me chase him and we havefun that way. Other than that, sometimes I will take something like a paper towel roll and put it in front of them (or one of those ring toss toys) and they will pick it up and throw it. I always make a big deal about it every time one throws something into the air to encourage him.

Thats about it. I guess my boys are kinda lazy.

Good Luck

-Haley

 

[maherwoman]

So it sounds like thus far that throwing things they can safely chew and destroy is a good game. I'll try that!

Any other game ideas would be much-appreciated, too, though!

 

[Jess_sully]

I'm not sure how you'd initiate the game (our bunny always did) but with our mini lop, we used to play hide and seek! He'd come running up to you, bonk you with his nose, and take off running. He'd wait somewhere, and as soon as you went to find him, he'd pop out and wait expectantly for you to do the same. It was pretty neat! I'm not sure how he learned it though... we adopted him when he was two years old and he just started playing it a week or so after he came home. He also used to like "play fighting" when we'd flip him over and tickle him or take away his toys, etc.

 

[ec]

I found out shortly after I got Nibbles (a Dutch girl) that she likes to toss things - if I held a piece of hay out to her, she'd toss it. That has progressed to pieces of cardboard, paper towel rolls, shoebox lids, a small wicker tray and just about anything that can possibly be tossed, provided it's large. (Lots of buns like baby keys and t.p. rolls, but not her - she goes for the big stuff, even though she's quite small.)

I also found that she likes to dig, bunch and flatten material. I often play with her by holding an old beach towel or fleece baby blanket and letting her "attack" it. She loves it, and I get a big kick out of it, too.

I haven't had her for long, but noticed the day i chose her that she likes to play "chase" games - that's one of the things that attracted me. I use my upstairs hall for free run time (supervised) and have found that she'll look at me, hop off and then stop and look back at me. I'm suppsed to follow - when I do she waits until I'm right there behind her, hesitates a split second, and then takes off again. she usually likes to do this twice around the hall before flopping and presenting herself to be petted.

I talk to her a lot and try to spend a fair amount of time each day on the floor with her. She'll walk on me, dig on a towel in my lap (sometimes!), and she is generally getting comfortable with sticking her face in mine and now, doing a full bunny flop with me right next to her. (That started this past Sat. night.)

So I guess I''m doing something right, but I'm not sure what! I think every bunny is different; that different buns like different games, and that some aren't as playful as others. But this is my 1st bun - like you, maherwoman, i wasn;t sure what to do at 1st.

One thing I did a lot - and still do - is to praise Nibbles when she tosses the right things. (Cardboard, hay etc.) That becomes a game in and of itself, because the more i praise her, the more she does it. She's a real showoff!

:bunnybutt:

 

[Raisin]

Hi there!

Raisin and I play a lot. I dont know if it's actually more teaching her tricks but she likes it anyway. I build her a tunnel with a cardboard box and then put some raisins (which she loves) inside the tunnel and then call her from the other end. She had to be motivated to go through the tunnel at first but now she runs right through and does a binkie straight afterwards. She also fetches raisins from between my lips and then sometimes gives me little licks on my face to say thank you. I did the rolling of the papertowel roll as well but she's not keen on that, she likes tossing it around tho and tearing my magazines. She also likes running over me when I lie on the ground and she once did a binkie right on top of my stomach and it was hilarious. Basically I think they just wants lots of attention and love.

 

[ec]

"Lots of attention and love": Yep!

Now if only Nibbles would learn to lick me affectionately instead of nipping me, like she would another rabbit, I'd be all set.

 

[manda]

Ryo doesnt play much. she just always wants love. when she was younger she would toss her toys at me, i would hold them in front of her, and she would toss them at me again.

Alex is very playful. he has this game he made up where he will sneak behind me and nip my side! and i turn around and he binkies off and hide. so i will *gently* chase him and he will run off binking! but the minute i set on the floor to do anything here he comes and nips me! its cute, but actually pretty annoying too!

 

[ilovetegocalderon]

My bunny Tank loves to play. It's this game called "charge at Danielle, bite her viciously, run away, charge, attack and bite her again later". It's his favorite!

 

[Mrpumpkinbunny]

Mr Pumpkin Bunny likes to chase and even be chased. He initiates it. He will run full tilt down the hall at us bonk us with his nose and turn ready to run. We always kind of side skip toward him in case he turns fast under our feet.

Also he likes it when we jump and spin. He will binky all over the place when we do this, because I think he thinks we are doing binkies.

He loves to binky with us.:bunnydance::elephant:

Peanut prefers to play with Mr Bunny and boxes more than with us, so we give her that space.


Oh yea, your not crazy. You're a good bunny slave that wants to please the bunny!

 

[Jenni]

Gretchen and I play peek-a-boo with a basket. I put it on her head, she pokes her nose out and I say "Where's Gretchen?" and then she throws it off of her.

 

[LuvaBun]

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

My bunny Tank loves to play. It's this game called "charge at Danielle, bite her viciously, run away, charge, attack and bite her again later". It's his favorite!

Sorry, Danielle, but your description made me laugh soooo much!

I also play chase with my bunnies. I get down on all fours, and say "Where's that BUNNY!" and crawl towards them. They binky and run off and wait for me to do it again. If I stop and they don't want to, then they come up and nudge me, then binky and run away.

Basically, if you're going to play with your girls, be prepared to act like an idiot - and make sure no one is watching !

Jan

 

[Mrpumpkinbunny]

LuvaBun wrote:

Basically, if you're going to play with your girls, be prepared to act like an idiot - and make sure no one is watching !

Jan

DH and I wonder what our neighbors think. Our kitchen has a French door (all window). This is where we play. The neighborshave to think we areour insane!

Even with the blind drawn Ijust know they can see silhouettes hoping and dancing.

Bunniesplay keepsyou young!

 

[ec]

yes to all of this!

LuvaBun wrote:

ilovetegocalderon wrote:

My bunny Tank loves to play. It's this game called "charge at Danielle, bite her viciously, run away, charge, attack and bite her again later". It's his favorite!

Sorry, Danielle, but your description made me laugh soooo much!

I also play chase with my bunnies. I get down on all fours, and say "Where's that BUNNY!" and crawl towards them. They binky and run off and wait for me to do it again. If I stop and they don't want to, then they come up and nudge me, then binky and run away.

Basically, if you're going to play with your girls, be prepared to act like an idiot - and make sure no one is watching !

Jan