Maisie won't let me hold her anymore...

[maherwoman]

When I brought home my Maisie a few weeks ago,she loved to be held...in fact, she asked for it. Now, threeweeks later, she totally resists when I try to pick her up. Ido her the favor of at least waiting until she's NOT running andjumping around. I try to do it at a time when she's justsitting around or calmer, but now she kicks like CRAZY and goes intoher cage (where she knows I won't try to pick her up).

Why would a bunny change her mind like that? Is it becauseshe's getting older, and wants her independance? She's about2.5 months old.

Did she want to be held before because she was scared of her new surroundings, and now doesn't need the comfort??

Argh!! I miss holding my baby!:sad::tears2::cry1:cry2 But all I get is:bunnybutt::runningrabbit::rabbithop I don't get it.:dunno Any ideas??

 

[Maureen Las]

They go through childhood and adolescence andbehaviours change. They really act better after they reachadulthood...she may get better after she's spayed also. My Babette wasvery difficult to hold when she was that young...just struggling to getaway and run ...keep handling her though so she will get used to it(even for short periods) or at least let her be on the floor while youpet her.

 

[maherwoman]

Thanks for the encouragement.

The thing that really baffles me about it is the fact that if I pether, she'll get all comfy, and lay like she's in for the long haul withit. Know what I mean? She lays there and soaks upall the love and attention I have to give when I'm petting her, butdoesn't want me to HOLD her anymore.

At first I thought it was just that she was not wanting to slow downfor anything. I hope it's just a phase, and excitement forlife at her current age, and that she'll revert back to desiring thatholding time we used to share. She really loved for me tohold her, and would nuzzle under my chin to be closer to me if I didn'thold her close enough. It was really sweet...I really missthat!!

 

[Nadezhda]

When Zorro came home from the petstore, he wouldlet me hold him. Now he kicks if I hold him for toolong! (It could also be that I'm keeping him from eating myclothes...) When Fred came home, he hated being held, but nowhe snuggles in and tooth purrs! Zorro doesn't let me pet himvery much anymore, but Fred becomes a flattened meatloaf when I pet himwhile he's in his cage.

As angieluv said, your bunny is starting to get hormones running intoher system. She'll be sexually mature in about 1 and a halfmonths!

Semi-random question, are you planning on spaying her?

 

[Pipp]

Yeah, their instincts kick in and they don'twant to be confined (which is the step before getting eaten in theirnatural habitat) and they don't like heights, but i've found acompromise -- start off on the floor petting her, but moveher on to your lap or stomach (if you're lying down) for herpets. Then you can start leaning in closer or lifting her alittle higher, feed her treats there, and she'll slowly comearound.

Pipp's a year and a half and is a total cuddle bug after going throughthe same thing (which got worse when she hit puberty,thenbetter a month or two after her spay). Shelives on my lap while i'm in my easy chair, and we also have longpetting sessions with her around my neck and shoulder(although she still needs a lift to get there). I can carryher around without a struggle.

sas and pipp :bunny2

 

[rabbitgirl]

There was a period somewhere around 3 mo. whereI couldn't seem to hang onto Bub, he squirmed so much. With a big bun,that's a problem! He was pretty dangerous to himself with his ill-timedwiggles.

That disappeared sometime around a year old.And he's notneutered. Some never stop squirming, but most will go through a phaseand then it will get better.



Rose

 

[Beelzebunny]

Conker has never been a bunny that likes to beheld for very long. He just has to many important bunny things to geton with... and quite frankly he doesn't see why he should come to mewhen I'm perfectly capable of getting down on my hands and knees andpetting him at his convenience.

However if I take him somewhere else or if we have visitors he suddenly becomes very amenable to being held.

I reckon that's because in those circumstances that I offer him thesafety he needs, so the fact that he mostly doesn't want to be held isin fact a sign of how comfortable he is in my house.

Ithink that some bunnies (like some people) just don't likebeing cuddled as much as others - which is their prerogative!

BBx