my bunnies make me sad =(

[Richard0600]

My two girls still dont want ANYTHING to do with me...I cant help but feel incredibly jealous whenever I see posts about people having their rabbits come and cuddle with them or sit in their lap...its as if the second I come home they run away and do their own thing... the only time they ever come over is when I fill their food bowl....latte and dumbo are both a year old now..both spayed..both mini lops..they run around my apartment 24 hours a day...both potty trained... and they're both about 2.5-3 kilos each....

 

[tonyshuman]

I know bonded pairs can be much more "bunny-oriented" than "people-oriented." Both of my buns prefer each other's company over mine, and they run away instead toward me. It doesn't mean they don't like you. They just aren't sure that you're going to be nice. Bunnies are very distrustful of others because they are a prey species and everything represents a threat to them. We're even more of a threat than other animals because we're so much bigger than they are! Especially if your bunnies came from a bad situation, they may have learned not to trust people.

The best way to let them know that they can trust you is to get on their level. Lie or sit on the floor with them, and don't bother them. Let them do what they want, which will eventually include exploring you. I lie on my stomach and let them crawl all over me if they want and sniff etc. Just stay still and let them do the exploring. You can talk to them gently if you want. I sometimes read or watch tv while sitting on the floor. This will make them more comfortable with you. I also seek them out sometimes, while hiding behind the furniture, and approach them slowly with my hand to pet them. If you sit or lie down while doing this, it will help. Finally, I'd try to occasionally catch them to hold and pet them maybe once a day, and feed them treats while you hold them and pet them. This will make them associate being picked up by you with good things, rather than being taken to the vet, etc.

Also, you can't do things that will make them trust you less. My boyfriend likes to chase my bunnies, and they kind of like it like a game. I never do this, however, because I want them to be sure I won't ever chase them unless it's completely clear that we trust each other.

I got Tony just over a year ago, and he's still pretty scared of me. It has taken hours of petting, lying on the ground, and holding him while giving treats for him to trust me. He will let me come up to him and pet him sometimes, and occasionally jumps up on the couch to hang out with us. He's still just not a cuddly bunny. His bonded partner, Muffin, I got in February, and she is still very scared. She will sniff your hand if you extend it to her, but will usually run away if you try to pet her. She is better than before, but still not a cuddly bun. My boyfriend's rabbit that he got a week ago will let you pet him, pick him up, cuddle, etc. I think it's because he was handled well and my bunnies were in shelters as opposed to a foster home for my bf's bunny. If a rabbit spends a long time not trusting people because they don't play with him, or in my Muffin's case, they leave them without food or water in a cold garage, they will be harder for you to bond with. It is possible, but it will take time.

Good luck!!:bunnydance:

 

[polly]

Tony's human is right when they are bonded you def. come second I have 18 adult rabbits and only 2 of them are cuddle buns! If I were you I would try and spend some time on teh floor with them with some treats that may help them bond to you too

I find enjoyment in watching my bonded buns grooming each other and my singles playing either in the house or the garden and having fun.

 

[BunnyMummy]

I know EXACTLY how you feel. My bunnies never run up to me. Even if I have food or treats they are wary. It makes me sad just how much Pebbles runs away. So fast somethimes that he goes careering into walls in an attempt to get away. I'm afraid he is going to hurt himself, but I can't not go in there to feed them. I have made every attempt to be quiet and move slowly but still he panics and runs at full pelt. I have spend countless hours lying on the floor reading, tv watching, and have even fallen asleep a few times, but after a perfunctionary sniff they just run.

I'm afraid they just seem too unhappy in our household. It is very sad, I can't deal with the daily heartache any more.

 

[Richard0600]

i'm sorry for taking so long to reply on your messages...but i've been rather busy lately....

anyways..i've already done all the tricks...whether its lying on the floor..having them eat out of my hand...spending more time with them at their level..quite frankly ive given up...all they do is chill under the dining table when me and my girlfriend are walking around the house...occasionally they will jump up on the couch to join us..but the second we lean over to pet them they get up and run away...every now and then they will let us pet them while they lie on the floor..but thats about it...people talk about their rabbits coming to greet them when they come home or cuddling with them while they watch tv or watever...it really seems like we got the short end of the stick...

 

[jcottonl02]

I know how you feel. I was feeling so blue about 5 months ago.

I have two bunnies- Benji is the cuddliest, most friendly bunny in the world. He'll run round in circles when I come to see him and leap on me to lick me etc.

But my other bunny, Pippin, who I got about 8 months after Benji, whenever I went out to get him from his hutch and bring him inside, he would just run as fast as he could and hide. I was shocked becuase Benji just sits and waits for me to pick himup, and then licks my neck as I carry him.

I was really blue and upset becuase I thought Pippin didn't like me at all. So I worked and worked on it, and didn't force him to come out of his hutch with me. I would just go outside with him and sit and read my book next to his hutch. JUst sit. And I would also read aloud, so he got used to my voice. Then gradually he began to come up to me and lick me through the bars etc. and it got better and better.

Now after about FIVE months (!!) he will come up to and lick me etc. and I think he feels more comfortable around me. He still hides sometimes, but he is getting better, and I am sure that in a few more months he will completely trust me.
I knew that Benji loved me loads, but I wasn't sure about Pippin (although I loved them both with all my heart), but now I know they both do- Pippin is just a shyer bunny. With work he now shows me with lots of licks every day that he loves me.

I don't know what you've tried, but here a some good things that helped me with Pippin (sorry if I am just repeating what you already know).

- Sit in a small room with them, or by their hutch or something, and sit on the floor leaning against a wall with your legs out in front of you, and have a book or some work or something. And just do it. Read aloud from your book or work etc.
Maybe not the first or second time you do this, but after a while your buns might want to come up to you and sniff your feet or give you a nudge. They will get used to your voice.
Maybe sit with one hand laying on the floor, palm facing up so they can sniff and lick you if they want.

- Feed them from your hand, whilst laying on the floor. Give them their favourite treat, and while they are eating, stroke their head gently and speak to them. Every time you feed them speak to them in the same tone of voice, so they will associate your voice with good things.
Make sure they see your hand coming when you are about to stroke them, otherwise they might be shocked and run.

And don't worry about if they run away when you bend down to stroke them. This is so normal. Even Benji- the friendliest rabbit I can imagine- will sometimes dart away when I bend down to stroke him. And understandably!!!!! I huge thing looming down over you and descending on you with two giant hands is a scary prospect!!!!!

Remember, rabbits can live up to 10 years! Yours are only a year old, and have just started to "grow up" as it were. They will become much more used to you- it doens't all happen in the first few months.
Keep going, and remmber, what you might percieve as ignoring or something, actually means totally different in bunny speak.
Look for subtle signs with them, and keep working on it. Bunnies are not dramatic creatures- even them coming up for a quite stroke it great! They are not like dogs- lots and lots of rabbits don't like being picked up or sitting on their mama's lap- some prefer to sit a couple of feet away, but that still means they like being with you!!

Good luck
Jenx

 

[tonyshuman]

Richard0600 wrote:

people talk about their rabbits coming to greet them when they come home or cuddling with them while they watch tv or watever...it really seems like we got the short end of the stick...

my bunnies don't do this. not all rabbits are that cuddly. don't stop trying, but I wouldn't expect them to do this either.:?

 

[Baby Juliet]

I found that rabbits not bonded with you are almost impossible if you let them run around free. Having them caged initally and only letting run around in a pen will give you control. After they've been used to you handling them many times daily, they'll probably not run away from you. You have to touch them often and make it a good feeling for them. Take them out of the cage and pet them. If they start kicking put them back. Do it often till they just let you pick them up out of the cage and not try to escape. Once they start relaxing when handled, it will be easy. You might want to wear gloves and denim to avoid scratches when first handling them.

 

[MsBinky]

When my buns bonded, I was feeling pretty left out. So when this bunner kept following me around and begging for attention, I brought her home to be my special bun, thoguh I still love my others. Hihi. It worked for them, and it worked for me. But seriously, not all bunnies like us and sometimes they are just so happy with their mates... Try to take joy in watching them interact as it really is special. Hopefully, they will come around in time.

 

[JenniferCameron]

As everyone else said, bunny pairs can be less affectionate towards people than single bunnies. It's also just personality I think. Winston, is really shy and only comes when I tap on his food dish. Charlie on the other hand loves to be around me and follows me around the house, even in her cage she follows me as much as she can. I can understand it making you sad because when Winston runs away from me, it still makes me sad even though I have a bunny that loves to cuddle and be around.

Something I've been doing with them both is I feed them their pellets (well most of them) by hand, so they interact with me.

 

[juliew19673]

Hey Richard how is it going w/bonding the buns to you? Trying any of the suggestions? I'm sure others on here are going through the exact same thing at this time and would probably like to hear.

 

[tamsin]

I would stop putting dry food in their food bowl. In fact - chuck it out (or put it away at least). Weigh out their daily measurement in to a bag or pot and keep it in your pocket, next to the phone/computer etc. and only hand feed it. To start with you'll probably have to approach them, so next feeding time give them one pellet at a time by hand. Offer them randomly throughout they day - they'll soon associate you with food coming and eventually they'll come and see you as soon as you call them.

Tam