My rabbit doesn't seem to like me

[shroommu]

Hello! I have two female house rabbits that are currently kept separately as they have not yet been spayed and bonding has so far been unsuccessful. I try to spend time playing with each of them individually every day. Onion is very sweet and seems to enjoy my company--she'll come over to me when I go into her area of the room, and she loves pets and taking treats from my hand. Sour Cream, on the other hand, tends to run and hide when I'm in her part of the room, and doesn't seem to enjoy being touched. She's not usually very receptive to treats from me, either--she'll eat them, but not from my hand.

I'm a little worried because her bonded partner died a couple months ago, and she's seemed a little withdrawn since then. She's eating and pooping fine, so I'm not so worried on that front--more that she might be lonely since she and Onion don't get along and she's not terribly fond of me right now. Any suggestions on how I can improve my relationship with my bun?

 

[jiminpimin]

same with me. you're lucky that ur buns let u pet them unlike mine. I suggest maybe spaying them because some can be aggressive.

 

[Blue eyes]

Are neither of the rabbits spayed?

 

[clwillia55]

Hi. We adopted our bun Nibblet after our bun Nibbles passed away, leaving his partner solo. Nibbles was my first rabbit and we learned how to live together and I feel we really became friends. When he passed away months later we got Nibblet. And he wanted nothing to do with us and always acted like he was going to be murdered. He would run at his fastest speed throwing salad bits everywhere to get away. I was pretty bummed. This went on for awhile, months and months. He hated being picked up for even a minute to go in his rabbit zone, and would wiggle and kick like his life depended on it. And I was sure he did not like us, and I honestly did not like him much either. I read to sit near him or lay down and read and let them come over in their own time. I can't say this worked but I don't think it hurt anything. What I think worked was just time and repetition to eventually win his trust. I kept offering him very desirable treats, like small apple bits, strawberries ect. He could only have a pellet if he took it from me, and then I would fill his little dish. Now he is a regular family bun. Free roams the whole house, and comes running when you are in the fridge. Not a super cuddler or anything, and still skittish a bit but you can pick him up and rub him nearly all over. He will be all stretched out relaxing and I can step over him and he won't run off. So don't give up, but realize it could take some time and a lot of patience. He is not yet neutered, so it is possible with an intact bunny. Our first bun we had neutered right away, but he was just a more chill guy from the start. Good luck to you both.

 

[Debbie Medina]

I have a similar situation where one of my bunnies is more confident and allows me to pet her and the other is wary as hell she just hates anyone but my mother and even sometimes she tries to bite or runaway from my mom, but she wasnt always so frantic it got worse as she got older and after she "unbonded" my other rabbit, i have a theory that since they come from different sites one of them had better and more loving caring and the other didnt for she was always a little skeptical in comparison to her sister.

Also im my experience it would seem that female rabbits tend to be more agressive between each other, hell mine were bonded for like 3 months then one day a fight ensued then another and so on, i tried rebonding with no succes too, nowadays i have to always keep an eye out for one of them not to escape while the other one enjoys the backyard. Ive withnessed terrible fights and one of them almost died due to a heavy figth one time, that day one managed to jump and escape through a tiny hole while i was out of home and it was like WWII when i got back home ... blood, fur everywhere and a gapping abdomen wound i shudder just thinking back to that day. But mine arent spayed and one of them has "anger issues" with virtually anything so you might have more luck than me. I like to say she just moody one day she comes to me lays by my side, the other she does front paws kicks if i get too close

Ps: dont do that "car ride" bonding method cause it would just scare them to death and the bond wont last at all
and do give them time a lot of time let them sniff you and try to not do sudden movements at first, just allow her to come over to you best thing is to ignore her like dont even look her in the eye or anything, let say your are sitting if the bunny does something like putting her paws on your back or lightly nibbing your toes IGNORE HER play it cool and she would continue exploring, this technique has worked sometimes for me with my "anger issues" bunny, keep on offering treats, do so when she come closer for her to associate you with "good things"

AND WASH YOUR HANDS BETWEEN HANDLING EACH RABBIT THEY WOULD SENSE THE OTHER RABBIT SMELL ALL OVER YOUR HANDS AND THAT COULD BE A REASON FOR WARINESS TOO

bunnies eating from your hand is kinda of a milestone i think, mine didnt even do that at first, they did so around the time they started crawling over me if i layed down on the floor for a while

gotta earn their trust

 

[Black Otter's Mom]

Bunnies have different personalities. Sour Cream may be a more anxious soul. I found that assuming a submissive stance helped. I would get on floor with my head touching carpet. Eventually he would take steps closer and sniff me. I did not try to gesture, I stayed passive. Then I could crouch down and look at bunny until he circled several times, did hit and run sniff. Eventually barrier broken and bunny knows you are 'safe' and loving.