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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR My buns don’t like me! :(

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    • Bunnehs
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         My bunnies bubby and shumi don’t binky around me, lick me, or at least lay down next to me. When i try to get trust from them, i give them a slice of carrot. I make it go on my tummy but all it does is rob it and run away. It doesn’t like getting held, picked up, and also sometime runs away when i try to pet it. I’m really sad since I spend so much time with them! Im so jealous about other bunny owners where their bunnies actually lick and kiss them! Gaah grr! D: Is it possible because their previous owner kept them on a wire bottom small cage and not feeding them properly when they were a baby.. ? Why won’t they show their love back to me HELP! ? ;( 


      • kinggoblin
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          How long have you had them? It took mine weeks before he would come close to me & sit on my lap. Now he is all over me every chance he gets, on my back, my shoulders, my lap, even my head.

          Tonight was the first time he actually rolled over on his back next to me and its been months since I got him.


        • LoveChaCha
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            It may take weeks or months for a rabbit(s) to trust you.

            I had my rabbit since she was 8 weeks old, and she didn’t want ANYTHING to do with me. She used to be scared of me and would run off when she saw me. I learned to relax next to her, do my own thing. She eventually started bothering me – nudging me, honking at me, grooming my clothes. It takes time for a rabbit to trust you, since they are prey animals.

            Most rabbits do not like being held, and some prefer pets on their own accord. My Chacha still hops away when she isn’t ready for pets.


          • Monkeybun
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              Not all bunnies give kisses or snuggle. You may just have to learn to love from afar My Monkey haaaates being touched. Won’t even give kisses to her bonded buddy Smudge.


            • Tipsy Bunny
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                Its been a month since I had my bun and she lets me pet her and tolerates me holding her for only a little, but she doesnt come over and flop next to me yet. Though when she will I will be very excited You do have to take into account, they are prey animals and we are predators… we are huge people and they are very small and defenseless, they just want to know that they when they make themselves vulnerable, they can trust you… and how fast it gets to that point depends on the bun.


              • BinkyBunny
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                   I also ditto much of what the others are saying.  Most bunnies don’t like to be held.  Though it is important for you to know how to safely pick-up and hold your bunny for nail trims and such, holding is something they will never enjoy — tolerate maybe.   Of course, there are a rare few, that do seem to like being held. But in general it is not odd that they do not – very common.  

                  And the only reason they may run away from you right now is because you may try to hold them.   I have had some pretty independent don’t touch me bunnies and so far I have been lucky enough where they actually do like to be pet and touched, they just didn’t trust me, and so I was able establish an affectionate bond with them.  However, there is also those few like Monkey’s bunny (and I think one of Mocha’s bunnies too), doesn’t like to be touched much at all.  

                  In general though before you give up and resign yourself to watching them from afar, give it some time.   I also agree it will take some time, could be a month before you start to see some trust happening (especially depending on their past socializing experience).  

                  Grab some pillows, a book, computer, ipod, whatever and hang out on the floor and have some treats ready (don’t give too many so divide the treats up quite a bit), and when they come over give them a treat.   Don’t try to pet them for the first few days you do this either, unless they really seem up for it. Just let them get used to you without you trying to do anything.

                  Oh, and be sure when you hang out with them, it’s done in closer quarters  - just like  in one room together where they can’t just leave to another part of the house.  They need to be able to see you are not a threat and just hang out with you as you just sort of ignore them.   “Ignoring” actually is a behavior bunnies exhibit when they are letting the other know they are not wanting to fight — not a threat.  So by ignoring them, you are letting them know you are not a danger. 

                  So don’t worry, I bet you will find they will warm up a bit more once you gain their trust. 

                   


                • bunnyfriend
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                    Wilbur only lets me pet her when she feels like it. I sneak a pet or two here and there, but she just continues running around doing what she wants. Sometimes she’ll flop or sit next to me and tooth purr while I pet her, that only happens 1-3 times day, if I’m lucky. I have found the best way to get attention from her is to lay flat on my stomach on the ground; she will sniff at my hair, jump on my back (and lay there), and occasionally lick me. On the other hand my Totoro is literally a pancake, he actually lets me hug and snuggle him. BUT I was told by the humane society that he was very scared when he was first rescued.

                    Let everything be on your bunnies terms. It’s a great way to earn their trust. Are they altered? If not, that may be affecting their personalities/behavior. Right now they are unsure and cautious. It will probably take some time but it will definitely be worth it  Oh and I forgot to say that I’m 100% sure it’s nothing against you, they don’t not like you, they just don’t know you.


                  • Elrohwen
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                      Your bunnies sound very normal! Neither of mine like to be held. Only one will give kisses and only if I bribe him with a treat. Only one really likes to be petted while the other one runs away. It takes a long long time for bunnies to trust people and most are more independent than snuggly.

                      I would avoid picking them up if you don’t need to. We can pick Otto up fairly easily and sometimes we do it a few times for fun (because it’s fun to snuggle a bunny). However, he hates being picked up, so after we do it he’s a lot more hand shy for a couple weeks because he thinks we’ll grab him again. The less we pick him up, the more he lets us pet him and be close to him.


                    • Mandyyy
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                        My bunnies were abused. Severely abused. They never really were shown kindness till I rescued them. When I got them they were so shut down, and they didn’t even know what a carrot, lettuce or any other green were (it took a few weeks before they realized it was nummy food). They lived on pellets and nothing else (not even hay). Their owner didn’t treat them well and would scruff them, grab their ears, and toss them around. It made me sick so I ended up taking them (They were also outside bunnies all year round).

                        Rabbits naturally aren’t very cuddly animals. Every animal is an individual though (I have a cuddle bunny, and a bunny who prefers bunny attention). But mine were really hateful towards humans. After about a year or two they both came out of their shells. Domino doesnt care for people too much, but she knows not to fear me anymore. She even grunts when she sees me (found out it means “I love you”). They now let me hold them with out biting, scratching, or kicking me. Nava loves people now, and will follow you around at times. She’s only kissed me once, but it was sweet. She hopped onto my bed and came over to nip at my Pit, she then came up and sniffed me in the face. She decided to give me a kiss on my nose, then she went back to chewing on my pit bull (he was asleep the whole time… Still don’t understand where their bad rep comes from :/).

                        They could be ignoring you because of their abusive/neglecting past they had, but after some time of positive reinforcement maybe they will come out of their shells?

                        Oh, and Nava and domino don’t like to be held (Nava likes to cuddle though), yet they tolerate it pretty well. It’s normal bunnies don’t like to be held.


                      • Bunnehs
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                          I had my bunnies since July of 2011… i give them snacks but they rob it from me!! D: aww thanks the previous owner was mean and picked my buns up by the ears!! why does it take my bunnies so long to get used to me


                        • Mandyyy
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                            Like I said, it took mine (who were abused) about a year to two years to completely trust me.


                          • equalsign
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                               It took a very long time before my first rabbit really trusted me. Also, whenever I give my rabbits treats they like to run away and go eat it in a corner or some hidden place. I think that’s just a rabbit thing. 


                            • Stickerbunny
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                                Yep, others are right, it takes time, patience and even then some buns just won’t accept a lot of touching. It doesn’t mean they don’t like you, it just means they aren’t that into touching. Like some humans are shy or against a lot of hugging / kissing. Just accept them for what they are.

                                Stickers was neglected, mistreated and handled roughly by her previous owner (a child), as a result when I first got her home she peed on herself when I got within arms reach of her, hunkered down and shaking she was so scared. And I wasn’t even doing anything but looking at her! She’s opened up (I have had her about 5 months) a bit, but she’s still skittish and will as often run away from me as let me pet her. I just accept her for how she is and let her come to me when she wants attention, else I just enjoy watching her binky and run around and enjoy her freedom from the bad home. She HATES being held, but that is just as much a bunny thing as anything.

                                If you want to try to teach your bun to trust you, what I did with Stickers was every time I came into her room I would give her something special. She didn’t have to do anything but come over to me to get it. In example: break up a carrot into a bunch of little pieces and each time I stepped into her room, I would give her a piece. Eventually she started running up to me instead of away when I came into the room. Then it moved to if she let me pet her, I would give her a treat. She learned I wasn’t going to hurt her when I moved my hand towards her. As I said though, she still doesn’t like being pet that much, but she’s not really scared so much as “MOM! I don’t WANT to right now” anymore. It took months though to break into her shell.


                              • Bunnehs
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                                  thanks!!! stupid pawents are so evil to my bunnies and scream at dem… today me & my fwend gave my bunny bonding time and massaged them for like an hour! Do you think my bunnies will still hate me since my mom is always talking really loud to them and trying to grab them to hold ..??!?!

                                  What does it mean when the bunnies grind their teeth while you pet them because thats what my bunny did!


                                • Bunnehs
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                                    thanks!!! stupid pawents are so evil to my bunnies and scream at dem… today me & my fwend gave my bunny bonding time and massaged them for like an hour! Do you think my bunnies will still hate me since my mom is always talking really loud to them and trying to grab them to hold ..??!?!

                                    What does it mean when the bunnies grind their teeth while you pet them because thats what my bunny did!


                                  • LizzyBunny
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                                      I’m pretty sure the grinding means they’re enjoying whatever you’re doing. My bunnies do it too


                                    • HoudiniBunny
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                                        mine doesn’t really like me either, had him since he was 3 months old, he still only rarely tolerates 1 or 2 pets on his head, unless he is laying down, he doesn’t seem to mind petting too much (or could be that he hes resting and doesn’t feel like getting up) Iv’e never heard a tooth grind either when i pet him, he tends to breathe much quicker with a “oh god don’t hurt me!” expression on his face when i do lightly pet him.


                                      • Sarita
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                                          Hi HoudiniBunny and welcome – we ask that members do not reply to old threads – this one is 3 years old. It’s best anyway to start a new topic with your question instead of piggybacking on someone else’s thread so that you get your questions answered. I am going to lock this thread and ask you to start a new topic with your question.

                                          If you need help starting a new topic, please feel free to PM a Forum Leader and we can help you.

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                                      Forum BEHAVIOR My buns don’t like me! :(