Not friendly :-(

[Brandywine]

My two buns are now about 18 weeks old, I’ve had them for a month now and they have both been de-sexed. 

I had them in my bedroom and bathroom for the first week, then Jess has been in the lounge and Hugh in an area outside while their hormones die down. 

Up to last week, Jess would bounce around me and honk if I sat on the rug, when I sit on the couch she’d flop on the rug about 1m from my feet. Her other two places are under the table and behind the fireplace. 

Hugh is very active, he’s escaped twice now, and both times it’s been a nightmare to get him back. 

The thing is, neither of them are very interested in my company. Since the spaying, Jess has been quite active but mainly stays behind the fireplace, and even if I’m lying on the mat she won’t come over. I did get her to come over today using grapes as bribes, but she picked them up and ran away. 

Neither of them will tolerate being patted unless they are also being fed treats, even then they will move away. 

I tried starting to get them used to being held – by just holding them in place on the ground. They both go ballistic, and Jess will bite me afterwards. So I’ve stopped that for now in case they were associating me with unpleasant things. 

I have started re-bonding them today, giving Hugh a small caged off area into the house. 

I’m worried that after I bond them, they will have even less reason to be friendly towards me. 

Have to be honest, I’m really disappointed. I got Flemishes because of their reputation, the breeder said they make really good ‘lap’ pets, I’ve taken it very slow with the buns and never been overbearing with them. 

Does anyone have any ideas about what I can do to make the rabbits a bit more interested in me? Otherwise I may as well just have them in a cage on the back lawn. I don’t expect them to be overly affectionate, but just to be able to interact with them a bit is what I’m after. 

[SrasRodriguez]

I have a giant Flemish as well. He doesn’t really like being picked up or patted unless he comes to me first. I spent a lot of time sitting outside his cage when I first got him. This meant meals and study took place sitting on the floor. Did that for a couple of weeks and now he is quite friendly. I wouldn’t call him a lap pet. Not even close. But he will jump around me and follow if I go into another room. You just need to be super patient and persistent.

[Thump]

They are just little babies! Ok, BIG babies! At 18 weeks old they are just getting situated. They are still wild creatures when they are young and new. I got my New Zealand when he was around 2 years old and he was so hormonal and couldn’t care less about me. Fast forward a year and he is a completely different bunny. I had the same doubts as you. I cant imagine getting him any younger than 2 years.

You have to keep doing what you’re doing and be patient. I think the only reason my bunnies love me now is because I give them food and massages but what else can you expect from them? They are just animals.

Actually, from my experience, having 2 rabbits makes them braver around humans and makes them more likely to want to interact with you. It is best to hold them standing up. If you are on ground or near the ground, bunnies will know and they will struggle 100x more. If you are standing, they know they are too far off ground and fear falling so they are less likely to put up a fight. Casper, my New Zealand, hated being picked up (like all rabbits) but I noticed that he would calm down immediately when I held him like a baby on his back. He’s so used to it now that he falls asleep almost instantly as long as I keep petting his face and ears. He makes an adorable snoring/purring sound when he is sleeping on his back. My small bunny never relaxes on her back but maybe you’ll have luck with your big bunnies?

[litheandgraphic]

I agree, I think it will take them some time to get used to their hormonal changes and also to settle down. Bonding them will most likely make them feel more comfortable around you, not less. I also would suggest not caging them in the backyard even if they don’t get to be as friendly as you’d want them to be – their quality of life shouldn’t suffer because they aren’t behaving the way you like them to! At the very least, give them some time; at least 6 months, and if you still aren’t happy with them then you can try to find them a good home.

It’s a good thing you stopped the holding hem in place thing when they started letting you know they didn’t like it. I imagine that would freak them out quite a bit.

Just give them some time to readjust and to grow into themselves, let them bond, and see where you are then.

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