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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 Adopted bonded pair, seeking advice

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    • SliwoskiBuns
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        Hi all,

        I just joined, but I have been lurking through the archives for a while trying to learn as much as I can about rabbits. I recently adopted a bonded pair of bunnies. They are about 5 years old, spending 3 of those years in the rabbit rescue from where they were waiting to be adopted. 

        They are the sweetest pair of bunnies- perfect litter box skills, hearty appetite for hay and greens, but they are totally disinterested in me. My previous bunny loved to nudge me for pets, sit on my lap, and follow me around my place. I’ve never had a bonded pair before (my other bunny was solo) and these two seem to only be interested in themselves. When I met them at the rescue, they were curious about me and liked to be petted. Now they don’t really seem to want anything to do with me. 

        I adopted them almost two weeks ago. I specifically was looking for a pet that would be a companion and I’m concerned that the rabbits will never like me now. I have read several past posts on this and saw people’s advice saying that it takes time, but they were mainly discussing younger rabbits. If my bunnies are not adjusting to me, are they too old to trust me? 

        Since adopting them, I’ve set up their x-pen in the living room. I sit on the floor with their x pen door open more than 4 hours a day while I work from home. One of the bunnies will occasionally investigate me. When I first brought them home, this same bunny would binky about. The other is more reserved and shy. However, now that they’ve spent a week with me, their initial curiosity is totally gone. I’ve bought them different toys, set up new areas, tried to bring them into other parts of the house, but they only like their little x-pen for the most part and stay there almost the entire day. I don’t know what more to do to get them more excited about being around me. I tried treats like the forums say, but they have NO sweet tooth at all. It’s crazy, not even bananas or apples get them going. They love their cilantro and parsley. 

        Would appreciate any advice anyone has for me. I feel like I’ve tried everything except time. I really want them to be bunnies who will sit with me on the couch or follow me around the house or at least like to sit next to me on the floor and let me pet them. I recognize that most bunnies are not like this, but when I talked to the rescue, they assured me these were sweet bunnies who liked attention and being around people so I’m just really confused and feel like they just don’t like me. 


      • Bam
        Moderator
        16838 posts Send Private Message

          Thank yu for adopting these two! I don’t think your bunnies are too old to accept you. But it takes longer with adult rabbits. I found an adult rabbit outside, it took him a year to really enjoy being pet.
          Right now your buns are new with you, in a new place, so they stick to each other. This mechanism is what you exploit when you need to bond two rabbits that are not immediately friendly: You put them in a new scary (everything new is scary to a bun) environment so they’ll turn to each other for comfort and safety.

          I think they are adjusting, but they will do it slowly. Since so many animals want to eat buns, they have deep instincts telling them to lay very, very low in new surroundings. They won’t have the same need to be close to you as a single bunny would, but that’s not a bad thing for them, being part of a bonded couple is the best thing for a bunny’s health.

          It’s actually great they don’t have a sweet tooth, sweets are always bad for bunnies. We give them treats mostly to please ourselves I think, most bunnies go crazy for sweet stuff and we like to make them “happy”, but just a tiny bit too much can be detrimental to their health. Vets see that A LOT. You can get them hooked on sweets if you try again and again, but I’d advice against it and recommend you count yourself lucky instead =) You could use their normal pellets as treats, handfeeding them, or buy a small pack of a different type of pellets to use as treats (works with mine), herbs like cilantro, parsley, mint and often basil are good treats.

          I honestly think time is the factor lacking here. You have provided them with everything bunnies need and then some, now they just have to realize that they are safe and loved and that there are no predators around.


        • tobyluv
          Participant
          3310 posts Send Private Message

            I adopted a 4 year old rabbit last year to be a companion to my rabbit who had lost her companion. At first, he didn’t want to be touched at all, but now, he enjoys petting – although not for too long of a time. He also comes up to us and likes to bump us or just see what we are doing. He didn’t want to do that at first and mostly avoided us. It took several months for him to like pets and being around us. You have only had your bunnies for two weeks, which is a very short time for some bunnies to get comfortable and start bonding with their humans. That they were in a rescue for 3 years, would also factor into the equation. It will take them a while to understand that this is their home now and how much you love them and want to be with them. Thank you for adopting them.


          • Vienna Blue in France
            Participant
            5317 posts Send Private Message

              Hi Sliwoski and again, thank you for giving these buns a home… how lovely to have a bonded pair, and how lucky they are !

              It is ironic, isn’t it, that so many people on this site have buns that are friendly and like cuddles and the humans desperately want them to bond with another bun to be ‘happy’…. yet the buns won’t. And here you are, with a ready made bonded pair – who want them to be more friendly….

              So I would say possibly that you have the easier of the two problems!

              In time – and that’s rabbit time, they will get more adventurous and more friendly, but it is likely that 3 years in rescue made them inseparable, and so very contented to be that way. And somehow that should be a great feeling deep down knowing that your rabbits are happy (and now safe) and you can watch them and enjoy them as such from a distance to begin with. In time that will change and you’ll hardly have to do anything drastic.

              The bonding pairs project is a completely different story and seems much more stressful for bunnies and humans equally.

              So you will have to be patient and try to duplicate their (seemingly good) rescue centre habits (food and suchlike) and be patient a bit more, and then be a bit more patient. Enjoy and smile at them from afar at their antics and binkies and grooming sessions – and in time they will trust you a bit more.

              Oh, did I mention you’re going to have to be a little bit patient….

              Keep in touch and let us know how you get on ! (with piccies if you’d like)


            • Danielle
              Participant
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                It’ll take a while for your little bunnies to settle in! You could be looking at months even, so not in the near future. They’re definitely seeking each other for support as they trust one another. I know it’s also common for bonded pairs to depend on each other more than another human as single bunnies form a very strong bond with their owners because of that constant one on one communication. I know they will open up to you and there isn’t a doubt about that it’s just going to take quite a bit of patience and time to build up that trust. Continue doing as you are and do not give up on these little ones!

                It’s fantastic that you have chose to adopt! You’ve saved not one but two little lives and you should feel fantastic. Good luck with your little ones and keep us all updated!!

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            Forum BEHAVIOR Adopted bonded pair, seeking advice