Clingy bunny

[Jessica]

My problem seems to be the opposite of what many people have. Amelia (11 weeks old, satin angora) is wanting me to hold her constantly. She enjoys her time when she has free run of the house, but pretty much stays within about 10 ft of me. Yesterday I was putting stock away in my studio, and she escaped from her Xpen twice to come find me. She seems very content with her home life, she plays with her toys, she runs chases and binkies with my tiny littte dog, she grooms the dog and nose bumps him till he kisses her, she gives my husband kisses, and she grooms me anytime I’m holding her. Anytime I sit down on the couch she starts begging to be picked up, any time I walk near her pen she is standing up begging to be picked up, when I’m cleaning her cage or refilling her hay or food dish she climbs right up in my arms. She is tooth purring all the time while I’m petting her, and rather demanding about pets by slithering her whole body into your arms and her head into your hand.

I promise this is not me complaining, it’s just different then what I am used to/expected. Do you think this is a ‘baby’ behavior, do you think she may get more independent? Do you think I could do a sling or some type of wrap so I can hold her and still work?

[Bam]

I think this is baby behavior. Baby animals of social species spend a big part of their day in close physical contact with their siblings. It helps their brain develop right. Rabbits are not lying close to their mother like f ex rats do, since mama bun only comes to feed them twice a day and doesn’t linger, but the siblings are together.

I don’t think you can give her too much physical contact. I just listened to a lecture held by an ethologist who said that you can’t “spoil” a baby animals (incl human) with too much physical contact or make them “dependent” on physical contact. Actually there have been scientific cross-fostering studies made on rats and primates that suggest quite the opposite. That animals who get lots of nurturing physical contact and care as babies grow up to be more resilient, less susceptible to stress and a lot less fearful than animals that have had “bad” mothers. I remember that from a MOOC on epigenetics as well.

It’s only for a short while that a baby bun needs this much physical contact: with puberty comes the need to emancipate oneself, become independent and fend for yourself (to an extent of course, they are still pets). This can happen literally over night with a bunny, esp a girl bunny. One day she might just act as if she’s afraid or you or really angry at you. We get lots of worried posts about this phenomenon here, but it is perfectly normal.

[Jessica]

I suspected it was baby behavior, but just wanted to be sure 🙂

[Bam]

As for the sling or wrap, I’ve heard of those for baby buns, but I don’t know how to make one. We have one member (Ellie from the Netherlands) who has a special vest that enables her to carry around her bun safely, because he likes that.

[Candle]

I got my rabbit Bunita at 6 months. She was just what you described. Always following me everywhere and wanting attention. She never grew out of it but I had planned to bond her to my neutered male when I first picked her out anyway. Once they finally bonded She got significantly less clingy to me since she now had a partner who is always around her. It kind of makes me sad sometimes, I miss her following me and demanding cuddles, but I know that she needs company and when I’m off at work she’s lonely. This way she’s always got someone with her.
I would suggest maybe trying to bond her with another bun so she has constant company. Its a long and difficult process. It took us over 3 months to finally say they’re bonded but it’s worth it when I watch them cuddling and grooming eachother and knowing I couldn’t have been around constantly enough for her and now she’ll never be lonely!

[Jessica]

I am not planning to get a second bun. I work from home so she is able to be with me all day, and if I’m busy the dog is with her and if she doesn’t want either of us she has my husband too ?

I want to encourage the bond between her and I, and with just her I know I can giver her the love and attention she needs

I may start trying some of the slings and front packs that I’ve picked up over the years for my dog to try with her

[Author]

Messages