My baby bun no longer lets me pet or hold her!

[Violexie0071]

My adorable baby bunny is 11 weeks old, and will be 12 weeks on Sunday. She was born on December 16th. I am 24 and I last owned a bunny when I was in middle school – early HS. Looking back, I barely knew what I was doing and my old rabbit Patches really didn’t even like me at all… what can I say though, he taught me the meaning of unconditional love.

 

When I first got Pebbles, she was ABSOLUTELY terrified of me, but she still let me pick her up and hold her for some time. The first week-1.5 weeks we even had some REALLY touching bonding moments on my couch when I was petting her, loving on her, rubbing her far-head and she would lick me, chin me and pur! It touched me heart because I love this little girl more than words can say. I refer to her as my baby girl because she really is my lagomorph daughter.

 

Recently, like since last weekend, she will absolutely NOT let me pick her up or even pet her for long! If I do even manage to catch her and pick her up, she wriggles until she is free. I don’t know why she changed her behavior! Last week I was studying for chordate zoology with her on my lap licking my arm and now I can’t get ANY LOVE! But weirdly enough I have the feeling that she is totally getting more comfortable around me. I have spent the past few weeks pain-stakingly changing my apartment lay out to make it fun for Pebbles but convenient for me, and it’s almost like Pebbles knows this. I took her to my friends apartment on campus when we were studying for chordate zoology and I saw how much Pebbles LOVED the carpeted floor and did her bunny 500’s and binkeys with the new-found traction. So I spent the following week looking for carpet fragments and unused floor mats to cover a majority of the tile in my living space. When Pebbles came out of her “bedroom” Monday morning she thanked me with an adorable impressive array of acrobatics, binkys and sprints. If I am downstairs in my apartment, I open the door to her “bedroom” and she has free reign of my living room/kitchen area. She lets me walk quite closely to her with out flinching and will even spread out her hind legs and relax on the carpet while I a around. So I know she is no longer afraid of me, she knows that mommy gives her good and minty leaves as treats but she will NOT let me pet her anymore even or a second! It’s kind of breaking my heart because we had gotten so affectionate before!

 My friend told me that sometimes animals can sens when you are sick – I have been suffering from a tooth ache and tooth infection this week and have been basically sick in bed and taking penicillin all week. Could it be her bunny senses and she doesn’t want my germs? Or could it be that she doesn’t LOVE ME ANYMORE?!? D:

 

 

[LBJ10]

I don’t think you not feeling well has anything to do with it. Actually, what you are describing sounds like normal behavior. She is most likely more comfortable around you so she is a lot bolder and “outspoken” so to speak. Not wanting you to hold her is pretty normal at this age. Lot’s of baby buns appear to enjoy being held, only to do a complete 180 when they start getting into their teenage phase. Will you be having her spayed when she’s old enough?

[Monkeybun]

12 weeks old, perfect timing for the hormones to start kicking in She’s growing up, and she’s decided she wants things her way, as it should be for a bun

Honestly, though. Most rabbits do not like being picked up. You will need to learn a way to pick them up and hold them so she can’t wiggle free on her own. For her own safety, as you will need to be able to trim nails and get her to the vet and such.

Speaking of vet… she does sound like she is getting close to the age where she hits puberty, and will be ready to get spayed in the next couple months.

[Violexie0071]

Ok, it’s good to know that it’s normal behavior. I got her at 9 weeks, so I haven’t had her that long and the radical change in temperament in a weeks time was startling because she went from being mostly complacent about being picked up to like ABSOLUTELY NOT MOMMY!!!! Just last week, she would purr and lick me, so while she would resist a little to be picked up, once I had her on my lap and was petting her, she was clearly happy in the moment. Now all she can think of is to try and get away I thought she didn’t like me as much or something.

I definitely plan on getting her spayed. A week from Sunday she’ll be three months so mid April she’ll officially be a teenager. I plan on scheduling her surgery for when she is at least 5 months old though because in April she will still be quite young and I won’t have the time to nurse a post op-baby who may not be able to feed herself in the middle of the semester. >.> I have two jobs and I am a full time student pursuing two undergrads and one masters at the same time.

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