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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

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 please share “bonding with you” success stories

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    • stella'smom
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        Buddy, my 5mo flemish giant was never handled by humans when i got him at 10wks. i found that out as i was getting into my car after buying him. i should’ve demanded my money back right then and there. (what breeder doesn’t handle animals?!!!!!!) anyway, so he is very leary of me petting him. he always comes up to me for food. has no problem hopping around or near me, so he’s not terrified (and he sees my 2 lop girls always running to me). but this is not what i wanted. i wanted an affectionate rabbit, and am actually considering rehoming him. maybe. idk… just SO disappointed.

        also, of course he hates being held. the breeder taught me how to pick him up and tuck his head into the crook of my arm to hide his eyes to calm him down. i successfully do that every several days, and the last two times, he freaked out SO bad and would not calm down at all, even though his eyes were hidden. another flemmie breeder told me that you have to hold them, flipped over, with oven mitts on, a couple times a day, everyday and eventually he WILL come to know that no harm will come to him. and he is safe. im not sure i like the idea of forcing myself onto him. i think i’d rather do the slow approach, letting him to come to me, accepting being petted, etc. any thoughts on this. (the original breeder told me i have to “break him”, like you would a horse. just the sound of it upsets me.)

        a part of me feels that the reason this failed is that i put him with my girls after only a couple weeks, and he bonded with them and not me. but another part of me feels that that is ok, as they are all bunnies and very happy together. was that a mistake? should i have kept them separate for a longer time, so he bonded to me first?

        can i please hear success stories of people who had fearful bunnies that stuck with it, and the bunnies came to love them? give me a little hope maybe. thanks so much!!!!


      • LongEaredLions
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          Each bunny will have their own personality, and even those that were handled young can still be skittish. Bunnies are prey animals, and it is in their nature to be nervous. Some bunnies are affectionate, some are not, but you can’t just rehome him because he is not perfect. You just have to work with him!
          The slow approach is the way to go. You need to be quiet and let him come to you, to build up trust. Lay on the ground, and let him explore you. Offer him treats. Talk quietly to him.
          Baby bunnies often don’t care about being held, but as he grows up, he is becoming an adult, and like most bunnies, won’t like to be held. You just have to work around that.
          It likely isn’t because you put him with your girls. Is everyone spayed/neutered?
          Don’t give up. My first bunny came to me antisocial and aggressive, but after her spay and almost a year of bonding work, she would run out of her cage and lick my feet when I walked in. <3


        • Sarita
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            Did you ever get all your rabbits altered?


          • Usagi1618
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              It’s the age old story of, “Well this breed of rabbit likes to cuddle etc etc.” Flemish giants are “known” to be cuddly but it depends on the rabbit. They’re like people, they have different personalities. Cadbury was so good about being handled as a baby, but now that he is older, he is more skiddish as he is learning how to explore more. It is difficult for me to pet him, but Charlie, my other lop presents himself to me for groomies regularly. As a bunny owner, you have to accept the fact that ALL rabbits do not like being held, at all! You are controlling their body and it freaks them out, they tolerate it at best. I bond best with my boys by putting them in their doggy bed when it’s time to watch Netflix after our dinner and they flop right next to me and give me some nose bonks and lick my hand (only Charlie though). They are not like dogs and cats, they have a difference love language that does not include being held or smothered. Having a rabbit that does not like to be held but hops around you is par for the course I am afraid to say, it would be a shame to rehome your new bun bun simply because you thought it would be cuddly, I would have suggested getting a dog or something. Your bun bun DOES love you or else bunny wouldn’t hop close to you. Also, forming a close bond with your bun sometimes takes months or even a year or more. Please don’t give up on your new bun and re-evaluate your anger about refunds and re-homing.


            • Aeyja
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                In my experience all of my Flems have been very independent and busy. I also have a 5 month buck at the moment and he hates to be picked up or restrained in any way. He only likes to be touched when he wants to be touched, not when I want to touch him and I have had to accept that. He would rather hoon around the lounge doing bunny 500s or flop under the couch than cuddle, but he is happy and it’s just the way he is, so I love him anyway. I have noticed since getting him he has become more interested in us so hopefully in time we will bond properly, but for now I am ok being his food dispenser

                As for “breaking” him… That sounds awful. I’ve never heard of that in regards to rabbits. Rabbits don’t like to be off the ground, so they hate being picked up. Because of his size I wouldn’t keep trying to pick him up or flip him over. He’s bigger and stronger than other rabbits so could hurt himself (or you) trying to get free. Learn to appreciate him and interact with him on the ground, where he feels safe. LEL had some good suggestions for how to interact with him. If you continue doing things that make him feel unsafe he will not trust you, and will only see you as a threat. Treat him with respect and teach him that you are not going to scoop him into the air every time you touch him and eventually he will see you as a friend.


              • stella'smom
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                81 posts Send Private Message

                  thanks for all the encouragement and info. and btw, i was not angry at the bunny, but angry over the treatment of the breeder to his animals. 1. how could you not touch your animals?! and 2. if you are selling animals to the public, i think they should be socialized with humans, so the poor things aren’t afraid of us! and yes, when he told me that i needed to break him, it seemed so wrong.

                  of course i want to keep him and love him for who he is, and i knew i risked saying anything on this forum about possibly wanting to give him away because he is skiddish… i just thought that if there was someone who had more time to devote to him, he might have a better life. i’m always out on the porch area where they live, but don’t have the ample amount of time the breeder was talking about to hold him a lot to get him used to humans. (although i do agree with everyone that i don’t like that approach.) so, since everyone agrees (and my heart feels) that the slow approach is better, then that’s what i will do.

                  my boy is neutered. i am saving up the money to get both of my girls done. soon.

                  thanks again!!! i just needed to hear stories of buns that were skiddish at first, but came around. give me hope that one day he might love me.

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              Forum BEHAVIOR please share “bonding with you” success stories