Question about bonding and bunny licks

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This topic has 1sd reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 9 months ago by tobyluv.

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- 06/27/2016 at 4:18 PM
  Fire_fly
  Participant
  1 posts
  Hi,
  
  I have been reading up on this forum for quite a while before getting our bunnies. Our two 8 wk old mini lops arrived Sunday and I the female started licking my face on the first evening. I was laying on the floor with them and she is very brave and was exploring me. The male is more wary and hasn’t yet approached. She snuggled up to my head and started to eat my hair and licked my nose. Since then she has done it any time I have been around. I know this is suppose to mean great trust and affection however it was hours after we bought them home. So I am not sure if there could be another meaning or if she is just a very affectionate little bunny? Also if she is bonding this fast with me, would that affect her bonding with her brother? Should I back off a bit and let them explore their room and cement their bond before trying to bond with them?
  
  Last night she was in the lounge and was very comfortable getting petted, when I put her back in her room (free to roam my room when not out with us) she thumped when I put her down. Is that displeasure about being put back or was I misreading her enjoyment of being petted? She bunny flopped and was laying on my chest on the lounge. The male was exploring the area and was not really enjoying being petted, so I left him alone only patting him when he approached.
  
  Hope this is the right forum as its a bit behaviour and a bit bonding so thanks for all your help!
- 06/27/2016 at 4:48 PM
  tobyluv
  Participant
  3310 posts
  Some rabbits just like to lick people and objects. It doesn’t always mean affection, although it certainly can. You will not be able to truly bond your rabbits until they are a little older and have had their spay and neuter surgeries and recuperated. Baby bunnies will bond, but when they hit puberty, which will be in just a few more weeks, you will have to separate them, then re-bond them later. Rabbits can reproduce at a very young age, so you won’t be able to keep them together for much longer. Here are 2 good articles on bonding:
  
  https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/9/PID/940/Default.aspx
  http://rabbit.org/faq-bonding-multiple-rabbits/
  
  Your rabbit was probably mad about being picked up or being taken away from something and some place that she was enjoying, which is why she thumped. It sounds like she is very comfortable with you, while her brother is more reserved. Being reserved can be very common and it can take a while for bunnies to want to interact with people. It’s good that you are letting him come to you for petting.
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