lap bunny?!

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 18sd replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 10 months ago by Lisa_43.

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- 12/31/2007 at 9:36 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  i’ve been experimenting and i *think* that Meadow may be (or may have the ability to become) a lap bunny. i was so prepared for her to not like cuddles… that i never really tried, beyond giving her ground level or on-the-couch pets. of course things were more difficult before her spay, but since then she’s mellowed out so perfectly.
  
  i first noticed this when it comes to lifting. if i have to lift her for whatever reason, she does not fight me or try to run. once she’s put down, she does not run off right away. in fact, she sticks around and will sometimes even scratch at my leg, it seems almost like she wants more attention. very often she’ll go around doing her bunny thing but returns to me and nudges me with her nose or scratches at my pants to let me know she’s there. i give her pets for a few minutes and then she’s off again.
  
  so the other day i thought… hmmm… just to see how she reacts, i’m going to place her in my lap for pets. well… the little girl snuggled right down. even when i stopped petting she just sat there. no digging… no trying to jump off me. her ears were relaxed. the whole time i was sort of bracing myself for a nip on the leg, i think i was more nervous than she was.
  
  is it strange that i’m so shocked by this discovery? i was really, truly prepared for a non-snuggle bunny… and i’m almost not even sure what to do now that she may be one. should i try and encourage lap bunny behavior… or should i just go about what i’ve been doing and only lift her when necessary?
- 12/31/2007 at 9:42 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  If it were me I would encourage it because I’m very selfish and I would love to have a lap bunny too. I bet she likes it too.
- 12/31/2007 at 9:44 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  I second that! Lap bunnies are awesome!!
  I would honestly give my right arm (is that the correct expression) to have Kokanee lay on me while I read! She only sticks around for pets-and only with two hands…If you try to pet her with just one, she has ‘other places to be’
- 12/31/2007 at 9:50 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  yeah… i figure i should continue to do little lap sessions… the longest i’ve kept her in my lap has been about five minutes and then i put her down. i really am surprised. even people that come over and see her, if they ask to hold her, i tell them they can *probably* pet her, but that rabbits don’t like to be held. i’ve only had her in my lap… my husband works so darn much he’s barely home… but i think tomorrow i’ll see if she’ll go on his lap also… or if it’s just me.
  
  K&K… i think you said you’ve only had the two buns… but Sarita… have you ever had a lap bunny?
- 12/31/2007 at 9:55 AM
  Veronica Vigilant
  Participant
  186 posts
  My first bunny was a lap bunny and my boyfriend and I could never resist picking him up to snuggle! When I was holding him he would put his little bunny paws up on my shoulder and lick my cheek- it was adorable- I think he would have made a good parrot too since he liked to drape himself over my shoulder and look out at the world from a higher perspective!
  
  I would think that as long as she doesn’t struggle and you’re careful to make sure she doesn’t get hurt by jumping out of your arms from too high then it should be fine- she’ll probably even be happier for the cuddle time it sounds like!
- 12/31/2007 at 10:01 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Beka – I’ve never really had a lap bunny – I will sometimes bring Giselle, one of my Californians to bed with me when I take a nap – she tolerates it, but I don’t think she loves it and she starts to dig on the bed. Sometimes I’ll put Mango in my lap – he just sits there like a pancake though, he gives me the foot flick when I put him down, I don’t think he cares to be a lap rabbit.
  
  Bunbun my first rabbit would let me sit by him but he would not go on the couch or the bed and I had to be down on the floor.
  
  The majority of my rabbits are larger so they just don’t make good lap buns – they aren’t comfortable and neither am I with such a large bun in my lap. The other rabbits I have are extremely shy and they just freeze in my lap and I know they don’t enjoy it, so I don’t force it.
  
  Thinking back over all my fosters too I think I have had one or two smaller rabbits that had the potential for lap rabbits but I didn’t have them long enough to enjoy it.
- 12/31/2007 at 10:08 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  i’m going to start seeing if she’ll climb in my lap by herself… that’ll determine if i pursue this or not. i don’t want to force her, but i also don’t think she is scared.
  
  i’m very happy with her… as everyone knows i have a 4 year old son, so that was a big concern (and also my bargaining chip with my husband… i told him Michael wanted a bun for his birthday… but she was really meant for me the whole time… lol.) she doesn’t seek Michael out, but she’s not really scared of him either… he can do his wild and crazy 4 year old boy stuff and she will just sit and watch him. even when he’s making a commotion or playing with loud toys, she just ignores him altogether which i take as a wonderful sign.
- 12/31/2007 at 10:19 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  That was a very sneaky way to get a bunny LOL :~)
  
  I’ll be very interested to see if she will climb in your lap by herself – I’m not certain they totally understand the concept of being a lap bunny so it may not occur to her to do that. I hope that she does though. She sounds like she has a more calm type personality and isn’t too high strung so that is good. Wonder what she’s thinking when she watches Michael doing his wild and crazy 4 year old boy stuff too.
- 12/31/2007 at 10:33 AM
  JK
  Participant
  2223 posts
  Well Edson is a total lap bunny. I’ll open the xpen door for him to explore while I’m sitting on the floor and he runs right over and jumps on my lap and snuggles in. A few pets and he’s out like a light. It melts the heart! But then I have trouble sitting on the floor for so long. If I let him, he would probably stay on my lap forever. Just try sitting on the floor. Betcha Meadow jumps on your lap now that she gets it!
- 12/31/2007 at 11:02 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  my husband knew i was wanting another bunny for about a year before we decided to get one (she was definitely not an impulsive decision…) some days he was all up for adopting… but a week later he’d change his mind again. it’s not that he doesn’t like bunnies, he *secretly* adores Meadow.
  
  a funny story actually… we were driving to the farmer’s market (40 minutes away!!!) a week or so ago and a coworker of his called Mike’s cell phone. Mike told him he was on the way to the farmer’s market to get veggies for his bunny. keep in mind my husband works in a CNC machine shop with all these burly, manly men. i had to hold back a giggle thinking about what the coworker must’ve had going thru his mind… lol.
  
  but anyways… i taught Michael from the very first day to give Meadow her space. even now he only will pet her if i am petting her at the same time. he has a healthy fear of her, and i’m glad he does. i think that since he’s never (except for maybe a few times at the beginning) invaded her space, she’s not afraid of him. really… he’s mored scared of her… sometimes she’ll even do some playful chasing.
  
  i’m not advocating getting a rabbit for a child of course! don’t take it the wrong way… but sometimes, depending on the child and on the rabbit, i think it can work out okay.
  
  knowltons4… i don’t think it’s possible for me to be in love with Edson anymore than i already am! he is such an amazing bunny and he is so LUCKY that you chose him!
- 12/31/2007 at 11:17 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I think Meadow is an extremely lucky bunny to have a family like yours.
- 12/31/2007 at 11:39 AM
  JK
  Participant
  2223 posts
  Thanks Beka. He is just amazing and I love him to death. Never thought I’d react to him this way! I gotta say Meadow has the cutest face ever and love the markings.
- 12/31/2007 at 1:12 PM
  Floppy
  Participant
  490 posts
  all I have to say is….
  Me = jealous of lap bunny. LOL
  Floppy barely lets me clip his nails without him being mad at me…
  I know cause he gives me the look and runs away.
- 01/02/2008 at 2:03 PM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Mission: Lap Bunny
  
  so far… so good. for the past couple days, i’ve been petting Meadow in my lap for about 5 minutes here and there thru out the day. so far she hasn’t tried to get away from me when i’m holding her. once or twice i got a foot flick afterwards, but i don’t know if it was a foot flick because she was mad or b/c i kept her up there a bit too long. there’s been absolutely no digging or biting my leg, which is good. if i put her down and she stays right next to me and doesn’t run off, i give her a raisin. she has not climbed in my lap yet, the most she’s done by herself is put her front feet on my leg when i pet her sitting on the floor.
  
  this is interesting. interpreting bunny language is fun.
- 01/02/2008 at 2:09 PM
  Gravehearted
  Participant
  2428 posts
  aww, that sounds like great progress
- 01/02/2008 at 2:12 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  It does sound like she likes it! I love me a good foot flick too :~)
- 01/05/2008 at 9:43 AM
  Martie
  Participant
  82 posts
  I’m totally jealous of anybody’s lap bunny, I admit it, lol! *heavy sigh* Enjoy that special time! I sure enjoy reading about it
- 01/07/2008 at 11:16 AM
  dmh426
  Participant
  433 posts
  encourage that behavior absolutely! i have a lap bunny who lives tobe loved and i couldn’t imagine her any other way.
- 01/07/2008 at 4:16 PM
  Lisa_43
  Participant
  1499 posts
  Lucky duck you, I wish my Ebony was a lap bunny.
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