I think this is actually more common than otherwise when it comes to rabbits. They often – though not always – need a fair amount of time to get adjusted to their new humans and their new living circumstances, and this can be exacerbated if they weren’t in a good situation before they came to their forever home.

Taking the case of my own two buns, Panda and Fernando, who are a mother-son pair; Panda appears to have been in stressful circumstances before being rescued (shortly after the birth of her litter, including Fernando) early this year, which made her quite skittish, in fact frightened, of humans at first. She’s gotten much better over the past eight months or so since coming to the rabbit rescue and living with their foster mother, and since coming to live with me, but she’s still pretty shy and wary. She enjoys attention but until recently has preferred it to be verbal rather than physical. Over the past six weeks, she’s become well-adjusted to living with me and seems overall to be very comfortable, and has started coming up to the condo grids or the exercise pen bars with Fernando whenever I come near. While she still generally doesn’t like being petted for very long at a time, she allows it when I give her and her boy treats or when they’re snuggled up with one another (which undoubtedly helps her feel more comfortable). She’s never been aggressive, though she would nip a fair bit in the early going; this has decreased though she’ll still nip every so often to get my attention about something. She exhibited dominance behavior (mounting) frequently in the early going as well with Fernando, her bondmate as well as son, which their foster mother attributes to separation anxiety (her other three kits were adopted out before I took P&F home) as well as new-home anxiety; this has also decreased, though she’ll still exhibit it occasionally.

Fernando is much more laid-back, affectionate and amiable, which I attribute to his having spent pretty much his entire life (since he became aware of the world around him) in caring, loving environments first at the rabbit rescue, then with the foster mom, then with me. He groomed me on our first and second meeting, which their foster mother said she’d never seen happen before between a bun and a potential adopter; this affection was a key factor in my picking him and his mom. He’s very receptive to being petted and will regularly rush up to the condo grid or X-pen bars to get finger rubs on his forehead. He’s only nipped once since coming to live with me, and has groomed me several times (I think Panda has only groomed me briefly a couple of times). Like Panda, he’s gotten quite comfortable with his new digs.

Actually, both of them seem to be pretty happy overall with their lives, allowing for the differences in personality! Both of them Bunny 500 and binky every couple of evenings at least, and I’ve even seen them do the occasional classic flop, in addition to very frequent bunloafs and bunny-rugs.

You’re on the right track lying down on the floor with her to get to her own level, even if she didn’t like it the first time you tried it. Keep doing floor sessions every day – especially at the outset, it’s best to not pet her unless she requests petting/grooming (rabbits usually do this by assuming a submissive pose next to you with their head down, and sometimes emphasize by nudging you with their nose). Let Blake set her own pace for getting to know you; let her explore you and your immediate surroundings and get used to you day by day; one fun thing you can do is let her climb on and over you – Fernando likes to do that, though Panda is still a bit too shy (she often props herself up on me when she’s looking something over, though). Make sure she can see you and your movements; rabbits see best from the side and above or below. They can’t see that well to their front but make up for it with their ears and whiskers; however, they tend to get nervous if you approach them from their rear where they also have poor vision (and also, they just don’t like being touched on their butts or tail).
  
Offer her treats regularly – be careful about fruits since they have high sugar; fresh green herbs can be offered with greater frequency (I also give my buns Oxbow Simple Rewards baked treats/cookies of various flavors though the sugar warning applies to them too). What you want is to have Blake come to associate your hands with good things like treats and, eventually, pets. Talk to her frequently; rabbits like to hear voices, especially if they’re soft and gentle (never yell at a rabbit!)

You need to be patient. It’s only been a few weeks…My Peanut took months before he started to like being pet.

Posted By Elva on 10/07/2017 2:36 AM
Thank you! Till that time did you try to pet him or gave him time for him to come to you?

At the start I tried petting him but as he would hop away I decided to just leave him be and let him approach me without me trying to touch him. I actually thought perhaps he’s just a bun that won’t ever enjoy being pet so I gave him attention in other ways Eventually he started seeking attention more and more and so I started petting him again as it felt ‘right’he loves it now and will often come running up to me for pets

Posted By Elva on 10/07/2017 5:14 AM

Your example is so encouraging to me! When u say that u gave him attention in other ways you mean like giving him treats so that he can come to u?
Congratulation for the effort you made and for your patient!??

Giving him treats, talking to him and playing with him