bonding with your bunny.

[mocha200]

I was wondering what you guys do to bond with your bunnys. i just can’t find anything for me and mocha to do. lulu will run right up to me and lick me but mocha every time i go in with him he runs arround trying to hide from me. so i was just wondering what you guys do to bond with you bunnys. i just really want mocha to like me.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

The way that my bunnies and I became close is that I sit on the floor a lot. It keeps me around their level, so they feel more comfortable coming up to me and putting their paws on me and saying hello.

Also, if I lie down on the floor they’re much more likely to let me crawl up to them and give them kisses, and then they kiss back. It’s like we’re grooming each other.

I find that, since rabbits don’t use their paws to groom other rabbits, they probably think our hands are pretty weird. Once I start kissing them on their faces I think they find that more natural than being petted. That’s when they reciprocate.

Granted, this means you have to be on the floor a lot…. but it’s worth it : )

[mocha200]

ok i just tried laying on the floor reading a book. and he ran arround me sniffing me then he bit my sleeve!at first i just thought he wanted to see what it tasted like cuz he is so curious so i went back to reading my book, then he bit it again and head butted my nee, so then i new he did it on perpuse, then he kept on trying to bite my pants, then he comes around and put his paws up on my arm and bite me so hard it felt like a bee sting ( and i know what a bee sting feels like) it didn’t hert as long as one but still! it swelled up a bit but not to bad. so then i relized i was waring the same cloths i pick up Lulu in so i changed and lay back down and read my book again and he ran around me sniffed me but didn’t bite me. then he went and took a nap. then like 10 minuts latter he comes back and sniffs me again. then he bit me again almost as bad as the other time! so i know it wasn’t the cloths. so then i got so frustrated and came on here to ask you guys why. i am just so confused and don’t want him to not like me. i am just so mad-sad i don’t know what to do

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Maybe he’s just testing the waters a little. He’s obviously curious about you, and I think being on the floor is definitely the way to go, since he keeps coming up to you. The biting may just be a defense mechanism he’s using until he realizes that you’re safe and friendly. Keep it up! He might just be a sassy bun with some major rabbitude, but even the sassiest buns can love and trust when you use time and patience.

Please keep us posted on what happens next!!

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Oh, and headbutting is okay! Sometimes rabbits headbutt to say hello. Also, when they poke you with their noses, it’s like a greeting.

[mocha200]

i am going to try it again tomarrow. i will tell you how it goes

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Good luck! I hope it gets better!!

[BinkyBunny]

When you are near him, does he have room to go around you? It sounds like he’s telling you to move. Jack will give me a warning headbutt sometimes to say, “you there…hello…and now move please”, and then he will nip me to get me out of the way, and if I don’t move, he will nip harder (it hurts!)

So it doesn’t sound like he’s being mean, but communicating with you in the only way a bunny knows how.

This is what I do with Jack:  I do first try to move a little  when he gives me a headbutt or light nip so he can get around me, but if I can’t move or don’t want to because there is plenty of room for him to go around me still, then I will say “NO”, and normally he will just choose another route after a couple of NO’s.

In the mean time, you could bribe him with a couple of yummies. Like little pieces of carrots. You want to cut it up into lots of little pieces so you can interact with him more giving him little tastes.

Will he allow you to pet him?

Also, bunnies really are such individuals so he may always be a little different  than Lulu.   Which one did you have outside for longer?   I can’t remember, I am just wondering if that may have anything to do with it.   Even bunnies that may not have been as social can come around  – it can just may take them a little longer.  Rucy took 2 years to really relax and enjoy being petted for long periods of time,  but I had Bailey who satisfied the sweet friendly cuddly aspect, but I took joy in Rucy’s antics and funny behavior.   So though I hope that Mocha will become more friendly, and I have no reason to think he won’t, he just may approach you and life a little differently.   But only time will tell, and it does take time, so don’t get discouraged right off.

[mocha200]

when he head butted me my nee was in the way. i am not sure thats why he bite me though. i don’t know i let him run around for 2 hours before i went in there so maybe he though that i was in his space. this time i am going to go in there with him from the start and see if that makes a difference.

[mocha200]

i on the laptop sitting with him right now and i have his fav. treats ( lettuce and carrots). “fingers crossed it goes good”

[mocha200]

well i sat with him for an hour. no biting at all! i think yesterday he wanted me to move because yesterday i sat against the wall and today i didn’t but he is still scared of me i am going to try to sit with him every day. hopefully he will get used to me.

[LizzieKnittyBun]

Well the no biting is a definite improvement : D

Trust just takes time, but it sounds like you’re doing the right thing!!

[Elrohwen]

I agree with everything BB and Lizzie said. In general, that head butting and biting are “please move” signals from him. My bun does this too and it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you at all! It just means he wants you to move and doesn’t mind telling you about it 😛 Sometimes it helps to make a high pitched squeak when he does it – this tells him in rabbit language that he hurt you. However, if you’re in the way, this doesn’t always work and sometimes you just need to move.

I had my bun for. 7 months and spent tons and tons of time with him before he liked pets of any kind. Now he’ll let me lay next to him and snuggle for 45 minutes at a time! Some bunnies really do take longer than others, but you can’t let it get to you. Just be patient and enjoy your time sitting with him, even if he’s scared and ignores you. Eventually he will come around, he just needs your patience. Be glad that you have another more cuddly bunny and try to accept that Mocha isn’t doing these things because he dislikes you, he’s just not sure he trusts people in general yet

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Sitting on the ground ignoring is a great thing to do Sitting on the ground next to a wonderful irresistable salad is better Also they’ll start to associate you-food which is a great thing It’s a threat in other species, but with rabbits-sitting and staring at each other is a sign of affection-just hanging out and watching your bunny is a bonding experience

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