Bun won’t trust me

[Koffee559]

Poppet has lived with me for almost 4 months. A few weeks ago I started to think we were begining to turn a corner and she was starting to trust me. But things are now getting worse. She learnt that I brushed her just before bed, so at this time she’d go and hide. I tried to shake things up a bit and brush her at different times but now she just hides from me as soon as I get home! She is constantly on edge around me; she only relaxes when she is hiding under the sofa. If I get up, she tenses up, if I go towards her, she runs away. I’m really not being that horrible, honestly! I try to be as gentle as I can but her fur is so long, as gets so knotted! I’ve tried a softer brush but it doesn’t get through her thick fur. She really has to be brushed every day but it is preventing me from developing a relationship with her. She used to lick me quite a lot, but not any more ?. I’ve tried treats but that hasn’t done any good. I simply can not persuade her to come out to be brushed, she either ignores the treats or steals them and runs and hides. I do not want all of my interaction with her to be a battle. Help!

[Wick & Fable]

Looks like you need to start from the ground up. Start by just doing your usual tasks and talking to your rabbit in a friendly tone of voice (like what people use when they speak to toddlers). Poppet needs to get use to your presence and realize all your movements are not you inching closer to you attacking her. Keep linking yourself as the source of food as well. Also, I’ve read that some rabbit bond and relax just by sitting and… staring at each other. Really weird, but in a non-creepy way (as much as you can muster), maybe just sit by Poppet and look at her with a nice, calming face for a few minutes. Humming or singing while could add a nice layer as well, if this noise isn’t something that spooks her. Sitting and staring at Wick is a pretty common recreational activity in my household now. It’s help Wick gain independence and security at the same time. Independence because he realizes he can do his own thing in his own space and I won’t invade, but security because he knows “I got his back”— I could also be giving him too much credit, and he’s just okay with a lot stuff; no way of telling, haha.

For the brushing, you may need to try the approach where you hide the brush, pet her liberally, and sneak in a brush stroke here or there. I know some rabbits don’t like the brush their owner has purchased. I bought a kit with two, and Wick would always give me a “What the heck is this nonsense?” look when I used one. He’d turn to sniff it and was clearly confused at its purpose. As for the other one, he seemed to know right away it was for grooming, so he chatters his teeth happily when he gets brushed with it. Maybe experimenting with a new brush (start a positive association with a new stimuli which gets the same task done) is something you might want to investigate and look into.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Yoyo]

I am assuming ur bun, has free roam, most of the time? – basing that, on the comments that say she likes to hide.

My bun, has mostly free range too, and, I can give him small pets, when hes ” out and about ” , but, mostly hes like ” nope, ty ma, I gots stuffs to do “… when hes in his x pen tho,.. its a totally different story,.. he relishes in being loved on, and brushed – he will sit, forever, and let me stroke/pet/brush him.

Maybe you can try doing something similar? – When bun is roaming, just kinda ignore, and pass by, casually, so the bun learns that your not trying to engage them,.. say some silly things to your bun, in friendly way.. stop to pet, if they come up to you, but, never follow, if they move off. – To entice to cage, rumple some plastic, etc, while setting out your daily fresh veg, so they learn to associate that sound, with good things, and return to their house area,.. while they nibble/snack, you could settle down, and give nice long, nose to tail strokes – switching it up for the brush, while they are preoccupied and very relaxed.. eventually gaining trust, through a routine that your bun can deal with.

[Jessica]

Amelia went through a phase with brushing and not liking me and refusing to sit with me. She is an angora so she has to be groomed daily other wise she mats up and then really doesn’t want to be brushed out.

Consider using a small table to set her on that is specifically for grooming, that way she will learn that that is where brushing happens rather then just associating you with brushing. Make sure for brushing her you are using a soft wire slicker brush, this type of brush will actual detangle and pull out the loose under coat, but still be gentle enough on her skin. Then use a fine tooth comb to make sure you got every thing all the way down to the skin, just don’t pull and tug on knots with the comb it hurts. For Amelia I give her a big lettuce leaf while I’m grooming her to keep her appeased.

[Koffee559]

Thank you to everyone who replied. You made me think about what I was doing differently and I realised that the problem started when I switched from a brush to a comb. I’ve switched back and things seem to be improving already.
Thanks!

[DorothyTheMiniSatinBun]

I discovered this trick when I first started to brush Dorothy. Does your bun like to be pet? I realized at first that Dorothy was hesitant about being brushed too, but then I started to pet her for a while then throw in a couple of brushes here and there and gradually increase until she either confused the two (lol) or thought that it was just another way for me to pet her. Good luck!

[Jessica]

I’m glad things are improving

Amelia still isn’t thrilled about being combed but as long as I make sure she is well brushed out first she’s pretty tolerant of it now

[Author]

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