Encouraging affection?

[Nonvieta]

It there a way to encourage AFFECTION between bunnies?

Mine have been bonding on semi-neutral territory for about 5 days (two weeks in completely neutral in the bathtub) and they are pretty much just ignoring each other, staying to their own sides of the ex pen and skirmishing once in a while (nothing serious).  Sometimes my female, Clem, will groom my male, but that’s about the only contact they have (and it tends to end in nipping when he doesn’t groom her back).  They WERE snuggling a little in the bathtub (not sure if Clem liked it but Peanut seemed to love snuggling her).

I feel like from everything I have read, they are doing okay…no real aggression and neither one is trying too hard to be dominant.  They mostly ignore each other….but I think things are starting to stagnate.  I have tried placing them near each other for pets which worked in the tub but they don’t want anything to do with it!  Treats don’t work either because Clem is such a picky eater and won’t eat much when she is out of the cage (she is a recent adoption and she is still nervous of me and everything around her).  Should I go back to the tub?

I’ve been keeping a bonding journal over here if you want more detailed info:

https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/123926/Default.aspx

[Sarita]

Well 3 weeks is not all that long really. I think you can try to make the pen smaller but I don’t think you need to encourage affection, just trust.

[Author]

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