Getting my bunny to trust me

[DavidRose]

I got my mini lop bunny, Hopper, two days ago. He’s two years old and the person I got him from said he was a nice bunny and he wasn’t aggressive or anything. Well he’s bitten me once and tried biting me two more times. When he actually bit me, I was just trying to pet him while he was in his cage. The other times, I guess I scared him. I was trying to get him in his cage and after half an hour I tried just walking behind him and guiding him to the cage with my hands and he didnt like that. He doesn’t seem to like affection much either. Last night he did lay next to me and seemed like he enjoyed me petting him. In the room where his cage is, he just stays in one corner and hides when i let him out of the cage. But when I bring him into my living room hes jumping around and exploring but he still doesn’t seem to like me much. Please give me advice on how to get him to like me.

[caillou]

He was probably feeling territorial when you were petting him in his cage. I do my best not to clean or put my hands in my bun’s cage whenever he’s in there. The best thing to do is give him time and let him come to you on his terms. What worked for me was getting an cohen to make the space smaller and then sitting in there with him for a few hours everyday. He got so curious he had to come up and see me. If he’s letting you pet him and seemingly enjoying it that’s a good sign! With bunnies, it really just takes time. Hand feeding my bunny pellets also helped our bond grow.

[sarahthegemini]

It’s been TWO DAYS. Your rabbit needs time to learn you’re not a threat.

[Deleted User]

With a new environment, bunnies need time to understand the changes and recognize that you aren’t a threat to them. You should not try to actively seek out petting him, that will make him want to stay away from you because every time he comes near, you reach for him.

Sit on the floor at his level and just be still and let him get used to your presence. After he spends some time around you and you get him to realize that you aren’t a threat, he may begin to trust you more. Try feeding him pellets, veggies, treats out of your hands so that he associates you with something pleasant.

The main thing is patience. Some bunnies take months or longer before they feel comfortable. You have to view things from his perspective and understand that you are a massive, scary, potential predator (until you prove otherwise to him). His trust will come with time. They are prey animals so they are naturally inclined to be afraid of us.

[DavidRose]

I don’t really try to pet him much, when he comes up to me I’ll give him treats and occasionally I’ll try to pet him. He only seems scared in one room, the room where his cage is. Ive taken him into another room and he was hopping around playing on the couch and hopping off of it. He seemed fine then, but the next time I brought him in that same room he seemed skittish again. I usually just sit on the floor and let him run around and give him treats when he comes up to me, and if he chills by me for a few minutes I’ll pet him a bit.

[Deleted User]

He just needs time, as I said it can take months for a bun to truly begin to trust you.

[Deleted User]

I’ve had my boys for just over 7 months. Asriel has always been the independent and shy bun. We’ve built a good bond to where he runs up for nose rubs, but he still has good days where all he wants is attention, and bad days where just getting off the bed throws him into a panic attack. Patience is everything with bunnies.

[joea64]

I’ve had Panda and Fernando for just over 4 months. Panda is still very shy most of the time, and usually flinches away from my hand when I offer to pet her (though she’ll allow me to do so every so often); she’s gotten much better at relaxing in close proximity to me, happy to say. Fernando is much further along, and has gotten comfortable and trusting enough to demand attention during floor sessions by pawing and nipping at my clothes; petting him, however, is on his terms, not mine! Both buns have gotten comfortable with their environment over the course of this fall to the extent that stretched-out lounging and flops are now a daily occurrence

[Author]

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