How to get my bunny to become a snuggler?

[Plsfan]

I had two bunnies. Both girls. I got them spayed to hopefully help with their overall health and behavior. Siena, almost four years old, was put down yesterday after an infection from her spay set in.

She was my fluffy snuggle bunny. Charlie, almost seven months, does not snuggle. I don’t know if it’s just her age or if she will never want to snuggle me.

I got them both about five months ago as emotional support pets. Siena used to lie down on my chest and lick me and snuggle me for hours. It helped me so much. But Charlie, though great at playing and learning tricks and entertaining us with her personality, doesn’t even want me to pet her.

She was spayed about a week and a half ago, and I know it can take a month for the hormones to settle down, and often their behavior changes at eight months. But I’m so, so scared guys. And I’m still in mourning. I’m scared that Charlie won’t ever snuggle me like Siena, her surrogate mamma, did. And I don’t know what to do.

If anyone, anyone, knows a way for me to guide her into becoming a snuggler, or if you have any personal stories of an unruly young rabbit becoming a loving snuggler, please tell me, because I just don’t know what to do.

[DanaNM]

I’m very sorry for your loss of Siena 🙁

Every bunny has a different personality. Siena sounds like a very special bun, and you’ve found that Charlie is special too, just in different ways. Charlie may never become a snuggler, but I still think you can form a strong bond with her. You mentioned she loves playing and learning tricks, so that sounds like a great way to interact with her.

Some bunnies also take a long time to trust and to open up. The act of “snuggling” is a very vulnerable position for a bun to put themselves in. My first bunny as an adult, Bunston, was pretty timid at first. It took him a while (I don’t recall how long exactly), for him to accept some nose rubs. Then flash forward to a couple years later and he would come lay right next to me and boop me for pets, groom the leg of my pants, and flop near me. He never liked to be on my lap or to be held though. My other buns have all followed a range of trajectories, from outgoing and seeking pets right away, to very unsure and fearful, to everywhere in between. Even my bunnies that don’t seek out pets still bring me joy and calmness, because I love just watching them live their best little bunny lives.

In my experience, the best way to earn a buns trust is to spend lots of time on the floor with them, but don’t try to pet or snuggle (play “hard to get” and basically ignore them). Eventually the bun will learn you are not a threat and will start to relax on the ground near you. This step may take some time, but once the bun seems very relaxed around you, you can “ask” to pet, by making your fist into a “bunny head” shape, and placing it on the ground near the bun’s face (slightly off to one side). If she puts her head down, she want’s some nose rubs. If not, then don’t force it.

In the meantime, clicker training and hand feeding are all excellent ways of bonding with her and interacting with her. If in time you find that you really need a bun that is more outgoing, you might consider bonding her with a bun that likes petting more. Do know that buns that like to be picked up and snuggled are very rare, even those that like nose rubs and petting.

. . . 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.  

[Plsfan]

That is super helpful, thank you so much for taking the time to reply to me! Siena was definitely very rare. She liked me to pick her up and hold her on my chest with her head in the crook of my neck, and I’d just kind of lean my head on hers and tub her back, and her right fingers would wrap around my pointer finger and she’d just relax and purr. But I think she helped me through Charlie’s naughtiest adolescent months, by being my constant snuggly friend whenever Charlie acted up.

[Bam]

I’m very sorry you lost Siena. She sounds like a wonderful bun.

You’ve gotten great advice from Dana already, so I’m more or less only chiming in.

I recommend spending time in the bun area listening to audiobooks or reading aloud yourself. You shouldnt force yourself on the bun (as Dana says), just sit there and read or whatever. Rabbits are curious and will probably want to either investigate you or just chill and listen to your voice or the Audiobook (Ive just discovered the app  Audiobooks. Me and my new foster bun have been listening to The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett this last weekend).

Charlie is still a youngster, at an age comparable to a young human teenager. It is perfectly normal for her to act independent and standoffish during this time of (transient) hormonal turbulence. A newly spayed bun experiences even more hormonal turmoil.

Most rabbits, if not all, do enjoy cuddles as they mature. My rabbit Yohio growled and bit me when he was a teenager. He became a total snuggle bug a few months later. He then remained a total snuggler all his life.

I honestly dont think you need to worry. Just keep in mind that rabbits like to decide themselves when its cuddle-time. If you try to cuddle out of proper bun cuddle-hours, you might very well get foot-flicked 🐇🐇🐇

 

[Plsfan]

You have no idea how helpful and comforting that is. Cant wait to try it thank you!

[StellaBellaBunBun]

Charlie sounds a lot like my StellaBellaBun! Stella is super outgoing and bold like Charlie, food motivated as well, but not super cuddly. I got her from DAS at 14 weeks so I can relate to the adolescent bunny tantrums.LOL

Ever since I brought her home, Stella has never been that scared of me, but she definitely never craved my attention either. I vowed I would convert her to a couch bunny eventually! I just want to agree with the two above me to confirm that it takes time. I’ve spent more time on my floor than I ever thought I would! It really helped me to bond with her by getting down on the floor with her. We started “Nosing” where I just put my nose next to hers and breathe gently. I swear I can literally feel her relax when we do that! Now she actually craves it and will seek out my nose! I highly recommend trying that as well as just spending lots of time with her where she feels most comfortable, on all 4 paws, on the floor.

Now Stella won’t lay on my chest or anything like that unfortunately and she still hates being picked up but she’ll tolerate it now. I don’t know if she ever will but she seems to be growing increasingly more comfortable with time. She flips under my desk while I’m working so I know she feels comfortable with me and now she’ll even sit next to me on the couch every so often and enjoy a good half hour of pets from Momma!

No bun will ever replace your little Sienna, but your bond with Charlie will grow over time! I’m sure you’ll find ways to snuggle with her, even if it’s not as comfortable as the way Sienna did.

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