How to make your bunnies more affectionate

[Bambam]

I had bambam and he was the most living bunny and used to sleep on my bed and come soy next to me for cuddles. Now I have pebbles and flin and they don’t care about me at all! They spend the day under my bed and only come out to use the litter box or eat. I don’t know how to get them to love me like bambam did. Please help, bambam died a month and a half ago and I’m really struggling with it and I miss my bunny cuddles!!! :'(

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

They are happy with each other and are getting what they want-out time-without having to meet you You could make attention a condition for what they want-out time. Pet them before letting them out. Then progress to holding etc prior to out time. They’ll learn they get rewarded for giving you attention and positively associate you with out time Also when they are out, don’t approach them but sit near them and allow them to approach you -and have treats when they do.

Don’t mistake, I’m not suggesting you teach them to pretend to like you, I’m suggesting you slowly let them love giving you attention

[Bambam]

They both live freely in my room so I wouldn’t know how to have one on one time with either of them. They do trust me, flin will give me kisses if I slowly lie near her and pebbles doesn’t mind me stroking her, but neither of them initiate a cuddle like bambam did. Also, I would love to have them sleep on my bed (pebbles used to when bambam was alive) but now they seem to spend their time away from me
I’m in my room all afternoon and I’m on holiday now so I’m home a lot with them but they still haven’t seemed to change

[Deleted User]

I would just give them some time. It took a good seven/eight months to have Skipper want to initiate cuddle time with me and my bf. That was right before we got her spayed. And she’s still a little miffed with us for putting her through it so she hasn’t tried to have cuddle time with us on the bed for the past month. So just give it some time! =]

[tanlover14]

Why not you try blocking off the area under the bed and FORCE them to interact with you or at least be in the same space as you. Even if you don’t want to do that all the time, try it with some one-on-one bonding time or one-on-two bonding time! Put a line of something they LOVE from them leading to you. And when they come up to you, give them another. Bribing is the way to any buns heart.

[RabbitPam]

It’s only been about 2 months since bambam died, and I think it’s likely that even with affection, you would still find yourself missing him terribly. It’s just that you’re grieving, and you want some comfort from them that they aren’t, or can’t, give. It’s really very understandable to miss the most affectionate bunny of all.

I felt something very similar after Spockie died. I found Samantha 9 months later, and to be honest was very disappointed by how different she was. Much more skittish, unable to be held, never climbed onto platforms or couches or chairs. Just so much less active, and growly not sweet. I was really surprised at how different a bunny’s personality can be. So I wouldn’t look to change them too much, but just accept how they are with you and stay around them as much as you can while they learn to be comfortable with you in their presence. Sammykins has eventually made it clear that she feels affection for me, gives my feet kisses, and wants me around. (She will come out for a lunch snack of pellets in her dish whenever I come in to have my own lunch, whether it’s noon or 2.) I realized that she was just so much more skittish and shy and quirky that I either accepted her that way or made a drastic change – like find a second bunny. So I know how much of a loss it feels like to let go of a really sweet bunny. But I still love her, and I know she loves me, and right now it is enough.

Try to let yourself miss bambam without feeling any guilt about caring more for him right now. And try to spend some time with each of the two others individually if you can so you can begin to bond with them separately and establish a unique relationship with each. It may be completely different, but ultimately it will be your little fur family and feel right.

[Svandis]

We’ve had our Bosse for seven/eight months now and it’s only the last month or two that he has started to jump on the couch for cuddles and he has even started coming up on our laps etc but it has taken a long time. It has taken a lot of floor time bonding and cuddle sessions. Just give them time. Some rabbits need more time than others to take to their humans. Mathias (Bosse’s brother who passed away) was a lot more contact seeking and would jump up on any ledge he could reach, would run up to us and run around us in circles. When he passed away and Bosse was as shy as he was, I was pretty sad about it for a while, but we share a really special bond and he showes me that he loves me every day now

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