How to pet, exactly?

[earthisours]

Hello,

I’ve had 2 buns (some sort of dwarf mix) for nearly 6 years now, I think. They are very comfortable with us, and are happy bunnies.

My question is, though, how exactly do you pet your rabbit? My rabbits (brothers) have NEVER liked us petting. Oh, they’ll tolerate it, yes, they’ll sit down silently and still, and just kinda squish down. You can especially tell by their quickened breathing that they don’t really enjoy it. We’ve tried so many way to pet them, and they have never liked any sort. I’m just wondering if there’s some sort of particular pet rabbits like?

Thanks!

[somebunny]

i usually just massage my bunnys head, in between her ears..when she’s relaxed (lying down)…and sometimes rub her cheeks on the sides, she doesn’t seem to mind that. she doesn’t really like being petted on her back so i only do it ocassionally while she’s getting her massage.

[JamieM]

Layla really likes it when I put one finger in between her ears and a second and third on the outside of each ear and just pet back…  gets her teeth chattering! 

[Beka27]

yeah, most buns prefer head pets over anything else. if you massage the sides of their face just right, you can sometimes feel their teeth grinding in pleasure. it’s a very light vibration…

my rabbit, Meadow, is a pets fiend. if you are somewhere accessible and you are not petting her, she will make sure you do. she has gotten to the point where she comes to us. we’re on the couch. she is on the couch. we are on the computer. she climbs onto the desk. she also does what you describe (the bunny puddle) but it’s a sign of utmost joy from being petted, at least with Meadow and some other bunnies.

what are your buns doing that make you think they don’t like it? normally, if they don’t like something, they will just leave. i’m thinking they do enjoy it if they are staying put.

and welcome here! any pics you’d like to share of the boys?

[Sage Cat]

My buns also “sit down silently and still, and just kinda squish down” when I pet them. But, they love it, they ask for pets all of the time.

Buns have very small lungs – and tend to breath quickly – could it be that you are miss interpreting?

I just got a book on how to massage your pet rabbit (The Relaxed Rabbit) on Amazon for $10 – maybe something like that would help you.

[Deleted User]

What do you mean by squish down? Boston kind of lays with her head down and butt in the air when getting head pets—a sign of submission and that she likes me grooming her.

[earthisours]

Well, it’s hard to explain. The minute you touch them (in any sort of way, may it be for petting their head, their back, or when I touch them to pick them up) they just go absolutely still and kind of press their body close to the ground, in whatever position they are. =\ Does that make sense? Always seemed to me to be a sort of prey reflex.

Maybe I am misinterpreting with the breathing, but it doesn’t seem that way. They breathe regularly for rabbits every other time, but whenever I touch them (including petting) they start to breathe REALLY fast, so much their nose sometimes looks really ‘open.’ I try not to pick them up except for when needed for this reason, it makes me afraid they’re gonna have a heart attack and die. X_x

As for pics, I don’t have very many uploaded, hehe:
DYLAN – his mouth looks a little odd because he had to have surgery to pull out his front teeth. Misaligned jaw, teeth didn’t grind down. The vet filed them down for about a year about 2 times a month, but we decided it was too stressful, so we pulled them out.

THOMAS

[MooBunnay]

Actually, in my experience, when the bunnies immediately flatten out, its usually a good thing. If they don’t like the petting, usually they will run away. One of my friends calls it the “bunny pancake” when they immediately lie down for pets! I think you may be misinterpreting, because I have one bunny that doens’t like to be pet, and she runs away after a couple seconds of pets.

My bunny’s favorite way to be pet is on the forehead for sure, and they HATE it when I touch their tummies or their bums!

[earthisours]

=( I don’t think I’m explaining it well.

I don’t mean lying down, or anything like that. Hard to explain the rest of their body, but it sorta looks like their head ‘ducks.’

[BinkyBunny]

It sounds like they are hunching down feeling tense. Is that right? How long and often do you pet them? What is their history?
You could try offering a treat when you pet them so they begin to associate something great with it.

Also, someone else mentioned the bunny massage book, I have that book too. It really is great and my bunnies respond to many of the techniques.

There is also a type of touch callled the Tellington Touch or “T-Touch”. I took a couple of classes on how to do it. There are several methods and variations of t-touch (ones for illness, aggression etc). It may be something to look into: http://www.lindatellingtonjones.com/

[earthisours]

Yes, that’s exactly right, BinkyBunny. And I am thinking of doing that, giving them a treat while petting. =( It’s just so sad, because they hang out with us, do binkies all the time, eat off our hands, groom and sleep when we’re sitting with them. They’re very good, too, if they need to be held (nail trimming, taking to the vet, also when we had to give some sort of medication to the toothless one) Just, no petting allowed. =(

If I try to pet them, it can’t be any longer than like a couple of seconds, because I know it bugs them. Uh, maybe every few days, at the most? Usually more time lapses in between. Should I do it more often?

As for histories, both of them came from our local SPCA. We got them at 4 months old. As far as we know, they were born in the SPCA, maybe, their mom was there.

I’ll look for that book. =( I’d really like to learn a way to touch them that they actually like. I’ll looking into that T-touch thing too.

[BinkyBunny]

EDITED TO ADD:  AH, well hands holding them and taking them to the vet to deal with the teeth issues.  They may have really gotten some fearful assocations with hands and touching so….

I think that you may want to try petting them more often and just pet them longer. If they end up hopping away, then let them, but if they stay and hunch, just let them get used to your touch. (when they are hunched, they are not trapped in a corner, or have no way to leave right?)

So far if, for the most part your touches have been quick, and the only other time they are touched is when you pick them up, that will only reinforce not their mistrust of touch.  But the fact they stay allows you the opportunity to show them that touch can also just be touching without picking up.

So I suggest you do it more often, every day if possible. Add a treat, and for as long as they will allow you to pet them, pet them. The fact they don’t leave, but just hunch – their body language may be saying: I’m uncomfortable with this because i don’t know what to expect, but it still sort of feels good so I won’t leave, but what’s gonna happen next?!!

So as long as just gentle light touch continues, it should help teach them to trust. Do allow them leave when they want though.

Now with that being said, there are some bunnies that just don’t want it to be touched, but I have found that to be very rare. Even the ones that would come into SaveAbunny, the real hardcore “DON’T TOUCH ME” bunnies, learned to trust and enjoy being pet with a gentle consistent touch.

Keep us updated!

OH, ADDED SIDENOTE:  Since they may feel a bit worried that the touch may lead to picking them up, stay around the top of their had and their spine, avoid sides and area near tail until they start to feel more comfortable.

 

 

[earthisours]

Heh, that’s right, no corners or anything. They are very much free to leave. They do sometimes, but usually they just hunch and remain anxiously still.

And thank you so much for your advice. =) I really hope that they’re not that sort of bunnies, as I find it odd that I would just the luck to have two of those.

But alright. Usually, when I pet them, I stick to the spine only. I was never sure about the head, seemed like they never liked it, and wouldn’t be comfortable for a prey animal. X_x For having them so long, I sure don’t know much.

Heh, I think the treats idea really will go far. They go insane for those. Managed to teach them that when I make a rattling sound, they’ll get some. They just zoom from wherever they’re hiding and beg for the treats. =)

Again, thank you!

[bunnytowne]

awe I bet they like the pets. maybe you being nervous makes them nervous?  Laith who is no longer with us. He would sit hunched when I would pet him like he was afraid. He had me fooled tho. cuz one day he was near my ear in that hunched position and I could hear a tooth purr. I thought wow all that time I thought he was afraid now he is  purring. wow.   and also  I now have nora angora who soooo reminds me of Laith with her coloring and her hunchiness too. she does the same thing sitting hunched. but at the same time she is purring. hmmm. ok so she likes it. cool. and also she knows just because I am petting her she will not necessarily be picked up all my buns know that. your bun may just like that position to hold still in I am quite sure bunbun is enjoying it. just keep petting his little cheeky and head , tween ears behind head on shoulders some like that some don’t depends. sounds like they are pretty comfy with you they run for treats and take them from your hands.  and toothless bun looks so cute his little mouth awe.  I like that pic.  maybe he is not knowing what will happen next if he is going to the vet again or what so he hunches.  yes as bb suggested keep petting him and don’t always always pick them up. he will get more comfy. now Laith always hunched never lied down even tho he purred and was very content. he would sit no my chest too and give kisses. he was very very smart. nora is soo o much like him. gosh ok ok enuf babbling here.

[Deleted User]

earthissours—-If you bun is tootless, how does it eat? I’m just curious as to how your bun gets its vitamins and essentials and what not. Yay for you for taking care of that lucky little bun bun!!!!

[GrammyB]

Just wanted to add to the good advice. This site is very good on helping us bunny lovers figure out what these furbabys are telling us. http://language.rabbitspeak.com/

I’m so glad that BB understood what you were saying, this site is the best!!

Also welcome! Cute buns, I like Dylan’s little mouth & nose.

We have a bun at our shelter that has a similar story. When he came in his front teeth were curved out like tusks. He went through the same clipping & filing, major stress. So the teeth were removed. He became a new bun! But his foster mom told me, the other day that two of the teeth are growing back in. Creepy hah? Now he has to get them pulled again, poor guy.

[earthisours]

Allienj1: He’s not completely toothless, just the bottom and top front teeth. He can still use his molars. He can eat pellets fine. With hay, we chop it up into the smallest pieces possible, and for veggies, we either shred them with our hands, or use the cheese grater.

Grammyb: Yeah, that happened with Dylan already. Their teeth aren’t like ours, if it the vet leaves just ONE little teeth cell left, it regenerates. Fortunately, our vet is awesome and did the second surgery absolutely free, as it had, technically, been his fault that he left some tooth cells behind. =) I love our vet, he gave us discounts for the teeth filing, and also the second surgery absolutely free. <3

And thanks for the link!

[Beka27]

that is interesting. i didn’t realize that about the tooth cells. rabbits are just fascinating creatures!

[BinkyBunny]

I also didn’t know that about tooth cells. hmmm. I do know that if they leave part of the root in, it will continue to grow and can cause problems- is that what you mean? It seems it would be very difficult to make sure all “cells” were eliminated. I’ll have research this as I too find that interesting.   I have never heard of teeth growing back if they were fully removed.  I sure wish Rucy’s would.      But this is something I have never heard of.   I know that their teeth continually grow so if they are chipped, broken or clipped they will grow, but if they are removed…..I don’t believe they will ever grow back even if the root is left there.  Just the root can continue to cause problems (infections and discomfort).   Can someone prove me wrong on this?  Off to research now! 

[Beka27]

http://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/vet-dept/avian-exotic-dept/dentistry-quarterly-challenges-in-pocket-pet-dentistry.aspx

in the last paragraph of this article it talks about the extraction process and that it’s always possible the tooth can grow back.  it describes the teeth as “aradicular hypsodont–no root, long crown”, or an “open root”.  from what the last paragraph says, the teeth grow from the pulp, and there is a certain technique to ensure all of the pulp is removed… so i guess those could be the teeth cells the vet mentioned.

i’m interested in anything else anyone can find.  i’m a dental hygiene student, so i find teeth stuff fascinating. 

(i’m a dork, i know… )

[BinkyBunny]

Well, “Good Night Irene!”, color me shocked. Awesome work Beka! Great information! I love love love learning something brand new! Very interesting! I can’t wait to pick my vet’s brain about this some more to really understand it, but this is very good place to start.

[Author]

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