hey all,
i haven’t been here in a while, not even to read posts, but i’m still alive and well, of course.
i’ve had my rabbit for about 3 years or so now, and while she was somewhat of a christmas gift, my mother and i did plenty of research before bringing her home. she’s the sweetest little animal i’ve probably ever owned and always has been, but i’ve had an issue with being her best friend since day one.
i wouldn’t say that she hates me or anything like it, but she doesn’t trust me. i don’t hear about this often, especially not from younger rabbit owners like myself who might feel a bit more excited to get new pets, but i don’t know how to get her to.
it’s been such a long time without this connection that i’m not entirely sure what to do. i spend time with her and always have; i like to sit and read (silently or aloud) next to her, draw, watch videos, pet her, and sometimes just laying next to her and staring at her is strangely comforting.
she doesn’t run from me unless i’ve annoyed her, and if she ever does i leave her be. i know her safe spaces and her boundaries, and i do my best to respect them. i know she’s a prey animal, and some rabbits just need certain areas to themselves where they know they’ll feel safe if threatened or provoked.
i’ve read up a little bit on depression in rabbits, and i’m not sure that’s what she has. from the sound of it, they just grow disinterested in everything, including food. my bun isn’t like that. she eats well, even with the occasional trouble with greens/veggies, and always begs for pellets and treats. when it comes to behavior, she’s still very much a normal rabbit. she binkies when excited, zooms and zips around my room (although that one is pretty rare), and loves getting into trouble, especially when it comes to climbing up on my bed and making me worry that she’s going to injure herself.
so clearly she doesn’t hate me. however, as stated previously, i don’t think she trusts me much.
every time i come near she startles some and has to smell my hand for a good second before i can touch her. she sometimes stretches out on the ground and flops underneath her hutch for a nap (her cage isn’t just the hutch, by the way — it’s my entire closet floor, about 6 x 3). but as with the petting, if i come near her while she’s relaxing, she jumps up. she doesn’t take food from me unless it’s a piece of fruit, or in other words, a treat. if i try to hand-feed, she takes a bite, runs off, and usually does it multiple times as if she doesn’t want to be near me for long. she doesn’t distrust me in every regard, but those are a few examples. there are some other behaviors not too dissimilar from the ones above, but i believe most of them come from that same desire for private space.
i’m not sure if this is simply her personality/behavior or if it’s my own doing. maybe i over-exaggerate how much time i really spend with her. i got her at about 8 months old from a woman with a daughter going off to college. i never really asked her how my bun behaved with her, but i’ve been considering it since i can still get in contact with her. it might give me some insight. in the meantime, does anyone have a possible explanation for these behaviors or any opinions on the matter? i just want to feel like my rabbit trusts me. sorry for the long post, by the way.