Sudden Disinterest?

[Olivia the Bun]

<p class=”p1″>Hi okay so I have a netherland dwarf baby named Olivia who just turned 3 months old who I love to death. I work and school from home but I work at a call centre so when I’m working I can’t really interact with her too much (2-3 days a week) so I decided to get her a friend. I am picking up a 8 week old Holland lop buck next weekend who I will eventually bond with her when both are spayed/neutered (and baby steps!!!! don’t you dare say I haven’t done research). I’m keeping them in separate rooms until they’re bonded and will obviously do bonding sessions in neutral territory. This is besides the point. So I have recently started letting Olivia free roam around my fairly large bedroom and she’s been loving it. I just don’t know if she loves ME. I got her a month and a half ago and have been showering her with love, I don’t pick her up too often unless necessary and I’ve maybe gotten like three 2-minute cuddle sessions out of her since I have got her. When I first got her she used to lick my hands all the time when I was petting her, refilling her hay, cleaning her cage, etc. She hasn’t licked me in pretty much a month and I don’t know what I did. She kind of ignores me now unless I am giving her pellets (I insist on feeding them out of my hand so she is not scared of me and associates my hands with food and not danger). My boyfriend and I were laying on the floor in my room watching her play and she walked up to my boyfriend and licked his face and I WAS HEARTBROKEN because she won’t even lick my hands anymore. I know I kind of sound like I am overreacting but when will it ever get better? Do you think she doesn’t like me? Or do you think it was a fluke and she just licked him randomly? I spend so much of my time caring for her and she makes me so happy but I want some loving too 🥺🥺🥺</p>

[Hazel]

She’s three months old, right on the line between baby and adolescent so you’re bound to see some behavioral changes (big and small). Babies pretty much love anyone and anything, which is why she was more loving towards you at first. As a teenager she will be a hormonal mess, and likely fluctuate between wanting attention and ignoring you or even act aggressively (females tend to get more aggressive and territorial than males when they become hormonal). Then, once she’s been spayed and recovered, she will show her true personality, which should fall somewhere on the spectrum between a loving baby and a crazy lady. Adults are more reserved than babies and usually don’t like being held and cuddled, which is sad for us as owners but what can you do. My bun has literally never licked me, and I’ve had him for six years since he was a baby. That’s just his personality and I’ve learned to live with it. 😉  That doesn’t mean yours will be the same, of course. They’re all different. One thing that owning rabbits for almost twenty years has taught me is, you get what you get and you don’t get upset. 🙂

Good luck with your bunnies, be sure to stop by the bonding forum when the time comes, there’s a wealth of information there.

We would love to see pictures by the way! 🙂

[DanaNM]

I agree with Hazel, she’s becoming a hormonal teenage bun, but should settle in once she is spayed and recovered. 🙂 Try playing hard to get, it does seem to help. 😉

@Hazel Bun Jovi always licks the carpet and never me! Such a brat.

. . . 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.  

[Hazel]

Bun Jovi is such a tease! 😆

[DanaNM]

He really is!

. . . 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.  

[LBJ10]

She sounds like a normal teenage bunny to me. Don’t take it personally. She will settle into her adult personality once she is spayed.

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