will she ever be like she used to?

[Bougatsa]

So before my bunny hit puberty we had a better relationship. Well she wouldnt jump into my lap or anything but at least I was able to pick her up while I was petting her, put her on my belly or on my knees and have her sleep on me or just stay there while being petted. She sometimes run around me while I was walking or jump on me whenever I was having a meal, begging for some food! All these were really cute..but then puberty came, I had to cage her more as you all know from previous posts, and we are far away from what we used to be. She lets me pet her for some minutes and then runs away, wont tolerate being on me unless I’m giving her food at that time. All in all it’s like I’m there only to give her food and water and it makes me sad cause it doesnt feel like having a pet at all and sometimes makes me feel that I shouldnt have gotten a rabbit even though there is NO WAY I’m giving her away or anything.

I’m wondering if the bond we were kind of having (well it had just started to get good before she became sexually mature) is completely ruined because she is hormonal? Her behavior is not agressive or anything, she never bites, nips me or grunting at me or anything that shows that she is being territorial (the only teritorrial behavior is the pooping and peeing). Or is it because she is an adult bunny now and this is just how she is? Distant and wont tolerate pets or anything else.. Plus it will be really diffictut to clip her nails or give her medicine when needed cause she wont even stay at one place for a bunny burito. And I have never been able to turn her around to make her relax…she wont tolerate this position…

How can I work on these? unless that being hormonal means that I will never be able to make any progress..

[KatnipCrzy]

When you get a young baby bunny they seem to accept cuddling and handling more readily since they have not discovered the joy of running, binkying and loafing around the room yet.  I got Cotton as a baby- then she got to the hormonal stage where she was standoffish and territorial- but once she was spayed- she soon reverted back to her loving self.
I have “trained” all of my bunnies to jump back up on the couch to check for treats when they are out- they can usually smell them- and they will willingly jump tp- sniff around and get them.  And once they learn you are not going to pick them up, etc everytime they come to you- it is much better relationship and they are comfortable being loose and coming to you.

[Bougatsa]

Well she wasnt a baby-baby, she was around 4-5 months old when she started being that comfortable with me and that changed after turining 6 months old. I suppose that after the spay (which will happen at some point in this year) she we be even more used to me cause she will be allowed out the whole time I am there with her..

[Sarita]

I think her real personality is coming out. The reality is that you are now dealing with an adult rabbit. Spaying will calm her down but it won’t change her personality. I think you are going to have to look at your bond differently – she is going to be more independent and bossy – that’s what happens with all of us when we reach puberty. You may have to adjust how you feel and enjoy her adult personality because you can do this – she cannot.

[Andi]

I am with Sarita’s post.
I went through the same thing with Ani, though she was awesome all the way up to her spay. She’s a bossy girl who grunts/lunges and can be overal a real …… :p But I can still get her to teeth purr on occassion, so I know even though she’s a bag most times, she’s still my little girl in there … somewhere LOL

[ILoveLucy]

When I first got Lucy (and thought she hateed me) I would hand feed her a lot. So that when she sees food (which she LOVES) she associates it with me (who I want her to love.)
It’s kind of a cheap trick…deep down I know she’s really just excited to see me because she knows I am the keeper of the food…but oh well!

It makes her want to have me around! And makes her jump onto my lap. And she tolerates being fussed over because she knows food is coming

Though…disclaimer…I think that may not be a good idea for everyone. It could lead to a “beggy bunny” and I suppose if your rabbit is having aggession problems it could lead to finger nipping.

But it (kind of) worked for me!

[Bougatsa]

I see..Well I came up with a technique I’m going to begin after her so that she def is more relaxed. I thought about hand giving her a treat everytime she lets me pet her for a few minutes..dont know if it will work but there is chance that after some time she will be looking forward to getting her pets

[4Lily]

I don’t know how female bun’s are, but Lily started changing through puberty too, so I got him neutered right away! He hasn’t went right back to cuddlin, but he lets me pet him more than when his hormones were goin crazy! Have to realize before spaying and neutering they only think of mating! Lily’s ball got all of the affection while going through it, LOL, now he’s back to kissing us & wanting attention! When I picked him up at the vets, he was so excited to see me, he started kissing me. Braught him home & he wanted attention more & more everyday! I know every bun’s different, but I would highly recomend getting her spayed asap, then her personality will show more without constantly thinking of mating & being misserable because she’s not!

[Bougatsa]

Ι found a good way to make her come closer…I pet her a lot of times a day while she is in her cage (she allows me and demands it to start again if I stop)…the more I pet her the more she stays for more pets!

[Elrohwen]

Otto also likes to be petted in his cage or in his maze haven, so I try to pet him there and hope he’ll start liking it more out of his cage too.

[Nibbles_NZ]

It’s probably the hormones. She may get more territorial until she is spayed. My male is changing too now that he is matured. He used to let me pick him up (when I was sitting on the floor). Now he fights me when I try to clip his nails. I can’t even do that anymore because he will nip me. He doesn’t do it hard. Just enough to let me know he is not into what I am doing to him. I leave him alone at that point and I will come back to him later with a treat and he is okay with me. Do you have an xpen that you can let your bunny play in? I don’t know what I would do without mine. My bunnies live in them. That is the only way I got them to bond with me. When they were in a cage and I let them out, they didn’t want anything to do with me. They wanted to explore. Now that they are in thier pens, I can get in there with them and play with them. Now, Baxter (who is very hormonal) climbs all over me in him pen. He loves when I get in there. I do make sure it is okay with them that I come in. I first put my hand in there and them step into it slowly. I don’t want them to lunge at me because I am in thier space. You just never know what an unaltered bun will do next. I’m sure you can gain her trust back as far as the petting. I wouldn’t count on being able to pick her up anymore though…even after she is spayed. It is just normal that they don’t like that.

[Bougatsa]

I’m going to build something like a pen in the summer when I’m at my parents’ house. I know..now that I let her have a whole room she doesnt come to me much, she is difficult to control (peeing) PLUS whenever I have to leave for 2-3 days she has a really small space(her cage) and doesnt move a lot…my brother wont let her out cause she pees and poops a lot. At least he takes care of the food and water. But there is a chance she will be spayed by the time I leave for my parents. If not it’s happening after summer…hopefully. I am still too scared with the spay…

[Author]

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