Please help me, now he has a mate he hates me :*(

Hello,

Tinker was my first house bunny and we had a very special relationship. He was like my little baby craving my love, he'd have a fuss for hours and run up to me for love and get in a huff if I didn't put him to bed and give him strokes.

Then a few months ago I got him a girlfriend Belle because I didn't want him to miss out on rabbit interaction and they have bonded greatly.

But the only problem is he doesn't want to know me anymore. When I try and stroke him sometimes he'll 'put u' with it for a few mins but then he'll just nudge or nip my hand out the way or he'll start biting and digging something furiously. If I stroke Belle and he's aroundhe'll start biting and digging on a toy like he's jusst irritated by me.

Is there any advice on how we can re-kindle our relationship as bunny and human? I'm so glad he's happy with belle but it's very sad that he doesn't want my love anymore. He was such a cuddly and affectionate bun and now just seems irritated. I keep trying to stroke him, but he seems even more annoyed if I force my love on him :*(

PS: By the way, they have a huge home made up of 2 hutches with a playpen attached around it so it's definitely not lack of space that is annoying him.

Hiya :wave:

Not much experience on this - are they both neutered?

Well it is unfortunately the case that he might want to spend less time with you now he has a bunny friend but I don't know why he has become moody with you. Have you tried just sitting with them while reading a book or whatever? Hand feeding treats? Perhaps they will settle down once they have been bonded a bit longer.

Sorry I can be more help!

we have had this happen with bandit..lovely friendly bun wash anyone:lol:

then bonding as a foursome took its toll a bit but he was still our little fella.....then the bond broke by bif,.....he was happy with the frencies but missed bif too much and had a nervy peeing problem so bad he had to be confinmed to a cage to be treated and monitored..now hes with bif and fully bonded and a lovely big hutch inside as opposed to running free in the lounge or caged up in small bun cage.

hs not wanting to be touched etc doesnt come up to us or to the bars etc etc...

thought all was lost esp last nite when he bent his head down and his teeth were either side of my finger flat on the floor and he looked at me as if to say..i can do it you know!

but he has been letting me touch his nose thru the hutch bars at bedtime or when i let them out. tonite before i came to bed i lay on the floor outside the hutch talking to him and bif and bertie and willow on the other side of the pen.

bif yawned washed and went for a nap in the hutch and bandit came out and was so nosey couldnt help himself keep sniffing me and nudging me very solftly so i had to turn and look at him:lol: he let me stroke him after a while..and i think hed sort of forgotten how nice a cheeky rub was a nosey rub etc and for the very first time since hes been here he let me stroke hi sback without a shudder like he normally does and hes been snififng and licking the end of my hair and tips of my ears.....so yes soemtimes it takes a long time to re establish the bond....and soem times as with willow it cant be got back....they do prefer their bun pals..but they do learn to share in the end.