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Why oh why

kgattrell

Alpha Buck
can't Ellie and Fudge love me.... They seem happy and contented enough just don't want anything to do with me especially Fudge. Thy just run away whenever I go near them and its not getting any better, I just want to be able to stroke them and give them nose rubs. Ellie I can stroke but Fudge not a chance. Ive tried being patiet and just sit with them and let them come to me but as soon as I touch Fudge he just runs away and his influence is rubbing of on Ellie, hes quick enough to take food off me but thats all.. After such a sh1t morning when I have been totally embarassed and made to feel like cr@p I just want to go home for a cuddle of them :cry::cry:
 
It really is a case of gradually getting him used to more interaction. But it can take awhile :( How often are you doing the sitting on the floor thing and for how long? What sort of set up do they have?

You could increase the contact time by only feeding pellets by hand no dinner in a bowl at all. Even if he runs away at the moment that's still a first step. If you're feeding SS break the pellets into small pieces. If you feed the whole meal that way it becomes pointless for them to run away inbetween mouthfuls or atleast pointless to run away so far.

Depending on the setup there by be ways you can alter that too, eg if they are in a pen then make it so you have to walk through the pen regularly to increase the time there or put the chair you watch telly from the middle. It can get a little boring sitting with them getting ignored so if you can make it part of your routine whilst doing other things it increases the time spent more naturally.
 
i agree ...i takes time .. i tend to get down to their level and spend as much time there as poss ... read a book , do a cross word ...ignore them unless they come to you and have a treat ready if they do ..
i also do a lot of quiet talking to nervous buns :)
 
Stick with it. Frankie gave me the best present a bunny can give to a mummy. He nibble me when I stopped stroking him:love: Since he and Belle came to live with me, they have been a bit scatty when I came in. but Frankie is coming round and I am sure Belle will too. They have been with me since August.

However, at some point you have to accept that it may just be their personality. Sophie has been with me since 8 weeks old, and Granite was with Jill from 4 months old for a couple of months, and then to me and I do think it is just their personalities that make them shy and timid of humans,
 
Tamsin;3496308]It really is a case of gradually getting him used to re interaction. But it can take awhile :( How often are you doing the sitting on the floor thing and for how long? What sort of set up do they have?

Hi thanks for the reply, they have a bedroom to themselves.

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=207665

Iv'e had them for about 3 months now I spend time with them in the morning and at night but I get disheartened when they don't want to know and give up..

Fudge loves his food and will eat a banana when I hold it for him. Have I left it too late now..
 
I don't think there is a cut off. Certainly early socialisation helps but rabbits learn from experience and there's not a age when that stops.

Is there part of your normal routine you could do in the room? I know it's quite fustrating if you're in there to interact and just get ignored but if you are in their to do your ironing (watch the cable) for example then it doesn't matter if they are ignoring you. Makes it feel a bit less disheartening.

Their setup looks great :) Does it have a normal house door to split it off? If so perhaps you could swap it for a baby gate so people walking past is included in the socialisation and their room is less of a seperate space.

You could also offer a treat over the gate each time you go past so they get in the habbit of coming to see you. By treat I mean a pellet from their dinner ration - so you don't get fat bunnies ;)

I'd really recommend keeping their dinner ration in your pocket to dole out. Once they get used to coming up to you being a positive thing it's a big step towards them liking being fussed :)
 
Don't loose heart - it took nearly a year for Tinks to accept being fussed, Roo her bonded companion used to be really soft until he lived with her and he backed off also. I don't think Tink will ever crave nose rubs but she does accept them quite happily now. She is extremely charming when she's begging for a treat though :lol:
 
Hand feed them treats and give them nose rubs at the same time. Worked with my Leo. This way they will start to associate nose rubs and treats.
 
Great advice but I do understand how feel, Bungle was a realy cuddle bun, he used to sit with us everynight sharing himself equally between me and Simon. Now we have 5 buns and struggle to get a nose rub between them. They are getting a little better thoug, Emily allows herself to be stroked now and again, Mufty would like our hands all day long but wont allow himself to be touched and the 3 babies are only now begining to let us touch them but only when they are eating. We just keep trying everytime we go down there though and we keep hoping but it makes us miss Bungle so much more.
 
I thought I'd add, when my brother went to uni Scamp decided he hated him when him came home again. My brother would walk into the room and Scamp would bolt for his box. A lot of treats got him so he would sneak up and take food before running off and a few more weeks and he'll come and take food without the running off. Food and time really does work if you keep at it :D
 
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