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taming...

pam1

Young Bun
hi all. this is prob a really silly question, but i got2 boy buns on saturday, to tame them and make them come to me im guessing lots of cuddles???
 
Cuddles might make them avoid you :D

Rabbits are either cuddle buns, or not. I know mine aren't :lol: sit with them and let them come to you on their terms :) that's the best way :p
 
Try to move away from the idea if taming them. Taming them implies you want them to change and they have no need to change. They are perfect as they are. What you need to do is show them you can be trusted. There's an article called 'bonding with you bunny' which would be worthwhile reading.
 
I am a new bunny owner but Harry is already coming to me for cuddles. I think it's more his personality than anything I've done, but this is what I did:

I first designated his hutch as Harry's safe space. I have minimal contact with it, only reaching in for food dishes and litter trays to refill/empty. I never touch him in there. I want him to know that if he is fed up or overwhelmed or scared, he can go to his hutch and know that he's safe and nobody will bother him. I got that idea from this site which I found very useful: http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/index.html

Then when I started letting him come out of the hutch into the house, I wanted him to know that he had to share that space with me. So I blocked off a section of the room (bunny proofed) and sat to one side of it. He came out and sniffed around, and when he sniffed me I would gently touch him on his back. At first he flinched a bit and hopped off, but when he realised it was a nice touch and I wasn't grabbing him, he tolerated it for a bit longer.

After about 2 days during one of those occasions, I seemed to hit the right spot (between his ears) and he slowly relaxed and then started purring. From then on when he feels like being stroked he hops over to me on the floor and settles down for some head rubs.

He hasn't climbed into my lap so I don't know if he will be that kind of bunny, but he has slept right next to me a few times and he is asking for strokes more and more. Sometimes he doesn't want strokes, and when I touch him he just ignores me and carries on doing his thing. So I don't force the issue, I let him decide what interaction we have.

I also never touch him while he's eating.
 
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Try to move away from the idea if taming them. Taming them implies you want them to change and they have no need to change. They are perfect as they are. What you need to do is show them you can be trusted. There's an article called 'bonding with you bunny' which would be worthwhile reading.

thanks
 
I am a new bunny owner but Harry is already coming to me for cuddles. I think it's more his personality than anything I've done, but this is what I did:

I first designated his hutch as Harry's safe space. I have minimal contact with it, only reaching in for food dishes and litter trays to refill/empty. I never touch him in there. I want him to know that if he is fed up or overwhelmed or scared, he can go to his hutch and know that he's safe and nobody will bother him. I got that idea from this site which I found very useful: http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/index.html

Then when I started letting him come out of the hutch into the house, I wanted him to know that he had to share that space with me. So I blocked off a section of the room (bunny proofed) and sat to one side of it. He came out and sniffed around, and when he sniffed me I would gently touch him on his back. At first he flinched a bit and hopped off, but when he realised it was a nice touch and I wasn't grabbing him, he tolerated it for a bit longer.

After about 2 days during one of those occasions, I seemed to hit the right spot (between his ears) and he slowly relaxed and then started purring. From then on when he feels like being stroked he hops over to me on the floor and settles down for some head rubs.

He hasn't climbed into my lap so I don't know if he will be that kind of bunny, but he has slept right next to me a few times and he is asking for strokes more and more. Sometimes he doesn't want strokes, and when I touch him he just ignores me and carries on doing my thing. So I don't force the issue, I let him decide what interaction we have.

I also never touch him while he's eating.

thats a great help, thank you!!! i'll check out the website, will let u know how i get on!
 
Nope. Showering them with affection if they dont like it can often make them more reluctant to come to you, or will do the opposite and they will tolerate, but not enjoy the interaction, just because they know its inevitable.

You dont really 'tame' a bunny, you have to gain its trust. And to do that you have to acknowledge that they are a prey species and learn what that means. They are naturally timid, in order to survive, and as we are a predatory species our body language and habits can be different and alarming for them. For instance cuddling - the only time in the wild that a rabbit will be picked up and held tight is when it is about to die - hence the sensible instinct that most rabbits have to avoid and dislike it.

Food is always a good start, handfeed them. Sit around them often, not interacting, just being there, reading a book for example, so they grow bold around you.

But it depends on their personality. I have a rabbit that adores affection in any form (except picking up) and would wake me up in the morning and then doze next to me in bed having cuddles and nose rubs for over an hour. I also have a rabbit that has had no real bad experiences in her life, but just does not like being touched. The only time she lets herself be stroked is when she is scared, not because she wants comfort, but because she thinks she has no choice. I also had a rabbit very briefly that was utterly terrified of humans (I'm talking crouching down in the corner frozen, eyes bulging, shaking and panting if you went over to her cage), because of the way she had been treated all her life, but after a couple of weeks with me she was coming to the bars to see me, letting me give her noserubs and even licking me sometimes. It all depends on the personality of that particular rabbit, as well as their experience of humans.
 
I am a new bunny owner but Harry is already coming to me for cuddles. I think it's more his personality than anything I've done, but this is what I did:

I first designated his hutch as Harry's safe space. I have minimal contact with it, only reaching in for food dishes and litter trays to refill/empty. I never touch him in there. I want him to know that if he is fed up or overwhelmed or scared, he can go to his hutch and know that he's safe and nobody will bother him. I got that idea from this site which I found very useful: http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/index.html

Then when I started letting him come out of the hutch into the house, I wanted him to know that he had to share that space with me. So I blocked off a section of the room (bunny proofed) and sat to one side of it. He came out and sniffed around, and when he sniffed me I would gently touch him on his back. At first he flinched a bit and hopped off, but when he realised it was a nice touch and I wasn't grabbing him, he tolerated it for a bit longer.

After about 2 days during one of those occasions, I seemed to hit the right spot (between his ears) and he slowly relaxed and then started purring. From then on when he feels like being stroked he hops over to me on the floor and settles down for some head rubs.

He hasn't climbed into my lap so I don't know if he will be that kind of bunny, but he has slept right next to me a few times and he is asking for strokes more and more. Sometimes he doesn't want strokes, and when I touch him he just ignores me and carries on doing my thing. So I don't force the issue, I let him decide what interaction we have.

I also never touch him while he's eating.


This is spot on advice :D

It all about what the rabbit wants to do. Rabbits can be less interactive and engaging than dogs and cats as they are naturally independent and prefer their own personal space and bubble as it were. Never forcing the issue is the best thing as it can often alienate or scare rabbits. Time and patience is the best way to approach this.

You've only had your buns for two days and a new home is a big change which they need to get used to xxx
 
Nope. Showering them with affection if they dont like it can often make them more reluctant to come to you, or will do the opposite and they will tolerate, but not enjoy the interaction, just because they know its inevitable.

You dont really 'tame' a bunny, you have to gain its trust. And to do that you have to acknowledge that they are a prey species and learn what that means. They are naturally timid, in order to survive, and as we are a predatory species our body language and habits can be different and alarming for them. For instance cuddling - the only time in the wild that a rabbit will be picked up and held tight is when it is about to die - hence the sensible instinct that most rabbits have to avoid and dislike it.

Food is always a good start, handfeed them. Sit around them often, not interacting, just being there, reading a book for example, so they grow bold around you.

But it depends on their personality. I have a rabbit that adores affection in any form (except picking up) and would wake me up in the morning and then doze next to me in bed having cuddles and nose rubs for over an hour. I also have a rabbit that has had no real bad experiences in her life, but just does not like being touched. The only time she lets herself be stroked is when she is scared, not because she wants comfort, but because she thinks she has no choice. I also had a rabbit very briefly that was utterly terrified of humans (I'm talking crouching down in the corner frozen, eyes bulging, shaking and panting if you went over to her cage), because of the way she had been treated all her life, but after a couple of weeks with me she was coming to the bars to see me, letting me give her noserubs and even licking me sometimes. It all depends on the personality of that particular rabbit, as well as their experience of humans.

This is all spot on too :thumb:
 
Nope. Showering them with affection if they dont like it can often make them more reluctant to come to you, or will do the opposite and they will tolerate, but not enjoy the interaction, just because they know its inevitable.

You dont really 'tame' a bunny, you have to gain its trust. And to do that you have to acknowledge that they are a prey species and learn what that means. They are naturally timid, in order to survive, and as we are a predatory species our body language and habits can be different and alarming for them. For instance cuddling - the only time in the wild that a rabbit will be picked up and held tight is when it is about to die - hence the sensible instinct that most rabbits have to avoid and dislike it.

Food is always a good start, handfeed them. Sit around them often, not interacting, just being there, reading a book for example, so they grow bold around you.

But it depends on their personality. I have a rabbit that adores affection in any form (except picking up) and would wake me up in the morning and then doze next to me in bed having cuddles and nose rubs for over an hour. I also have a rabbit that has had no real bad experiences in her life, but just does not like being touched. The only time she lets herself be stroked is when she is scared, not because she wants comfort, but because she thinks she has no choice. I also had a rabbit very briefly that was utterly terrified of humans (I'm talking crouching down in the corner frozen, eyes bulging, shaking and panting if you went over to her cage), because of the way she had been treated all her life, but after a couple of weeks with me she was coming to the bars to see me, letting me give her noserubs and even licking me sometimes. It all depends on the personality of that particular rabbit, as well as their experience of humans.

great advice , thanks, will let u know how i get on!!
 
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