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Have you ever had abunny you cant bond with??

moi

Mama Doe
We hve had Tonic for 2 years and hes never ever let us bond with him. I know Bunnys arent cuddly, but we cant even go near him. I have to walk through their room at least 3 times a day to get to the outdoor buns, and he still runs away like Im gonna try and cook him for dinner . weve tried all the usual bonding techniques but none of it has ever worked. Just having a sad moment really, as I feel more like Im hes 'carer' rather than him being part of the family. He is fed and watered and given all he needs, but thats as far as it goes. Does that make sense? Just getting it off my chest really so please be kind x
 
I have had many rabbits lime this. But it doesn't mean I love them any less or they aren't a part of our family. As long as they are happy in themselves then I just have to accept its how they want to live their life. Although a part of me always feel a little guilty that there isn't that bond
 
My Thor is a little like that, he darts away and looks at me like I'm some sort of monster and if I dare try to actually handle him for health checks or the like then he turns into a ball of terrified claws :shock:

We have come to a sort of mutual understanding, I don't touch him if I don't have to and he doesn't shred me :lol: I still adore him, he is a cheeky chappie and does interact with me... It's just more subtle than the other 2! I also love watching him, he seems the most 'rabbity' of my guys and is lovely to watch just going about his business and being sweet with Poppy (they are a really loved up couple) :love:
 
We have come to a sort of mutual understanding, I don't touch him if I don't have to and he doesn't shred me

Ha! A bit like me and Tabby Rabbit!
 
Yep it took about 18 months before Fiver would run towards me instead of running away but even now I am food provider, not friend. As much as it would be nice for him to be affectionate like Rosie was I just try to remember that he is happy being a rabbity rabbit not a person rabbit and just prefers affection from his own kind.
 
My Lexi is very much like this. She dispises me. And after handling i look like a seaonsed self harmer and she needs handling daily due to been long haired esp in summer checking twice daily for any signs of fly strike and grooming. She will not come near me willingly food or no food. She runs away, hides, looks like a startled deer. But yet will happily jump onto my husbands lap..as long as he does not attempt to stroke her! :shock: More than once i wont lie i have thought "what is the point in this?" but then i imagine if she wasnt with me and with someone else stuck in a 3ft hutch and been fed musili while left to get fly strike then i know thats the point in it.... I may not be important in Lexis eyes infact i am evil in carnet lol but at least she gets 5 star bunny savvy care. I will just spend the next 6 years pretending she loves me lol .
 
Buttons and jasper were like this, but we are getting there. Nibbles is the only one who let us have an instant bond.
 
Lenny is a bit like this - seems okay'ish when in his pen and loves his nose strokes - but once outside, I turn into a bunny-eating monster apparently to be avoided at all costs.:( - he is a nervous bun though but is happy when no big bunny-eating humans are around:D

Harley has never like humans - will not be touched at all - although when Fondue Kid comes over to do her grooming, she melts with pleasure - little hypocrite:D:love:. I did have to pick her up last night - helping her mind you - and got a thump and flicky back legs as she bounced away once I put her down :D - and strangely enough it's this very personality of hers that I love - as long as she is in love with her Bobo and he loves her back, then it's all good in my world.
 
Lopsy's a rabbit's rabbit but he comes for food: it's all cupboard love with him! We're still working on Aboleth :) Lopsy is terrified if we have to pick him up or restrain him though, but otherwise he's fine with noserubs or a (quick) brush. So no actual cuddles! We'll see about Aboleth once she's proper settled :)
 
Cinna bun is a bit like this, she's happy to accept nose rubs and strokes but on her terms only. She will let me handle her when necessary but isn't keen. She is however more than happy to accept treats though.
Two of my other three actually seek you out for strokes and nose rubs, the third is coming around to the idea (he was previous owned and teased by a 3 year old so has some behaviour/aggression issues).
I don't 'cuddle' my rabbits and have only ever had one foster rabbit who enjoyed being cuddled.
 
Yes..... one bunny I took on from rescue was aggressive.... went for me all the time, couldn't even clean him out else he attacked the brush or my arm
I got to the point I made my other half do him.... as he would even attack me when putting food in:( I got really wary of him and to be honest was prepared to send him back, something I have never done, in over 20 years of rescuing..... but..... I just couldn't bond with him and.... yes.... I was scared of him..... and he knew it
My O/h refused to give up on him and continued to deal with him, feeding, cleaning etc..... and all I can say is..... Im soooooooo glad he didn't let me give up on him.
He is the most adorable, loving, bunny you could wish to meet.... a totally beautiful boy
Got him a friend from rescue and bonded immediately..... couldn't have wished for better
I am now totally bonded with him and adore him and wouldn't be without him for all the tea in china....... but things could have been so different......
 
The girls all tend to keep well away from me.

I wonder if you could make their set up a bit different so that you didnt have to walk through it? It may make Tonic feel more secure if he didnt get 'invaded' regularly.

It is a bit disheartening when they flee at the sight of you. Daisy usually waits for me to be out of the shed before she hops in to veiw and Autumn (one of the belgian hares) will keep an eye on me from a distance, often choosing to eat underneath her hutch!

Do you spend any time just sitting in with them? I found with Mottle and Peaches that being in there a lot (Mottle has to have supervised pellet feasts to get more weight on him) has improved my relationship with both of them. I have gone from Peaches just about tolerating me being in the shed to her coming up and nose butting me (because she wants Mottle's pellets). I even stroked her a bit (she raced away flicking her back feet but was back again shortly afterwards).

Food is a wonderful motivator.

Hope you find a way to get a bit closer with him.
 
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The girls all tend to keep well away from me. Autumn

I wonder if you could make their set up a bit different so that you didnt have to walk through it? It may make Tonic feel more secure if he didnt get 'invaded' regularly.

It is a bit disheartening when they flee at the sight of you. Daisy usually waits for me to be out of the shed before she hops in to veiw and Autumn (one of the belgian hares) will keep an eye on me from a distance, often choosing to eat underneath her hutch!

Do you spend any time just sitting in with them? I found with Mottle and Peaches that being in there a lot (Mottle has to have supervised pellet feasts to get more weight on him) has improved my relationship with both of them. I have gone from Peaches just about tolerating me being in the shed to her coming up and nose butting me (because she wants Mottle's pellets). I even stroked her a bit (she raced away flicking her back feet but was back again shortly afterwards).

Food is a wonderful motivator.

Hope you find a way to get a bit closer with him.

I have to walk through there room to get to the garden, theres no way around it. I do sit with them but he just sits in the far corner, and when he comes into the living room he will sit in the middle of the floor then run back when I move x
 
Yes bit she'd been abused in the past so I couldn't really blame her.

I think that may be Tonics problem, all I know about his past life was he was dumped on woodgreens doorstep with his Brother and told if they didnt take him in they was leaving them behind anyhow x
 
Yes to a degree,my bridge bunnies Rio and Cleo.Rio was fine he loved petting,ear and nose rubs and was a softy,although he would not tolerate being picked up,like a lot of rabbits.If you sat on the ground with him however he would come up to you and lie beside you etc.Little girl cleo his wifey bun was not a people bun at all,she loved him and him alone.She would not tolerate being touched at all,never mind petting etc.If you went near her area she would grunt and lunge at you.they were a loved up pair,the only time I sneaked an ear rub etc with Cleo was if she had her back to me and was being groomed etc by Rio,then i could gently give her ears a rub etc,she bloody loved it! moody little mare, until she turned round and saw it was me,then off she'd go.She was a character though,both house buns that wrecked my wallpaper etc and even chewed on my suite,comp ,phone cables etc,even whilst being supervised,bunny teeth , quick scissors no matter how fast you are. :roll: I do miss them both.
 
I think that may be Tonics problem, all I know about his past life was he was dumped on woodgreens doorstep with his Brother and told if they didnt take him in they was leaving them behind anyhow x

It's such a shame. She hated me. She hated other rabbits. I was at a loss at what to do and I'm ashamed to say I had to give her up. I found a lovely lady who was recommended by the rescue that she came from and I believe she is quite content now. I'm not sure she'd ever be a happy rabbit (I never once saw her binky) but hopefully not so scared now that she has someone who has the time to devote to her.
 
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