Bonding with my two Bunnies

I've got my two bunnies called Toffee and Pebbles and I've had them for around two years and they have definatly settled in. They currently live outside in a hutch with a run in it but they have dug up all the grass in it and still dig holes :roll: but I'm ok with that, the only problem for me is that they really dislike spending time with me Toffee is better than Pebbles but still misbehaves and it takes me and my mum like half an hour or more to get them both into the run that has grass in it and they just wont let us hold them for more than five minutes and they will always run away from me. I'm questioning what I can do to make them more at peace with me and my mum and I'm willing to take many things in and try them out. They have been spade before as one of them had a false pregnancy and I'm quite a busy highschool pupil and doesnt have too much time so 'quick' and 'when I have time' methods will be the best. Thanks for reading answers appreciated Is there anything I need to get or make that will help the process along

There are no easy ways to bond with your bunnies, especially if you don't have a lot of time. The best way would be to sit in the run with them and let them come to you as rabbits don't tend to like being picked up as they are prey animals. Also It would be better if the hutch was on slabs to deter the rabbits from digging out. and rabbits don't tend to like being carried from hutch to run so you really need to study some of the housing layouts on the Forum in order to give your rabbits a better life.

Thanks I will not be able to put the run and hutch on slabs but will try different methods of getting them in the run and will make time to sit with them.

Best of luck.:wave:

Are they any other ways I can bond with them and keep grooming them without having to be extra careful of them running away??


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Try putting one of them in a open topped container or cardboard box with some hay and sitting next to her. Gently stroke her nose and ears. They nearly always love this.

Don't try to pick them up and carry them or put them on your lap. Often bonded bunnies are much friendlier to their owner when they're apart from each other for a tiny amount of time.

The best thing in the world, and I'm honestly lazy (and super busy. I have 4 kids (2 under 3 years old) and tons of animals and a house with 8 people in to look after..) is to bring them in. Bunny proof a room, say your bedroom, and then it's so much easier to bond with them. I would never put a rabbit outside, as like you are finding, it's too much of a hassle.

Zarla said:

Try putting one of them in a open topped container or cardboard box with some hay and sitting next to her. Gently stroke her nose and ears. They nearly always love this.

Don't try to pick them up and carry them or put them on your lap. Often bonded bunnies are much friendlier to their owner when they're apart from each other for a tiny amount of time.

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Do you sit with them in the cardboard box or sit outside the cardboard box? And as my bunnies are naughty and have dug up there run/living space (its a hutch attached to a run) and so I like to pick them up and put them in the other run and sit in there or just let them have access to grass, can i do that with a container although I'm not even sure my rabbits will correspond well with that.


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When carrying a rabbit between the pen and the outdoor run we use a carry case as they seem to get less stressed

Horace the Bold said:

When carrying a rabbit between the pen and the outdoor run we use a carry case as they seem to get less stressed

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Ok would it take time for them to get used to going in and thinking it is a good thing not a bad thing as I'm not sure they would immediately go in without a problem in the world but i will try.


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Toffs and Pebbs said:

Do you sit with them in the cardboard box or sit outside the cardboard box? And as my bunnies are naughty and have dug up there run/living space (its a hutch attached to a run) and so I like to pick them up and put them in the other run and sit in there or just let them have access to grass, can i do that with a container although I'm not even sure my rabbits will correspond well with that.


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I would make sure the box was small-ish (maybe the same size as a carrier but with high-ish sides) as if it's too big she'll probably chase around it trying to get away. Just sit next to the box and talk in a soft voice and then start stroking over her nose (not near mouth or under chin lol) and up over and behind her ears.

Also take the box right away from the other rabbit. Maybe spend just 20 minutes a day doing this with each rabbit and gradually they will become much more affectionate.