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How loving is ur bunny???

kelzuna

Warren Scout
Hi,

Our bunny Liquorice has been with us 9 weeks now (he's 15wks old). He is the most gorgeous bunny ever! So cute!

Its our first pet rabbit so didnt really know what to expect. Just wanted to know how loving ur bunny was towards u?

Liquorice sits for about 3 secs to let us stroke him and NEVER sits on our knees for a pet or cuddle. The only time he comes to us is when we have food, then he jumps up on us. :cry: He seems to like his own space.

Hes not aggressive or anything like that just he doesnt seem to be bothered about being petted...is this normal?

I have really fallen in love with him and just hope he doesnt hate us!:(
 
he wont hate u.

my bunnies come for fuss when they want to. im happy just to let them be bunnies n get on with it.
 
I used to get kisses until he hit adolescence, he's been neutured as he started to pee at me rather a lot but still no kisses :cry: he saves them for his cuddly toy. It depends what mood he's in too, sometimes he'll happily sit by me for ages whilst being stroked and 'purr', other times he's keeping busy, charging around, chilling on his own elsewhere or come to me for a bit of a fuss then run off again, I feel honored if he sits on the sofa with me even though he used to do this a lot, I think he's confused about it because he gets told off for chewing the sides so stays away from the whole thing.
 
Bunnies show their love differently to say, a cat or a dog. ^^ Many rabbits don't, and won't, crawl onto your lap for a cuddle. It won't be that your rabbit dislikes you - most just won't do it. Signs of rabbit affection can vary. The rabbit might be pleased to see you, and do 'binkies' where it dashes around flicking its ears and doing mad little jumps. The rabbit might request being petted in the form of a nudge with his/her nose, and then sit down while you stroke them. Some rabbits reciprocate this by 'grooming' you with licking. Alternatively, some rabbits lick items whilst you watch - this is apparently an indirect compliment. If my rabbit cannot reach me, he'll lick the carpet.

But a rabbit will like his or her own space. Rabbits are, essentially, prey animals and they don't like to feel confined or trapped, which is why many dislike being handled. As your rabbit grows older [and perhaps calms down] and comes to trust you more and more, he might become more snuggly. ^^ Depends on the character. Hope that helps.
 
Bobbin is very much the same. At first petting was very much a no no, even when trying to stroke him very lightly :cry: So I started to give him a treat and stroke him a little whilst he ate it, this is great because they are distracted and put up with a few stokes before legging it off with the treat! Over time though he'd get used to it. I actually think that he prefers the firmer stokes, the very light ones seem to scare him a little. Now he seems to almost enjoy it, even with out the treat he'll sit for a good six strokes or more :D

With regards the sitting on you, Bobbin too was very reluctant to jump on to me. I started by sitting on the floor offering him a treat. Then I would break it up and scatter some pieces on my outstreched legs (with jeans on!). Eventually he would jump up and nibble a piece and jump off again. Now though he will willing get on me with out an insentive.... but not for long, 10 seconds or so.

I think it's just patience, keep at it and you both will be rewarded :D

P.S He still very much dislikes being picked up, and although I want to practice it so he gets used to it for when I have to do it, it seems to distress him too much and so I have pretty much given up on the routine!
 
Bunnies show their love differently to say, a cat or a dog. ^^ Many rabbits don't, and won't, crawl onto your lap for a cuddle. It won't be that your rabbit dislikes you - most just won't do it. Signs of rabbit affection can vary. The rabbit might be pleased to see you, and do 'binkies' where it dashes around flicking its ears and doing mad little jumps. The rabbit might request being petted in the form of a nudge with his/her nose, and then sit down while you stroke them. Some rabbits reciprocate this by 'grooming' you with licking. Alternatively, some rabbits lick items whilst you watch - this is apparently an indirect compliment. If my rabbit cannot reach me, he'll lick the carpet.

But a rabbit will like his or her own space. Rabbits are, essentially, prey animals and they don't like to feel confined or trapped, which is why many dislike being handled. As your rabbit grows older [and perhaps calms down] and comes to trust you more and more, he might become more snuggly. ^^ Depends on the character. Hope that helps.

I get binkied at a lot, especially if I talk to him like a baby. I never knew that about licking the area close to you he does that to the sofa a lot whilst looking at me and I always wondered what he was doing. :D
 
My bunnies are snugglers, we let them in the house alot more now, and often they roam free and they love snuggling...

but yeah, rabbits generally don't like being opicked up. to them its s sign of death xxx
 
Audrey went through a bit of a moody patch a few weeks ago, but seems to like me again now. She likes to put her head on my knee so I'll rub her head. Or if i kneel on the floor she runs over and lies half between my knees and half on the floor. She licks my knees too.

She also shuts her eyes and grinds her teeth happily it if I lay my cheek on her head. However, she will not sit on my lap and hates being picked up- all this has to be done on the floor, so she's only picked up when really necessary.
 
Mine are stand offish little madams (they are outdoor buns). I'm normally only allowed to give them nose rubs etc in the morning before I feed them, otherwise they run away :roll:

They hate being picked up as well, so I only do it when necessary.

However, sometimes I swear they are trying to talk to me as their little mouths flap around when I am talking to them :lol: I also get the occasional wink :D
 
shy but sweet x

Mopsy is shy x she doesn't like to be picked up and gets very frightened so I started to use the carrier to get her out to take her to her run or bedroom ect. However we have a biggish table in the back garden and she loves to go on there x However when she is on there she snuggles up to me x bless her x However in my bedroom nothing you can do can get her out of her fav spot under my chair she loves it i suppose it makes her feel safe x She will happily sit on my lap to be stoked though x =] x
 
My bunny Splodge jumps on my knee and demands stroking. She'll cuddle up with me so long as I'm stroking her. The minute I stop she starts licking me and then getting up and jumping on me. If I don't start stroking her again soon after she will just jump down onto the floor. She's very demanding.

She has just been spaded so not had any cuddles with her for while :cry: , and I am missing it and her silly binkies and mad dashes round the room.
 
well before i had Crystal speyed she used to wriggle and runa way from me constantly (i also got the idea she hated me) but after i git her speyed she turned into such the loving bun she will now let me stroke her and will even hop on my knee if i sit on the floor with her she also licks me when i bring her food/treats lol but my bun Honey on the other hand is a nightmare shes a very nervous rabbit (i dont know why or how) so when i pick her up she automatically starts chewing on my arm (its what she does when shes nervous) or sometimes when she gets startled e.g me bursting in the shed unexpectedly she starts chewing on the nearest thing to her whether its a toy, the carpet or litter tray.

Simba is lovable for an un-neutered buck he is the nicest rabbit ever you can tell he was well handled as a baby :) im hoping to form teh same kind of bond with him as i have with Crystal.

Lilli is slightly aggresive doesnt really liek being picked up but i put that down to 1) Hormones and 2) she was kept locked ina small hutch day in and day out for the last 2 years being constantly bred from so had little human contact :cry:
 
Bertie lives in, we've had him for 5 months now, and he has just started to let us pet him. If he's up & about, he'll jump away from me if I put my hand near him. If he's settled on the floor, or in his tubs, or just sat still, he'll let us stroke him, a lot.
He nudges us when he wants us to chase him a bit, and jumps up onto our laps sometimes, but won't stay there.

You'll start to recognise Licquorices' affectionate body language and expresseions as you get to know him better. :D
 
Smudge and Daisy are outdoor bunnies and don't like being handled at all but will come running over to us when we have or they think we have something for them. My daughter and I often sit in the garden to feed them a treat and they will hop onto our laps.

We only pick them up when necessary (visit to the vet or to check them over etc.) and take the opportunity then to have them in the house for a while. When in the house they never move off a rug we keep especially for them but will come onto our laps as they obviously feel safe there.

They are never vicious towards us (Smudge will grunt when trying to be picked up) and are very friendly when indoors but they do like their own company when outside and binky and play in the garden regularly - especially when it is dusk.

Nose rubbing? Is that better than trying to stroke the rabbit on the head? We are assuming that you rub your finger on their nose? Is that correct?:?
 
Daisy loves her cuddles and regularly jumps onto the sofa so she can snuggle into my neck and she absolutly adores her nose rubs i think she would let me do it all day if she could:lol:
Mr Jingles is another kettle of fish he hates being picked up and will grunt constantly the only time he dosnt grunt is if you bribe him with food first then he will let you do anything;) :lol:
 
My Raff I have had 6.5yrs and he hates being held and the only form of affection he has ever shown me is to chin rub my finger!:roll: oh and chew through my tops and trousers!!:lol: So he must love me eh?!!! Yet I was told does are hard work and bucks are better tempered and my most loving rabbit, is Sadie who kisses your hands and loves cuddles!!:roll:
 
Charm was laid in bed with me this afternoon. Such a loving bunny! But he does like his own space and he does go for me inside his cage when I do anything but fuss him so don't worry about your bunny.
 
Our bunnies are both coming up to 5 months and we've had them nearly 3.
Oakley the female used to be skitish as anything but after her spey (2 weeks ago) She now lets us stroke her however grooming her is a nightmare!

Bailey the boy has always been the friendlier of the two and we can stroke him for a good bit as he obtains the submissive position.
Sadly we can't hold either of the two but it is to be expected we bunnies :)

I love them to bits and would never want them any different. They have their personalities. We've seen them grow both physically and mentally :D
 
I find that sitting on the floor with the buns helps a lot as they can sniff you etc without the stress of being high up. I started by feeding them a couple of pellets by hand on my lap , I held the pellet so they at least had to have paws on me then gradually progressed to they had to sit on me. To begin with they just took the pellet and jumped straight off but the more I did it the longer, and less shy about it they became. It's quite sweet now when I'm kneeling trying to clean them out or something and I feel paws on my back (although I half expect Jess to hump me :lol: ) I don't pick them up for cuddles tho, they clearly don't like it and will only tolerate quick bum checks :D
 
My bunnies are all SO different with their personalities, and their likes and dislikes! I do have a few really affectionate, cuddley bunnies. Daisy and Herbie, my French Lops, are both VERY cuddley and affectionate. My Yellow Dutch Archie and my Black Dutch Timmy are as well. Rexes Poppy and Jasper race up for nose rubs and will hop onto my lap if I sit on the ground. My Continental Giant Harvey LOVES nose rubs and will let you stroke him endlessly......but he does NOT like to be picked up! Princess my REW will allow you to pick her up, but she doesn't really like it, so I only do so if necessary. My chocolate Dutch X's whom I recently adopted from rescue are VERY sweet, love to have nose rubs and be stroked, and are getting more affectionate by the day. Squishy my Tri-Coloured Dwarf Lop is very affectionate too, and would let you rub his nose all day! Millie my Himilayan is quite cuddly and curious. Honey, my sable coloured Dwarf Lop cross, is another rescued bun, and will tolerate being stroked, but does NOT like being picked up or sitting in your lap. She WILL sit beside you on a cushion, though!And that brings us down to my British Giant/REW cross, CheeChee. He has an adorable face, will eat out my hands, and looks SO sweet.........but three times over the past two weeks he has lunged at me and removed a sizeable chunk of flesh from my hand!!!:shock: :shock: :lol: :lol:
 
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