How affectionate are your rabbits

[Werepuppy]

I love this site

http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk_intro.html

Its got some good tips for understanding funny bunnies !!

That was a very helpful website! I understand my buns alot more now and done some good bonding (I think Luna is really taking to the petting now..)

They both will take food from my hands now, and Luna lets me pet him whilst he was nibbling on a treat stick.. After a while Silver got jealous and wanted to steal the stick but i said she could only have it if she let me pet her so she ran off. :roll:
But she then licked her lips and decided the treat stick was worth it so hopped back and chomped away whilst she let me stroke her :lol: :mrgreen:

Its been a good day :lol:

 

[catswhiskas]

My two outdoor buns are very intolerant of loves.. Sandy will occasionally let me give him strokes and will stand next to me when I am out in garden. Lily hates me and everyone and everything apart from Sandy. She won't even stay in the yard it I am out, she goes back in the shed. Sometimes I get a nose rub in. My 2 foster buns love nosey rubs, the boy more than the girl... And Princess Caramel has become a real cuddle bun lately but she never hops around much as she is very lazy. So if I put her on me she will just snuggle down and go to sleep as she can't be bothered to move.

Don't worry, bunnies are very contrary beings! :roll:

 

[Vikki*and*the*buns]

Choci's my snuggle bun, he licks me all the time. Lily on the other hand is not so snuggly but I have been working on this and she now licks me, will let me stroke her, I can pick her up for a brief cuddle and carry her places. This is a great improvement from when she first arrived, she bit me and anyone who went near her, but has the weeks went on she could see I wasn't going to back down and she became more tolerant of me, she only just start to trust other people, but they have to watch as she will bite if provoked.

vikki:wave:

 

[taylor v 109]

My own rabbits are super friendly they mostly all love kisses and cuddles and will lay in my arms. I think its mostly to do with the way they are raised when young. Mine are all breed by me and i start handling them form the age of three weeks. This makes them super friendly. Sadly most pet rabbits havent had this because they were breed just for pet shops . Most of the rabbits i take into the rescue are not good at being handled but its good so many people still take them on and do there best to win them round. val

 

[Julia123]

That was a very helpful website! I understand my buns alot more now and done some good bonding (I think Luna is really taking to the petting now..)

They both will take food from my hands now, and Luna lets me pet him whilst he was nibbling on a treat stick.. After a while Silver got jealous and wanted to steal the stick but i said she could only have it if she let me pet her so she ran off. :roll:
But she then licked her lips and decided the treat stick was worth it so hopped back and chomped away whilst she let me stroke her :lol: :mrgreen:

Its been a good day :lol:

Aww glad it helped

 

[Squishybunny]

I managed to get a couple of nose rubs in this morning while they were both scoffing their breakfast.

The most timid one kind of pushed my finger around with her nose, then sort of opened her mouth and I felt her teeth against my finger. Their wasn't any biting, just a distinct presence of teeth. Was this a warning shot of move'm or lose them or something else??????? She has never bitten me before and only nips (pinches the skin, no blood) when she's ticked off about being held at the vets for a length of time.

Anyone know what this meant or had a similar experience???????

 

[Buggie Jay]

My Netherland Dwarf - Bunnie, tolerates picking up and fussing and loves nose rubs.... ever gets a treat it will run away with it hahaha...

My Dwarf Lop - Monty, is another kettle of fish, he doesn't like pick ups and really is a chase to catch him... likes a good rub behind the ears though and will eat from you hand without snatching and running for safety...

I am amazed by pictures of those that have there rabbits on there laps, even when the rabbit is on its back!.. mine would never do that...

 

[JayUK]

I love this site

http://www.muridae.com/rabbits/rabbittalk_intro.html

Its got some good tips for understanding funny bunnies !!

It's Brilliant, and the techniques worked a treat for mine, he went from nervous timid bun to happy cuddly playful bun in a few days. It's well funny when you have a moodie with your bun, if it's misbehaved, then they come over to make up! I think the best bit of info that worked quickest for us was keeping hands well behind the back, and approach with your nose

 

[loobie_lou]

Both of my boys have completely different personalities... probably because of the ordeal ones been put through, meaning they're now seperated - one indoor bun now, and the other out!

Jamie (outdoor) - he will tolerate being picked up (more so if you hold him like a baby) but lets you know when enough is enough by putting a hole in your clothing :shock: If, first thing on a morning, you put your head in to his hutch he'll come over and groom you... and he'll go down low so you can give him nose rubs. But, when you've introduced his food, that's it... he doesn't want to know :lol:

Kitt (indoor) - on the other hand, when Kitt was outside he HATED being held.. he'd jump straight on to my shoulders, and then try to jump off :? He's always enjoyed grooming me. Since he's become a house bun (because he's poorly) we've grown really close... as soon as I walk in to the bedroom he runs to the side of the cage and goes ballistic for nose rubs, where I can hear him crunching his teeth!! When I open up the cage for him to have a wander he like slopes over the opening with his collar on and waits for more nose rubs... where he tries to groom me at the same time :lol: Lately he's started to come and sit next to me when I watch tv and nuzzle in to my side and go to sleep

xx

 

[Bex]

I think alot does depend on how they spent their early bunnyhood.

I've had Remus since he was quite young (we went to adopt his mother and there was only him left) and he's very affectionate and doesn't even mind being picked up that much. Both Remus and his family were handled everyday by both adults and a child, I think this made him quite bombproof. :shock:

Daphne (who's a boy) is quite affectionate as long as I'm sat down in the run with him, but doesn't like to be picked up that much, but will climb happily onto my lap for a nosie rub. He came from a possitively overcrowded place where he didn't get much attention.

Evelyn, had a bit of a questionable background, her littermate had a broken leg, neither of them were handled much and it shows, she hates being picked up and to be perfectly honest isn't that affectionate unless there is food about :roll: :lol:

Mr and Mrs Blobby, were not handled much at all in their old home and had quite a small home considering they are not exactly dwarfs, they hate being caught now however Mrs Blobby is definately getting used to it and is becoming more affectionate, similarly to Evie especially when there is food about. Mr Blobby is far more set in his way though and will often try to eat parts of me when I have to pick him up. However they are absolutely besotted with each other so I don't worry that much.

I haven't given up with any of my buns but I have to a certain extent come to accept them for what they want and like.