It's been a year and little progress :(

It has been almost a year since we adopted our boys and it saddens me that they are still so afraid of us. They spend so much time in their dens that I often think about removing them to try and make them more socialable but I know this would not be right as their dens are their place where they feel safe and secure. I really want to enjoy them living with us but sadly they just hide and run away anytime we are near any suggestions on how we can win them round?

Have a read of this: http://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm

It helped me

Thanks. That is helpful. I think the thing I need to remember here is we gave two brothers who were born in a rescue and spent the first 8 months of their life in there together. Our previous and only ever bunny we have had was a single house bun who lived with us from an early age and loved snuggles. Reality is they are not going to be the same.

But just because they're not snuggly bunnies doesn't mean you can't develop a good relationship with them. One of my buns hates being touched and doesn't have any interest in humans, but she'll still come over when I call her to see if I have food or to nudge me 'hi' in bunny language. At the vets, she'll try and climb into my arms to get away, so I think she does trust me in her way. I still enjoy watching her do her rabbitty stuff, even if she doesn't like being stroked. She used to live inside and was friendlier then - when they were free-range she would jump on me in the middle of the night :lol:

my rabbit Tabitha doesn't like to be cuddled but if I rub her shoulders while she sits firmly on the floor, she loves it. she's like nessar's bun, not keen on snuggling but very much my friend when we are at the vets!

I have four and only one is really friendly. Two will climb on us and aren't afraid of us, but aren't snuggle buns. The fourth came to us from rescue, his background unknown. He has always been very wary of humans and used to just freeze and hyperventilate if we had to pick him up. Now, he will come towards us in the garden to see if we have anything, but will still bolt if we go to stroke him. IF we have to pick him up, he is more relaxed and will explore a bit, though will still try to avoid being picked up at all. he waits in his run at feeding time until we've gone so we don't stroke him. He's another one who is our friend at the vets though. We've had him for three years now and there's definitely been progress, but it's very slow.

On the flip side, he loves whizzing around the garden, does brilliant binkies, snuggles with his wifebun, and has the most brilliant facial expressions - he's such a pleasure to watch. Just have to enjoy them for what they are and take every tiny little sign of progress as a good sign. At the end of the day, if they are happy, that's what matters.

Thank you all for your advice. I know I need to accept they are not our previous bunny and that they have each other so probably need us less.

Sorry if I should know from the post - but are they house buns?

Have you tried always sitting on the floor and not on sofas/chairs etc -

Also have you got carpetting or vinyl that they are confident on and not laminate or slippy floors?

It is amazing how different rabbits react to different surfaces - some are confident on anything - others will not move off a non slip flooring.