I recently adopted my 12 week old rabbit. I need any advice or tips on how to properly bond with him. It’s been about 2 weeks and I did my research and I did the whole sitting on their level, letting him come to me on his own time, and hand feeding. Nothing seems to help and I also know it can take time. I just wanna know other peoples opinion and how you bonded with your rabbit and how long it took? Thank you!
by Sweetpeacali14
7 Comments
Fruit and herbs lol. Find one they go crazy for and rub them all over your hands. Should keep them more interested in you.
their fav treats and veggies, lay down on ground and put pellets on your back, this will allow them to get on top of you and learn to trust you a bit more. get to their level as well and spend some time with them, theyll probably sniff around you (let them) let them come to you too! dont force love on it either (could make them uncomfortable because they dont know you yet) i know its hard though! treats are the way to their hearts 😙
Be the bringer of food and snacks and find time to live your life around their world. Most importantly, be patient and dunt rush.
Have to do something on the laptop? Great do it in eyesight of your bunn. Want to read or scroll your phone? Do it in eyesight of your bunn.
You don’t have to sit inside of their room, but besides it. Or at a table that’s close. Don’t watch them intently and do your thing. It may be hard but you being casual about it is the key.
You can move closer if you have the feeling your bunn accepts your presence.
If they approach don’t spook them by moving closer, if they sniff you don’t reach out. Always wait for them to touch you first. It shows that you respect their space.
One of my past bunnies never became tame but that didn’t stipple my love for her.
Just be prepared that all the time in the world might not lead to the success you wish to see.
Regardless, I wish you the best.
there is not set time frame on when a rabbit will bond.
I have a REW (Red eye White) who never bonded with me. Oh he tolerates me, but it’s been 3 years and he still nips at me. His sister, who recently passed, barely tolerated me at all and only let me do head pets for a minute before running off.
Meanwhile, I have a foster, Wobblers, who instantly bonded with me over the course of a few days, now he follows me around the living room like a puppy and comes when I call him. He flops on my lap and sits on my chest and grooms me (doesn’t groom my wife HAHAHA!).
So just be patient, continue doing what you’re doing but you have to be ok with the possibility of it not happening.
My bun got much more friendly after getting through puberty. I did what you did essentially to gain trust, then one day, which seemed out of nowhere, she finally settled in and became a cuddly bubby. Take their growing months with a grain of salt & keep doing what you’re doing!
All buns are different. I had a bun live for about 10 years. At about the 5 year mark, he started to become more chill and loving and generally enjoyed pets, even demanded them towards the end of his little life. They are prey animals so they take some time to bond. My current buns love my partner so much more than me. We don’t even know why lol
Pet the shit out of them at their level. It takes time and repetition.