Confused whether my bunny likes me or not

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_Moby_

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I have been getting mixed signals from my new bunny Moby, who I have had now for three weeks, and can't tell whether he likes me, hates me, or fears me, because he shows signs of all three.

I allow him free range in my bedroom, which I have bunny-proofed; when I am laying in bed or on the computer, Moby will be at ease with his legs fully stretched out, often flopping on his side and binkying around, which I know means he is comfortable and happy.

In the early morning he hops all over me and my bed, dashing and binkying around my room until I wake up to give him pellets and his morning treat.

However, when I stand up or walk around, he hide and will start thumping, which I know means he senses danger or is annoyed. When I sit on the floor next to him to read or browse my phone so he can become accustomed to my presence, he seems to get more excited and will start doing head shakes and half binkies - but then he will also jump away and kick his legs backwards at me, which I understand is meant to be an insult or offense in bunny-speak. But then in the same minute he will approach and lick my jeans (i'm assuming he is interested in the jeans, and not expressing love for me).

So basically I am very confused, because he seems comfortable and happy, and yet he thumps and kicks backwards at me - does my bunny dislike me? He is a netherland dwarf, which I have read can have very moody personalities.

I understand it takes time to build trust and bond, and it seems like I am halfway there, but if anyone has advice or similar experiences on how to bond with your bunny I am all ears.
 
It does sound like he is relatively comfortable and happy with you, but it also sounds like there are some things you are doing that maybe scare and upset him.

If he seems frightened when you are up and walking around, then it might be that act itself that is making him nervous. And when you are on the ground or laying down, he feels more comfortable and safe around you. So if this is what's happening, then I think it's going to be a matter of teaching him that he is safe when you are up walking around. Using positive reinforcement may work to teach him this, where you use his treats to show him that good things happen when you are standing.

Kicking the legs backwards could be that he is trying to communicate something with you and you aren't taking the hint, so he gets annoyed. If he seems playful prior to doing this, it might be that he is trying to initiate play with you and if you aren't joining in, then that could be what is bugging him. So next time you could try joining his little game of tag, hide and seek, or follow the leader, and see what his response is.

Licking the jeans is usually considered mutual grooming, essentially meaning he's accepted and does like you.

My buns thump and flick their feet at me all the time for offending them in some way, but they also still like me and 'groom' me to show they do. And yes, nethies can be moody little things. 6 of mine are dwarfs, so I definitely know about the whole moodiness aspect. Such fickle little things they are :p So your bun sounds pretty normal to me.

I think since you are relatively new to each other, that he'll settle down even more as he gets more accustomed and used to his new home and you.
 
Patience is the only effective thing with rabbits. 3 weeks is a really short time, just leave him be. Some rabbits can take months (or even years!) to be completely comfortable with you. That's normal considering you are engineered to kill and eat them and they know it too ^^. I often see posts of people going like 'my rabbit adores / loves / hates me' but you know... they are rabbits. I don't think concepts such as love or hate make much sense to them especially in relation to non-rabbit creatures. I believe in establishing a relationship based on trust though and I really feel that one with my rabbits (especially Aki, who was born outside in a warren of semi-wild rabbits and who will let me handle her when she will hide whenever she just hears anyone she doesn't know in the house - but it took years to come to that point, it took exactly three years for her not to get up when I approach her while she is laying down). But that comes with habits. If there is one thing rabbit do love for sure it's routine, habits and normal. Once you are part of that, it's all good. Which is why some people feel like their rabbits resent them after a vet visit, a neuter, a move, a change of cage... The rabbit just needs to time to establish 'normal' again which can take a few weeks after The Change (Tybalt, who has lived with me for 4 years and is generally a pretty chill rabbit, just avoided me, stomping his feet and running away when I was just looking at him even from outside the window, for 10 days because his long-eared roommate had to be hospitalized at the vet for 24h and he was left alone during that time - he's back to normal now). So nothing to worry about, just be patient!
 

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