Difficulties With Bonding With Rescue Rabbits

[baileyk55]

I’m really struggling with my two rabbits. I love them to the moon and back, but that love is not even remotely reciprocated. They have their own room in our house with unlimited access to hay, many toys/hides, and greens twice a day, but I find there are many days where I don’t see them more than just to feed them and clean their area. We rescued them from a shelter a little over a year ago, and they have some serious trauma from months living in the wilderness. Because of this, they’ve never really felt comfortable with my partner and I being near them. I feel like it’s become this negative feedback loop where we try to interact with them, and they run away for us, so eventually we just stop trying to get near them. This has made at home nail trims/grooming and visits to the vet extremely traumatic for everyone involved. I am not open to rehoming them because I know they probably won’t get the same level of care that we’re providing them with, but I also feel like we’re all just tolerating each other. I feel so stuck and sad about our relationships with each other. Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

 

[JBun]

Rabbits that are uncomfortable or nervous around people, can take some time to build a trusting relationship with. It can take a lot of patience and perseverance. To build that relationship, you essentially need to go about a similar process as when rabbits are bonded together with each other. This entails sitting on the floor with them in a smaller space such as a bathroom or xpen, so they won't just run away and avoid being near you, and then allowing them the time they need to learn to feel safe with your presence and approach you.

When they do, you don't reach out, try and pet, or anything like that at first. You essentially ignore them and go about reading or whatever it is you're doing while sitting there with them. You're allowing them to learn to not feel any threat from you. Rabbits are curious, they will eventually want to explore around you, though this can take some time for some rabbits.

Once they are completely comfortable approaching you and being near you, then gradually you can slowly offer your hand for them to smell. And when they're comfortable with that you can try a little finger 'scritch' on the forehead. If they're accepting of that then you can gradually move onto gentle head rubs. Building a trusting relationship with rabbits is a process, and one that can't be rushed. It all has to be done on their terms, in their time, but so worth it in the end when you've won that trust.

For times when you need to move them out of their area, like to go to the vet, it's best to train them with food, to go into a pet carrier so they never associate you with getting grabbed or picked up. Also, if possible, it would be best to have nail trims done at the vets while you are trying to build this relationship with them, so they don't associate you with something that they don't like. Things that can damage this trust you're trying to build, and so want to avoid doing, are picking them up at all, nail trims, even grooming may need to be put on hold(provided it doesn't endanger their health), and no walking after or 'chasing' them. Basically anything that puts you as a 'predator' out to get them.

And then spending as much time quietly sitting with them as you can. This is what will eventually enable a bond to be formed with them.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-with-your-bunny.html

 

[Blue eyes]

I would just add that having rabbits in their own separate room isn't always ideal for the very reason you describe -- it becomes "their room" and it can be too difficult to be able to set aside enough time to spend in that room.

When rabbits are housed in the main living area of the home, it is much easier to build a bond with them. For example, my rabbits' cage is in the main area and their roaming space includes the living room, dining area, kitchen, and where I have my desk. So while I'm on the computer, or watching TV, or eating... the rabbits are nearby.

I may not be directly interacting with them then, but in a rabbit's view, we are spending time together. It is all bonding and getting used to each other's presence. In this way, we literally spends hours "together" every day. All of this can further help move along the type of deliberate bonding that Jenny describes.

 

[Fluffy19]

I’m really struggling with my two rabbits. I love them to the moon and back, but that love is not even remotely reciprocated. They have their own room in our house with unlimited access to hay, many toys/hides, and greens twice a day, but I find there are many days where I don’t see them more than just to feed them and clean their area. We rescued them from a shelter a little over a year ago, and they have some serious trauma from months living in the wilderness. Because of this, they’ve never really felt comfortable with my partner and I being near them. I feel like it’s become this negative feedback loop where we try to interact with them, and they run away for us, so eventually we just stop trying to get near them. This has made at home nail trims/grooming and visits to the vet extremely traumatic for everyone involved. I am not open to rehoming them because I know they probably won’t get the same level of care that we’re providing them with, but I also feel like we’re all just tolerating each other. I feel so stuck and sad about our relationships with each other. Has anyone else been in a similar situation?

Hey, I am new here, looking for bonding help and the search lead me to find yr post. I am not sure if you and yr bunnies have better relationship by now… most likely I guess not yet…I just want to tell u about our first beloved bun who was not wanting anything to do with us at all just came out to her food area, doing things by her own and if we tried to petting or near her, she would ran away and same thing with the Vet visits. My husband and I never had pet as an adult and no rabbits experience so we just love her treat her the best, trying everything just to make her a happy life, just like u do, after being with us about 3 years she became very attached to us especially me. She would looking if any of us not home. She followed me from room to room and sleeping with me, gave me special permission to take care of her. Cutting nails used to be an hour down to 5 minutes. So I hope u don’t give up, rabbits are smart they know you love them, it’s the past experience yr buns had, might take longer time to trust but they will show u one day that they love and want yr attention.

 

[Cinn-a-bun]

Yup