How long did it take to you tame your rabbit (s)?

[larryng]

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/iU1Ati4KFUg&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

 I was just sitting at my chair cradling my rabbit, Peanut, like I did in the video.

 I was looking into Peanuts super calm and relaxed face and I just cant believe that rabbits are among the most timid and shy animals around.

 I got my three rabbits as baby bunnies so taming them didn't take very long.

1) Sam my first rabbit took about 2- 3 days of five to ten minutes cuddling sessions before he got used to me and loved to snuggle.

2) Bagel, my second bun, it took a week and a half to tame her.

3) Peanut, my third bunny, was never afraid of me. I bought her at the tender age of six weeks. At six weeks Peanut did not know the difference between day and night and had no idea she was supposed to be afraid of bigger creatures (me). Peanut never showed any fear of me and allowed me to pick her up w/o fear from day one.

 How about you?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

She's a cutie and very fast. Had a hard time putting her up as she wouldn't go in the box like all mine are trained to do. Most of ours were rescues, but didn't have any trust issues. We had 3 of 32 that took a few months, but they are happy, trusting, and loving now. It varies from bunny to bunny as they all have their own persona.

 

[Blue eyes]

I've had a couple rabbits I could snuggle with like that. Haven't been able to do that at all with my current pair. :sosad

Sapphire I've had for 7 months and she DESPISES being held. Oh, she'll let me pet her forever if she's on the floor, but she will NOT tolerate being confined/held. I have to take her to the rescue for nail clippings and even their experienced people were surprised at how difficult she was. It always take 2 to clip her nails.

Mocha is a new mate for Sapphire. He's just starting to let me sneak in a few pets when I give him treats.

I miss being able to snuggle. Anyone have suggestions? Larryng, did you get all your rabbits as babies? Mine were rescues like Larry & Nancy's.

From what both of you wrote with being quick on taming, maybe I'm not doing all I should to move things along. :dunno

 

[larryng]

@ blue eyes......some rabbits hate to snuggled with a passion. Some rabbits hate to be picked up and held.

If Sapphire let you pet her then I would consider her tamed.

Here's a thread about how much some rabbits like to cuddle and some don't like to cuddle.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=72367&forum_id=1&highlight=like+to+cuddle+does+not

 

[MagPie]

Harvey doesn't like to be held but he loves being rubbed. When I first got Harvey I was going to let him settle in for a few days, but Harvey had other ideas haha. He pretty much demanded to be let out right away. He settled in and decided we (my cats and me) were his. Yeah I got a bossy rabbit haha.

 

[daisyandoliver]

Oliver was afraid of me for about the first 2 weeks and now he will get on my bed and cuddle with me. But Daisy who has been with me for 5-6 months now doesn't like me still and bit me yesterday night.

 

[sugarbunnies]

My buns both let me pet them (they're rescues ... Nikolai is such a curious and brave bunny for being a stray). However, for the life of me, I cannot pick them up unless I chase them down (only when I need to). They still struggle and manage to get away. I really would love to be able to do what you are doing in the video, but since it is nearly impossible to catch them, I am under the impression that they definitely would not like that.

 

[agnesthelion]

Agnes has been "tame" amd trusting from the start. And til this day I can pick her up with no struggle at all. I rarely put her on her back. Although she doesn't fight me on it at all, and she appears to enjoy it, I've always read that the trance like relaxation bunnies get into whilst on their backs is purely survival instinct and they arent enjoying themselves at all.

Archie I can pick up but he does struggle every once in awhile. Not every time, but about half the time. I now know how to hold him without setting him off (he's very particular) but he doesn't enjoy being picked up, he tolerates it

 

[random faerie]

How interesting.

I just got my first bunny and today is the 3rd day we've been together (although I spend most of the day at work). He would let me pet him every now and then and come to me and sniff... But I can't pick him up.

I am a little impatient but I know I should tolerate this for my new bun-bun. ; 3 ; I really want to cuddle with him like that. That would be so nice!

Also, this is off topic but, he is leaving poo everywhere. HAHA. Should I tame him first before I try to litter train him?

 

[larryng]

I would put hay in his litter pan and put the pan in the cage.

The bonding will take a little time but if the rabbit is young it will be pretty easy.

Gradually play with him more and more.

 

[Troller]

Can you ever tame these guys or is it that they allow you to think you did

Conan lets me pet him in his cage, when he's eating and only occasionally out and about. We're currently working on the picking up but I doubt he'll ever just let it happen without a fight. Today's handling exercise went really strangely for me. I sat down and lifted him and held him for a few minutes. There was a bit of a struggle occasionally
when I would shift to pet and such, and a little nipping to let me know
he didn't care for this. I thought he'd be upset at me as he is wont to do but instead he hung around me for the next 2 hours until I had to get to work. That's never happened before and I'm not sure what to make of it.

 

[Watts76]

I got to see Pepper at the breeders at 3, 5 and 8 weeks old. I took her home at 10 weeks old. So she was very familiar with me by the time I took her home.

She isn't a cuddler per say, but she lays on the couch beside me, and lets me pet her whenever I want. She tries to cuddle with my cats tho.

She doesn't like to be picked up much tho, but will let me bring her to her cage if she is being stubborn and refusing to go in for the night.