Definately don't give up! Some bunniesare just very shy, even if they haven't beenmistreated. Bunnies who might have ahistory of abuse need even more patience...
It's normal for them to not want to be picked up/held... they are,after all, prey animals, so many bunnies never get over the fear of notbeing "masters of their own destinies", so tospeak. Try not to pick them up, if at allpossible. If you haven't already, rabbit-proof aroom or set up a puppy exercise pen so that your buns can run aroundwhile you clean their cage. If the door to their cage isground-level, just open it & wait for them to comeout. If it's a top-opening cage, you'll need to set up somesort of "stair" system (like a few boxes of different sizes) that willallow them to get in & out of the cage w/o being picked up (andyou might want to get a new cage w/ a ground-opening door:| ). To get them back into their cage, put treatsin the cage, tell them it's "bedtime" (or "time for treats", orwhatever you want to call it
), & gently herd them back totheir cage. It might take quite awhile the first couple oftimes you try it, but buns are smart, & they should figure outpretty quickly that going back to their cage when they're told meansthat they don't get picked up *and* they get treats. Whatcould be better?
Beyond that, the best thing you can do to bond w/ your rabbits is tojust hang out w/ them, w/o trying to pick them up or pet them oranything at all. Let them out of their cage, & sit(or, even better, lay) on the floor, reading, watching TV, or justobserving the buns. It may take awhile, but eventuallycuriosity will get the best of even the most timid of buns, &they'll come check you out. At this point, it pays to havetreats handy. ;D
Most of all, just be patient. I've heard of rabbits takingover a year to really get used to being around Their People.Even if your buns never become particularly cuddly, they still shouldwarm up to you if you give them enough time. :}
