When you get a new rabbit (or have a rabbit).....

[Flashy]

.... do you allow them to live within their means (often only to a certain extent), or do you try to change them into something you want them to be?


By the way, this is related to something going on at the RSPCA at the moment, nothing on here, although I have seen threads on here that have made me think about this more.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

I don't understand the question...could you give an example?

I'd have to guess the first one (live within their means) for me because I'm exceptionally bad at disciplining. I'm assuming that some kind of discipline, training, etc, would be required to change a pet's behavior, and I'm just not cut out for that kind of stuff! If I ever had a kid he'd be a spoiled brat who was never taught any manners.

 

[Flashy]

I mean like some rabbits genetically are not sociable, and whilst they can be helped to be as sociable as possible, they probably won't ever be cuddly, or particularly friendly. Sometimes if a person wants them to be something particular (like cuddly, friendly) they can try to make the rabbit that thing, to the detriment of the rabbit. Then possibly get frustrated with the rabbit for not being what they want, as opposed to looking at the rabbit and listening to the rabbits needs and wants.

So what I mean is like do you allow the rabbit to have it's own limits, to a certain extent, or do you push those limits to get what you want from them?

I want my buns to be happy, for some that means being left alone as much as possible (like Roger), for some that means regular attention (Summer, Sky, Badger), for some that means being around but not giving them much attention (Sunny, she just can't tolerate being handled in any sense, but is really loving and licks a lot when she feels safe).

I guess I'm asking about allowing the bunny to be in control?

Does that make any more sense? I've been talking this over and over with my mum recently and so just used the language we have been using, not what may actually make the most sense.

 

[DazyDaizee]

I try to live in harmony with my pets as much as possible, which means what's best for both of us. I encourage my pets to be social, but on their own terms rather than forcing it on them. I try to offer rewards for things that I like them doing. One of my rabbits is food motivated, so I try to reward her with treats for positive behaviors and offer her alternatives to negative behavior like chewing furniture, tearing up the rug, ect. I will tell her no, as she responds very well, but I also try to offer all my pets plenty of environmental stimulation to keep them occupied and happy.

Honestly, my pets basically run the house and it's typically the humans that make sacrifices. We try to modify our living arrangements as much as possible to accommodate all of us in one space. This is, of course, an ongoing effort. I do my best to let them act out their natural activities and do what seems to make them happy. The challenge is making sure these activities don't put the rabbits in danger or destroy my home too much.

 

[JadeIcing]

I let them be. In our case it would be Teresa, and Wyatt.

Wyatt more so he wants as little to do with us as possible. So when he is out we leave him alone. We only handle him enough so he can deal with nail clippings and check ups. He can be nippy. He doesn't want other buns so we don't force that. He doesn't like people so his cage is in the room where he only deals with us.

Teresa is ok if we don't force it, so she comes to us on her own terms. I try and respect her boundries.

 

[Little Bay Poo]

Yes, that clarification really helped. I'll stick with my first answer, but to provide a little more context with it:

Billy is not cuddly, he will never like being picked up or petted. As a result we only pick him up if we absolutely need to (i.e. nail trimming or minor health issue). We have trained him to accept being petted more readily but still leave him alone when he is running around exploring. We can pet him when he flops on the bed or when he is loafing in the cage, but any other time causes him some distress.

Ronnie as you know likes to circle and hump. I haven't disciplined him although I have provided him stuffed animals to distract him with.

Generally they both do their own thing and we let them be...although I do get bad sometimes about poking Billy when he's sleeping in his bunny bed

 

[Flashy]

Glad it made sense, finally

I also suspected that people on here would have enough knowledge and respect for the animals to know that they need to be listened too

 

[Becca]

I usually let Fluffball be - she doesn't like cuddles that much - she likes being stroked when shes in her cage but shes not happy in my arms. Dippy - I can tell when he has had enough he looks at me - I can't explain it but in his eyes I can tell. He is fine then he starts getting restless. And Ben - well Ben just loves the attention!

 

[grumpybabies]

I bought my french lop thinking it would be a great big cuddly bunny, but from day one she let me know that wasn't her, and i've never tried to change her, i've changed my attitude and i love to just watch her running around all day happily, but we have this sort of understanding i will pick her up rarely if absolutely necessary and so she won't kick off too much because she knows i need to do it. It's the same with the other buns i give them what they want, and i'm lucky to have enough rabbits that i have some off all personalities!

 

[irishbunny]

I care for my bunnies the way they want me to. None of my bunnies really like to be picked up, well I've never met a bunny that actually likes to be picked up. They tolerate it but I wouldn't walk around cuddling them in my arms much. I only hold them to bring them to the run, clip nails or bring them in. I just pet them on the floor. Princess loves being petted and will jump up on my lap for a head massage and to ''groom'' me but when she has enough and jumps off my lap I don't make her be cuddled.

Misty doesn't like cuddles very much, but I do give her a quick petting when I'm feeding, only because I don't want to her to be totally without being touched, I don't want her going crazy when I hold her or if I bring her to a vet, she doesn't mind it, like she won't go crazy and run away but she doesn't particulary enjoy it either.
Thumper likes to be petted on the head for about ten seconds after that he usually hops away, so I don't drag him back and make him be petted.

 

[PepnFluff]

I let them be, Fluff loves knowing that your paying attention to him just your presence, hes a show off. He also loves licking you. But hates being picked up I pick him up only when the need arises. When I first got him I tried for like ages to get him to like cuddles but that didn't work so I just left him be normal.

Ruby hates humans - with a passion, that woul be because of her previous home, with her I did try and make her more human happy and less skittish as I felt it would beneit her. Benefit her in the way so shes not constantley on edge, feeling that even for short amounts of time as a human took it out of me. She now won't get up of I walk within 1m of her which is great. You can lie down and she will come up and investigate you, in general I think shes a much happier bunny becuase of it. So me changing her per say I think was into something I wanted her to be because I felt she needed to do it to benefit her.

They are defianatley in control, they have me worked round their little paws. But I have actually taught them both a 1,2,3 thing where if they are in the wrong place, being naughty etc etc. I can start with a 1 and usually by 2 most def 3 they have turned round and come back the way they came lol. I spose then thats me changing them. On the most part though I let them be who they are.

 

[mouse_chalk]

The first thing I thought of when I read this is if when me and Steve had got together and he had tried to change me because I wasn't doing something right, or who he wanted to be, I would have been majorly annoyed and told him where to go! I think the same goes for bunnies- love them for who they are!

Mouse and Chalk will tolerate pets and being picked up, but they don't love it. We give them cuddles every now and then but never longer than they would happily tolerate. They are happy being with each other, running around getting into mischief and binkying, and that's the way we want them to be, if it means they are happy. Barney is cuddly, but only sometimes. I never try to keep him sat on my lap for longer than he wants to, and if he tries to run when I go to pick him up, I leave it. Snowy is not a cuddly bunny at all- no way. She would prefer to cuddle with Barney, get the daily treat and the odd noserub, so we save picking her up for medical reasons, and transporting her to and from the garden. We squeeze in a few kisses on the way then lol!

Dotty obviously is very cuddly and very attached to us, but even if she wasn't, she hated cuddles, never kissed us, ran away from us etc, we wouldn't love her even a tiny bit less.

When we have got bunnies, we do it to make them happy, not us. All we think is that we want to give them a home where they can be happy and safe and comfortable. It's not about making them fit in with us, it's about us working around them to make them happy. Everything else is just a bonus, and we wouldn't have it any other way